Rudder structure applied to pipeline robot
By adopting a universal joint rudder structure and an elastic support mechanism in the pipeline robot, the problem of unstable turning recognition is solved, and higher turning recognition accuracy and stability are achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202410252630.1
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-03-06
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-09
AI Technical Summary
When existing pipeline robots operate in fluid media, turning recognition is unstable and the clutch disc is easily offset, affecting turning ability and recognition accuracy.
Two steering wheels and a traction rod are used to form a universal joint rudder structure. A clutch plate and a pressure sensor are set, and the clutch plate is supported by an elastic waist plate and a limit spring to achieve more stable turning recognition.
The stability and accuracy of turn recognition are improved, and the pipeline robot's ability to operate in curves is enhanced.
Smart Images

Figure CN120609003A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of pipeline robots, and in particular to a rudder structure applied to pipeline robots. Background Art
[0002] A pipeline robot is an integrated mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation system that can autonomously travel along the interior or exterior of a pipeline. It can carry one or more sensors and operating devices, such as ultrasonic sensors, eddy current sensors, and pipeline cleaning devices. Under remote operator control, it can perform a range of pipeline inspection and maintenance operations. Replacing manual inspection with pipeline robots significantly improves inspection precision and accuracy, significantly contributing to improved working conditions, reduced operating costs, and increased efficiency.
[0003] Currently, pipeline robots can be divided into seven categories based on their mechanical structure: fluid-driven, wheeled, tracked, supported, walking, and screw-driven. The robot's operating speed stability, cornering ability, and obstacle surmounting capabilities are directly related to operational effectiveness. However, when operating in a fluid medium, the lumbar traction portion of the robot bends relatively. Turning is typically detected by sensors to determine the direction of rotation. These sensors are typically triggered by a clutch disc, making maintaining the clutch disc's stability crucial. Summary of the Invention
[0004] Purpose of the present invention: In order to overcome the defects of the prior art, the present invention provides a rudder structure for a pipeline robot, in which two steering plates cooperate with a traction rod to form a universal joint rudder, and a clutch plate and a sensor are arranged on the universal joint rudder. Turn recognition is achieved by the clutch of the clutch plate and the sensor, and the clutch plate is elastically supported by a spring plate, so that the clutch plate and the traction rod can swing, thereby improving stability and making turn recognition more accurate.
[0005] The present invention discloses a rudder structure for a pipeline robot, comprising a left steering wheel, a right steering wheel, and a traction rod for connecting the left and right steering wheels, wherein both ends of the traction rod form a universal joint rudder with the corresponding steering wheels, and is characterized in that: a pressure sensor is provided on the left steering wheel, a clutch plate for contacting the pressure sensor is provided on the right steering wheel, the clutch plate is sleeved on the traction rod, and the right steering wheel is further provided with a retaining mechanism for keeping the clutch plate perpendicular to the traction rod.
[0006] By adopting the above technical solution, a universal joint rudder is formed by cooperating between two steering wheels and a traction rod, and a clutch plate and a pressure sensor are arranged on the universal joint rudder. Turn recognition is achieved by the clutch of the clutch plate and the sensor, and the clutch plate is supported by a holding mechanism to prevent the clutch plate from shifting, so that the clutch plate swings with the traction rod, which improves stability and makes turn recognition more accurate.
[0007] The present invention is further configured as follows: the retaining mechanism comprises an elastic waist piece provided on the right steering disc and a limiting spring piece provided on the traction rod, the elastic waist piece squeezes the clutch disc inward, and the limiting spring piece squeezes the clutch disc outward.
[0008] By adopting the above technical solution, the clutch plate can be made perpendicular to the traction rod through the squeezing of the elastic waist plate and the limiting spring plate. When the steering wheel rotates relative to each other, the traction rod can be driven to swing. At this time, the clutch plate and the traction rod swing together, thereby achieving clutch with the pressure sensor and realizing turn recognition.
[0009] The present invention is further provided with: a plurality of pressure sensors are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction.
[0010] The above technical solution is adopted to make it more sensitive when recognizing turns through multi-point contact.
[0011] The present invention is further configured as follows: both ends of the elastic waist piece are provided with abutting portions, and the elastic waist piece is provided with a plurality of abutting portions along the circumferential direction.
[0012] By adopting the above technical solution, the elastic waist piece can respectively abut against the right steering wheel and the clutch plate through the abutting portion, which can increase the abutting surface and thus increase stability.
[0013] A further configuration of the present invention is that the clutch disc is made of magnetic material or a magnetic ring is provided on the clutch disc.
[0014] By adopting the above technical solution, the contact end of the pressure sensor can be adsorbed by using magnetic material or setting a magnetic ring, and the contact end of the pressure sensor can be kept in contact with the clutch disc when not turning, which improves stability.
[0015] A further configuration of the present invention is as follows: the traction rod includes a left rod body and a right rod body arranged in a split manner, the left steering wheel is provided with a first spherical groove, the left rod body is partially arranged in the first spherical groove, the left rod body located in the first spherical groove is provided with a first spherical surface that cooperates with the first spherical groove, the right steering wheel is provided with a second spherical groove, the right rod body is partially located in the second spherical groove, the right rod body located on the second spherical groove is provided with a second spherical surface that cooperates with the second spherical groove, and also includes a connecting piece for connecting the left rod body and the right rod body, the first spherical surface rotates in the first spherical groove, and the second spherical surface rotates in the second spherical groove to form a universal joint structure.
[0016] By adopting the above technical solution, the left and right rod bodies are arranged in a split manner, which makes it more convenient to assemble them. Then, they are connected by a connecting piece to prevent the two from separating, and a universal joint structure can be formed by cooperating with the spherical surface on the corresponding rod body and the spherical groove. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] Figure 1 This is an application diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 Sectional view; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the present invention after turning; Figure 4 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of part a; Figure 5 for Figure 2 Part b enlarged view; Figure 6 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of local c; Figure 7 for Figure 3 Local d enlarged image; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the connecting piece of the present invention formed by a buckle and a hook. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] The following describes the specific embodiments of the present invention in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings: In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "bottom", "top", "front", "back", "inside", "outside", "left", "right", etc., indicating directions or positional relationships, are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention.
[0019] The present invention discloses a rudder structure for a pipeline robot, comprising a left steering wheel 1, a right steering wheel 2, and a traction rod 3 for connecting the left steering wheel 1 and the right steering wheel 2. The two ends of the traction rod 3 form a universal joint rudder with the corresponding steering wheel. In an embodiment of the present invention, the left steering wheel 1 is provided with a pressure sensor 4, the right steering wheel 2 is provided with a clutch plate 5 for contacting the pressure sensor 4, the clutch plate 5 is sleeved on the traction rod 3, and the right steering wheel 2 is further provided with a holding mechanism 6 for keeping the clutch plate 5 perpendicular to the traction rod 3.
[0020] By adopting the above technical solution, a universal joint rudder is formed by cooperating between two steering wheels and the traction rod 3, and a clutch plate 5 and a pressure sensor 4 are arranged on the universal joint rudder. Turn recognition is achieved by the clutch of the clutch plate 5 and the pressure sensor 4, and the clutch plate 5 is supported by the holding mechanism 6 to prevent the clutch plate 5 from shifting, so that the clutch plate 5 and the traction rod 3 swing, which has better stability and more accurate turn recognition. The left and right steering wheels are most preferably elastically reset by springs. The reset of the left and right steering wheels belongs to the existing technology and will not be introduced in detail in this application.
[0021] The retaining mechanism 6 includes an elastic waist piece 61 provided on the right steering wheel 2 and a limiting spring piece 62 provided on the traction rod 3 (the limiting spring piece 62 preferably has one end abutting against the traction rod 3 and the other end abutting against the clutch disc 5). The elastic waist piece 61 squeezes the clutch disc 5 inward, and the limiting spring piece 62 squeezes the clutch disc 5 outward. The clutch disc 5 can be made perpendicular to the traction rod 3 through the squeezing of the elastic waist piece 61 and the limiting spring piece 62. When the steering wheel rotates relative to each other, the traction rod 3 can be driven to swing. At this time, the clutch disc 5 swings with the traction rod 3, thereby realizing the clutch with the pressure sensor and realizing turn recognition.
[0022] The pressure sensors 4 are arranged in a plurality of intervals along the circumferential direction, and are more sensitive in turning recognition through multi-point contact.
[0023] Both ends of the elastic waist piece 61 are provided with abutment parts 611, and the elastic waist piece 61 is provided with several abutment parts along the circumferential direction. The elastic waist piece 61 can respectively abut with the right steering wheel 2 and the clutch plate 5 through the abutment parts, which can increase the abutment surface and thus increase stability.
[0024] The clutch disc 5 is made of magnetic material or is provided with a magnetic ring on the clutch disc 5. By making it of magnetic material or providing a magnetic ring, the contact end of the pressure sensor 4 can be adsorbed, and the contact end of the pressure sensor 4 can be kept in contact with the clutch disc 5 when not turning, which improves stability.
[0025] The traction rod 3 includes a left rod body 31 and a right rod body 32 arranged in a split manner. The left steering wheel 1 is provided with a first spherical groove 11, and the left rod body 31 is partially arranged in the first spherical groove 11. The left rod body 31 located in the first spherical groove 11 is provided with a first spherical surface 311 that cooperates with the first spherical groove 11. The right steering wheel 2 is provided with a second spherical groove 21, and the right rod body 32 is partially located in the second spherical groove 21. The right rod body 32 located on the second spherical groove 21 is provided with a second spherical surface 321 that cooperates with the second spherical groove 21. It also includes a connecting piece 7 for connecting the left rod body 31 and the right rod body 32 (one end where the left rod body 31 and the right rod body 32 are connected is most preferably provided with a connecting boss, and the connecting piece 7 is most preferably used to tighten the two. Of course, bolts, pins, etc. can also be used for connection. Of course, buckles and hooks can also be used to achieve connection as shown in the attached manual. Figure 8 ), the first spherical surface 311 rotates in the first spherical groove 11, and the second spherical surface 321 rotates in the second spherical groove 21 to form a universal joint structure. The split arrangement of the left rod body 31 and the right rod body 32 can make it more convenient during assembly, and then they are connected by the connecting piece 7 to prevent the two from separating, and the universal joint structure can be formed by the cooperation of the spherical surfaces on the corresponding rod bodies and the spherical grooves.
Claims
1. A rudder structure for a pipeline robot, comprising a left steering wheel (1), a right steering wheel (2), and a traction rod (3) for connecting the left steering wheel (1) and the right steering wheel (2), wherein both ends of the traction rod (3) form a universal joint rudder with the corresponding steering wheel, and characterized in that: The left steering wheel (1) is provided with a pressure sensor (4), the right steering wheel (2) is provided with a clutch plate (5) for resisting the pressure sensor (4), the clutch plate (5) is sleeved on the traction rod (3), and the right steering wheel (2) is also provided with a holding mechanism (6) for keeping the clutch plate (5) perpendicular to the traction rod (3).
2. The rudder structure for a pipeline robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The retaining mechanism (6) comprises an elastic waist piece (61) provided on the right steering wheel (2) and a limiting spring piece (62) provided on the traction rod (3); the elastic waist piece (61) presses the clutch disc (5) inward, and the limiting spring piece (62) presses the clutch disc outward.
3. The rudder structure for a pipeline robot according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: A plurality of pressure sensors (4) are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction.
4. The rudder structure for a pipeline robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The clutch disc (5) is made of magnetic material or a magnetic ring is provided on the clutch disc (5).
5. The rudder structure for a pipeline robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: Both ends of the elastic waist piece (61) are provided with abutment portions (611), and the elastic waist piece (61) is provided with a plurality of abutment portions along the circumferential direction.
6. The rudder structure for a pipeline robot according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that: The traction rod (3) includes a left rod body (31) and a right rod body (32) that are arranged in a split manner. The left steering wheel (1) is provided with a first spherical groove (11). The left rod body (31) is partially arranged in the first spherical groove (11). The left rod body (31) located in the first spherical groove (11) is provided with a first spherical surface (311) that cooperates with the first spherical groove (11). The right steering wheel (2) is provided with a second spherical groove (21). The right rod body (32) is partially located in the second spherical groove (21). The right rod body (32) located on the second spherical groove (32) is provided with a second spherical surface (321) that cooperates with the second spherical groove (21). A connecting member (7) for connecting the left rod body (31) and the right rod body (32) is also included. The first spherical surface (311) rotates in the first spherical groove (11), and the second spherical surface (321) rotates in the second spherical groove (21) to form a universal joint structure.