Telescopic neck device of cable trench inspection robot

Abstract

A cable trench inspection robot telescopic neck device provided by the present invention comprises a base installed on an inspection robot moving mechanism, a pedestal is rotatably installed on the base, a liftable support column is installed on the pedestal, the top end of the support column is hinged to a mounting seat, and the top end of the mounting seat is hinged to the cable trench inspection robot moving mechanism. An angle adjusting mechanism for driving the mounting seat to rotate is arranged between the supporting column and the mounting seat, and an information acquisition mechanism is arranged on the mounting seat. Through cooperation of the rotating base, the liftable supporting column and the angle adjusting mechanism, a relatively independent three-dimensional motion system of horizontal rotation, vertical lifting and pitching adjustment is formed, multi-angle flexible adjustment of the information acquisition mechanism is achieved, comprehensive detection of cable equipment in a cable trench is effectively achieved, and diversified inspection requirements in the cable trench are met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of cable trench inspection robots, and in particular to a telescopic neck device of a cable trench inspection robot. Background Art

[0002] In power systems, cable trenches play a crucial role in power transmission. Substation cable trenches are primarily used to lay and protect control cables, optical fibers, network cables, and other components, making them a crucial component of a substation's power transmission and control systems. They are typically enclosed underground trenches consisting of a trench body, a cover, and support structures. The trench body is constructed of concrete or masonry, providing a certain load-bearing capacity and waterproofing. Support structures secure the cables and are located on both sides of the trench, with 2-4 layers on each side. This ensures neat cable alignment and minimizes interference.

[0003] To ensure the normal operation of cables, optical fibers, and network cables within the cable trench, regular trench inspections are necessary. Cable trench inspection robots, with their high degree of automation and ability to operate in complex environments, are becoming an essential tool for cable trench inspections.

[0004] Existing cable trench inspection robots mostly have fixed necks, which limits their inspection angle when inspecting cables at varying heights and locations within the trench. For example, when cables are mounted on high brackets or obstacles within the trench obstruct the inspection line of sight, robots with fixed necks cannot flexibly adjust their inspection angle and height, making it difficult to conduct comprehensive and detailed cable inspections. This can lead to potential cable faults going undetected, compromising the safe operation of the trench.

[0005] Some robots with adjustable necks have complex adjustment structures and low reliability. They are prone to malfunction in the harsh, humid and dusty environment of cable trenches, increasing maintenance costs and difficulty of use. Moreover, the adjustment range of these adjustment structures is limited and cannot meet the diverse inspection needs in cable trenches. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a telescopic neck device for a cable trench inspection robot to solve the above technical problems.

[0007] The present invention provides a telescopic neck device for a cable trench inspection robot, comprising a base mounted on a moving mechanism of the inspection robot, a base rotatably mounted on the base, a liftable support column mounted on the base, a mounting seat hingedly connected to the top of the support column, an angle adjustment mechanism for driving the mounting seat to rotate provided between the support column and the mounting seat, and an information collection mechanism provided on the mounting seat.

[0008] Furthermore, a bottom plate is provided at the bottom of the base, ribs supporting the base are installed on the bottom plate, and the base is detachably connected to the moving mechanism of the inspection robot through threaded fasteners.

[0009] Furthermore, a slewing support is provided between the base and the pedestal.

[0010] Furthermore, the outer ring of the slewing bearing is mounted on the bottom surface of the base, and the inner ring of the slewing bearing is connected to a driving mechanism disposed in the base.

[0011] Furthermore, the driving mechanism includes a rotary motor, and the output shaft of the rotary motor is connected to the inner ring of the slewing bearing through a planetary reducer.

[0012] Furthermore, a scissor-type lifting mechanism is installed on the base, and the support column is arranged on the top lifting plate of the scissor-type lifting mechanism.

[0013] Furthermore, the top end of the support column is connected to the mounting seat via a fixed hinge pair.

[0014] Furthermore, the fixed bracket of the fixed hinge pair is installed on the top of the support column, and the movable bracket of the fixed hinge pair is connected to the bottom surface of the mounting seat.

[0015] Furthermore, the angle adjustment mechanism includes a sector gear and a drive gear, the sector gear is mounted on the movable bracket and rotates with the axis of the fixed hinge sub-pin shaft as the rotation center, a servo is mounted on the support column, and the output shaft of the servo is connected to the drive gear that is meshed with the sector gear.

[0016] Furthermore, the information collection mechanism includes a color camera and an infrared thermal imaging camera arranged on the mounting base, and the mounting base is also provided with auxiliary lighting equipment.

[0017] The present invention forms a relatively independent three-dimensional motion system of horizontal rotation, vertical lifting and pitch adjustment through the cooperation of a rotating base, a liftable support column and an angle adjustment mechanism, thereby realizing flexible multi-angle adjustment of the information collection mechanism, effectively and comprehensively detecting the cable equipment in the cable trench, and meeting the diverse inspection needs in the cable trench. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the specific embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0019] Figure 1 It is the overall structural diagram of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 It is the internal structure diagram of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3 It is a side view of the angle adjustment mechanism of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 4 It is a working schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a front view of the angle adjustment mechanism of Example 2 of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the internal structure of the anti-collision frustum of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 7 This is a front view of the angle adjustment mechanism of Example 3 of the present invention;

[0026] Description of reference numerals:

[0027] In the figure: 1-base, 11-bottom plate, 12-rib plate, 2-base, 21-slewing bearing, 22-slewing motor, 23-planetary reducer, 31-fixed plate, 32-lifting plate, 33-slide, 34-scissor-type hinge frame, 35-lifting motor, 36-driving screw, 37-slider, 38-rotating seat, 39-protective baffle, 4-support column, 41-servo, 42-drive gear, 5-mounting seat, 51-color camera, 52-infrared thermal imaging camera, 53-LED light, 61-fixed bracket, 62-movable bracket, 63-pin, 64-sector gear, 71-column, 72-top plate, 73-anti-collision round table, 74-housing, 75-steel ball, 76-piezoresistive sensor, 77-limit sleeve, 78-spring; DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions of the present invention in conjunction with the embodiments. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" and the like to indicate directions or positional relationships 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, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operate in a specific direction, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0030] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the said features. In the description of the present invention, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined. In addition, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be a communication between the two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0031] Example 1

[0032] like Figure 1-Figure 4 As shown:

[0033] A telescopic neck device for a cable trench inspection robot includes a base 1 mounted on a mobile mechanism of the inspection robot. A base plate 11 is provided at the bottom of the base 1, and ribs 12 supporting the base 1 are mounted on the base plate 11. The base 1 is detachably connected to the mobile mechanism of the inspection robot via threaded fasteners mounted on the base plate 11.

[0034] Base 2 is rotatably mounted on base 1, with a slewing bearing 21 disposed between bases 1 and 2. In this embodiment, slewing bearing 21 utilizes a single-row, four-point contact ball slewing bearing 21. The outer ring of slewing bearing 21 is mounted on the bottom surface of base 2, and the inner ring of slewing bearing 21 is connected to a drive mechanism disposed within base 1.

[0035] An absolute encoder serves as an angle sensor between bases 1 and 2. It is mounted at the rotational axis of bases 2 and 1. A suitable mounting slot is machined in the center of the inner ring of slewing bearing 21. The stator of the absolute encoder is inserted into the slot and secured with countersunk screws, ensuring a secure installation without protruding and affecting the normal rotation of slewing bearing 21. A positioning boss is provided on the bottom surface of base 2, corresponding to the encoder rotor. This boss and the rotor's inner bore form an interference fit, ensuring synchronous rotation of the rotor and base 2.

[0036] The encoder signal transmission line uses a shielded cable, extending from a pre-defined threading hole in the inner ring of slewing bearing 21. A sealed connector is installed at the threading hole to prevent dust and moisture from entering the cable trench and affecting signal transmission. The shielded cable is routed within base 1 along a pre-set metal and grounded cable trough for enhanced interference resistance. The cable connects to a signal adapter board mounted within base 1. This board filters and amplifies the encoder signal before transmitting it to the robot controller via a dedicated communication cable.

[0037] The driving mechanism includes a rotary motor 22 , and an output shaft of the rotary motor 22 is connected to the inner ring of the slewing bearing 21 through a planetary reducer 23 .

[0038] A scissor-type lifting mechanism is installed on the base 2, and the fixed plate 31 of the scissor-type hinge mechanism is installed on the top surface of the base 2. A support column 4 is provided on the top lifting plate 32 of the scissor-type lifting mechanism. A scissor-type hinge frame 34 driven by a lifting motor 35 is provided between the fixed plate 31 and the lifting plate 32, and a slide groove 33 is provided on the fixed plate 31 and the lifting plate 32.

[0039] The scissor-type hinge frame 34 consists of a first hinge assembly at the bottom, a second hinge assembly at the top, and a scissor arm assembly located between the first and second hinge assemblies. The lower end of the first rotating hinge rod in the first hinge assembly is hinged to the fixed plate 31. A connecting shaft is rotatably mounted on the lower end of the first sliding hinge rod in the first hinge assembly. The connecting shaft extends through a slot 33 in the fixed plate 31 and is connected to a slider 37. The top end of the second rotating hinge rod in the second hinge assembly is hinged to the lifting plate 32. A sliding shaft is rotatably mounted on the top end of the second sliding hinge rod in the second hinge assembly. The sliding shaft is embedded in a slot 33 in the lifting plate 32 and slidably connected thereto.

[0040] The outside of the scissor-type articulated frame 34 is provided with a protective structure 39 surrounded by four protective baffles. The top of the protective baffle 39 is provided with a step groove. The lifting plate 32 falls into the supporting structure composed of the four step grooves in the initial state.

[0041] A driving screw rod 36 connected to the lifting motor 35 is provided on one side of the slide groove 33 of the fixed plate 31. The end of the driving screw rod 36 away from the lifting motor 35 is connected to the rotating seat 38. The slider 37 is sleeved on the sliding sleeve of the driving screw rod 36. The driving screw rod 36 is driven to rotate by the lifting motor 35, and then the slider 37 is driven to move along the driving screw rod 36, thereby driving the first sliding hinge rod to slide to achieve the extension of the scissor-type hinge frame 34, thereby achieving the height adjustment of the lifting plate 32.

[0042] In this embodiment, the scissor-type hinge frame 34 is a conventional mechanism, and its specific structure will not be described in detail.

[0043] The top of the support column 4 is hingedly connected to the mounting seat 5, and the top of the support column 4 is connected to the mounting seat 5 through a fixed hinge pair. The fixed bracket 61 of the fixed hinge pair is installed on the top of the support column 4, and the movable bracket 62 of the fixed hinge pair is connected to the bottom surface of the mounting seat 5.

[0044] An angle adjustment mechanism for driving the mounting base 5 to rotate is provided between the support column 4 and the mounting base 5. The angle adjustment mechanism includes a sector gear 64 and a drive gear 42. The sector gear 64 is installed on the movable bracket 62 and rotates around the axis of the fixed hinge sub-pin shaft 63. The angle adjustment range of the sector gear 64 is from -90° to +90°. A servo 41 is installed on the support column 4. The output shaft of the servo 41 is connected to the drive gear 42 that meshes with the sector gear 64.

[0045] Mounting base 5 is equipped with an information collection mechanism, comprising a color camera 51 and an infrared thermal imaging camera 52. The color camera 51 is an industrial-grade high-definition camera with a resolution of at least 1080p, featuring autofocus and a wide dynamic range, enabling clear cable images under varying lighting conditions. The infrared thermal imaging camera 52 is an uncooled model with a temperature resolution of at least 0.1°C and a temperature measurement range of -20°C to +150°C, enabling real-time monitoring of cable temperature distribution. The infrared thermal imaging camera 52 and the color camera 51 are mounted side by side on mounting base 5, with their fields of view aligned, facilitating subsequent fusion processing of the visible light image and thermal imaging data.

[0046] Auxiliary lighting equipment is also provided on the mounting base 5. In this embodiment, a high-brightness LED lamp 53 is used as the auxiliary lighting equipment. The LED lamp 53 is arranged side by side with the infrared thermal imaging camera 52 and the color camera 51 so that the lighting light is evenly distributed in the detection area.

[0047] This embodiment includes a microprocessor provided on the inspection robot as a main control unit. The main control unit is responsible for receiving instructions from the inspection robot main control system, coordinating and controlling the actions of various driving components, and collecting sensor data for processing and transmission.

[0048] Horizontal Rotation Control: When the main control unit receives a horizontal rotation command, it calculates the speed and direction of rotation of the slewing motor 22 based on the commanded rotation angle and speed, and sends the corresponding PWM signal and direction signal to the slewing motor 22 drive module. The drive module drives the slewing motor 22, which in turn drives the inner ring of the slewing bearing 21 via the planetary reducer 23, thereby achieving horizontal rotation of the base 2 and the entire neck device. Simultaneously, an encoder mounted on the inner ring of the slewing bearing 21 detects the rotation angle in real time and feeds the signal back to the main control unit. The main control unit then performs closed-loop control of the rotation process based on this feedback signal to ensure the accuracy of the rotation angle.

[0049] Vertical lift control: When the main control unit receives a vertical lift command, it calculates the pulse frequency and number of pulses for the lift motor 35 based on the commanded lift height and speed, and sends the corresponding pulse and direction signals to the scissor lift mechanism drive module. The drive module drives the lift motor 35, which in turn drives the scissor arms 36 to expand or contract, achieving vertical lift of the top lift plate 32 and support column 4.

[0050] In this embodiment, an incremental encoder can be set on the lifting plate 32 to detect the lifting height in real time and feed back the signal to the main control unit. The main control unit performs closed-loop control on the lifting process according to the feedback signal to ensure the accuracy of the lifting height.

[0051] Pitch Angle Control: When the main control unit receives a pitch angle adjustment command, it calculates the rotation angle of the servo 41 based on the commanded angle value and sends a corresponding PWM signal to the servo 41 drive module. The drive module drives the servo 41 to rotate, which in turn drives the sector gear 64 via the drive gear 42, thereby adjusting the pitch angle of the mounting base 5.

[0052] Information Collection and Processing: The main control unit controls the color camera 51 and infrared thermal imaging camera 52 to capture real-time images and thermal imaging data from the cable and preprocess the collected data. The main control unit then transmits this preprocessed data via a communication interface to the inspection robot's main control system, which performs further analysis and processing, such as fault identification and temperature anomaly alarms. Simultaneously, the main control unit automatically adjusts the brightness of auxiliary lighting based on the ambient light intensity detected by the environmental sensors to ensure clear camera images.

[0053] Example 2

[0054] like Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, the difference between this embodiment and embodiment 1 is that an anti-collision sensing frame is installed on the mounting seat 5, and the anti-collision sensing frame consists of a column 71 and a top plate 72. The column 71 is set on the mounting seat 5, and the information collection mechanism and auxiliary lighting equipment are set in a protective space surrounded by the mounting seat 5 and the anti-collision sensing frame.

[0055] An anti-collision cone made of polyurethane material is provided on the top plate 72. A placement groove is provided on the top surface and side wall of the anti-collision cone. A collision sensing mechanism is installed in the placement groove. The collision sensing mechanism includes a shell 74 and a steel ball 75 embedded in the shell 74 and freely rotating. The steel ball 75 extends out of the placement groove.

[0056] A piezoresistor 76 electrically connected to the main control unit is provided between the housing 74 and the placement slot, and both ends of the piezoresistor 76 are connected to the ADC interface of the main control unit via wires.

[0057] When the device encounters raised obstacles such as cable supports and cable bends during movement, the steel ball 75 can roll on the surface of the obstacle to reduce frictional resistance; the rolling of the steel ball 75 causes the shell 74 to move slightly, and the varistor 76 only bears the tiny pressure generated by the rolling friction force, which does not reach the collision threshold, thereby avoiding false triggering of the collision alarm due to jamming.

[0058] Example 3

[0059] like Figure 7 As shown, a limiting sleeve 77 is installed on the top plate 72, a limiting ring is provided on the top of the inner wall of the limiting sleeve 77, the anti-collision table is arranged in the limiting sleeve 77 and a retaining ring cooperating with the limiting ring is provided at the bottom of the side wall, and a spring 78 is provided between the anti-collision table and the top plate 72.

[0060] How collision avoidance works

[0061] Collision Detection: When the anti-collision cone is subjected to external forces (such as collisions with cable supports or cables), steel ball 75 is pressed inward, squeezing piezoresistor 76. The resistance of piezoresistor 76 decreases as the pressure increases. The main control unit's ADC interface collects the voltage value of piezoresistor 76 in real time. When the voltage change exceeds a set threshold, a collision is detected.

[0062] After receiving the collision signal, the main control unit sends an emergency stop command to the mobile mechanism of the inspection robot to stop moving forward; and controls the lifting plate 32 of the device to drop 50 mm to stay away from the obstacle.

[0063] Buffer protection: The collision force is transmitted to the anti-collision table through the steel ball 75 and the pressure-sensitive resistor 76. The anti-collision table compresses the spring 78 and moves downward to prevent the mounting base 5 from directly hitting the obstacle, thereby protecting the camera and other precision components.

[0064] Through the coordinated movement of the slewing bearing 21, the scissor-type lifting mechanism and the angle adjustment mechanism, the present invention allows the information collection mechanism to be flexibly adjusted at multiple angles, and can achieve blind-angle detection of multi-layer cable supports; by setting an anti-collision sensing frame to protect the information collection mechanism, real-time collision detection and emergency obstacle avoidance functions are provided, thereby preventing the robot from colliding with cables due to operational errors when inspecting in the narrow space of the cable trench, and reducing the risk of cable failure caused by inspection; the steel ball 75 and the polyurethane material of the anti-collision table can absorb part of the impact force through elastic deformation at the moment of collision, thereby preventing the camera, sensor and other precision components on the mounting seat 5 from directly bearing rigid impact.

[0065] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A telescopic neck device for a cable trench inspection robot, characterized by: It includes a base installed on the mobile mechanism of the inspection robot, a base is rotatably installed on the base, a liftable support column is installed on the base, the top of the support column is hingedly connected to a mounting seat, an angle adjustment mechanism for driving the mounting seat to rotate is provided between the support column and the mounting seat, and an information collection mechanism is provided on the mounting seat.

2. The telescopic neck device of the cable trench inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: A bottom plate is provided at the bottom of the base, and a rib supporting the base is installed on the bottom plate. The base is detachably connected to the mobile mechanism of the inspection robot through a threaded fastener.

3. The telescopic neck device of the cable trench inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: A slewing support is provided between the base and the pedestal.

4. The telescopic neck device of the cable trench inspection robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The outer ring of the slewing bearing is mounted on the bottom surface of the base, and the inner ring of the slewing bearing is connected to a driving mechanism arranged in the base.

5. The telescopic neck device of the cable trench inspection robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The driving mechanism includes a rotary motor, and the output shaft of the rotary motor is connected to the inner ring of the rotary support through a planetary reducer.

6. The telescopic neck device of the cable trench inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: A scissor-type lifting mechanism is installed on the base, and the support column is arranged on the top lifting plate of the scissor-type lifting mechanism.

7. The telescopic neck device of the cable trench inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top end of the support column is connected to the mounting seat via a fixed hinge pair.

8. The telescopic neck device of the cable trench inspection robot according to claim 7, characterized in that: The fixed bracket of the fixed hinge pair is installed on the top of the support column, and the movable bracket of the fixed hinge pair is connected to the bottom surface of the mounting seat.

9. The telescopic neck device of the cable trench inspection robot according to claim 8, characterized in that: The angle adjustment mechanism includes a sector gear and a drive gear. The sector gear is installed on the movable bracket and rotates with the axis of the fixed hinge sub-pin shaft as the rotation center. A servo is installed on the support column, and the output shaft of the servo is connected to the drive gear that is meshed with the sector gear.

10. The telescopic neck device of the cable trench inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The information collection mechanism includes a color camera and an infrared thermal imaging camera arranged on the mounting base, and the mounting base is also provided with auxiliary lighting equipment.

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