Multi-mode expandable pipe cable detection robot

Abstract

The invention discloses a multi-mode expandable pipe cable detection robot which comprises a central control machine body module, a first side edge driving machine body module, a first boundary supporting machine body, a second side edge driving machine body module and a second boundary supporting machine body. The first boundary supporting machine body and the second boundary supporting machine body are located on the two sides of the cable respectively, each boundary supporting machine body comprises a cable hoop piece and a pipeline supporting piece, and the cable hoop pieces and the pipeline supporting pieces are connected through spring assemblies. Each of the first side edge driving machine body module and the second side edge driving machine body module comprises a side edge driving machine body main body, a side edge driving machine body sealing cover, a micro motor and a bevel gear transmission system, the micro motors and the bevel gear transmission systems are located in the side edge driving machine body main bodies, and the micro motors are connected with the bevel gear transmission systems; the central control machine body module comprises a central processing unit, and the central processing unit is connected with the micro motor and manages and controls operation of the robot.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of pipeline inspection, and in particular to a multi-modal expandable pipe and cable inspection robot. Background Art

[0002] Many industrial sectors, particularly in the energy, chemical, and municipal infrastructure sectors, place stringent and complex demands on the maintenance and monitoring of pre-buried pipelines. The varying inner diameters and lengths of pipelines, as well as diverse environmental conditions, pose significant challenges to pipeline inspection. Against this backdrop, the development of automated pipeline inspection robots has become particularly important. Existing technologies often rely on simple automated devices or manual operations, which suffer from significant shortcomings in efficiency, cost, and operational accuracy. In particular, the demand for high-precision measurement and precise operation in tasks such as cable laying, pipeline damage diagnosis, repair work, and environmental scanning and reconstruction renders traditional methods inadequate. Existing pipeline inspection solutions often lack the necessary adaptability and struggle to cope with complex conditions such as the undulations and bends of cables within the pipeline. These issues can lead to inaccurate data during inspection, impacting the quality of maintenance and repair work. Most existing pipeline robots also fail to address the following challenges: inspection in scenarios involving cables, inspection of the inner and outer walls of pipelines without cables. Furthermore, existing pipeline robotic systems lack key digital twin modeling technology. Creating a real-time virtual model of the inspection cable and pipeline system facilitates predictive maintenance and optimized operations. However, most pipeline robots fail to integrate this advanced technology, resulting in the system's inability to reflect pipeline status in real time and reducing its overall intelligence level. This also limits the stability and operational accuracy of pipeline inspection devices in complex environments, preventing them from providing comprehensive and reliable inspection results. Furthermore, the stability and operational accuracy of pipeline inspection devices in complex environments are also difficult to overcome with current technology. Existing pipeline inspection robots on the market suffer from single functions, lack of modularity, and lack of scalability, making them unable to flexibly respond to diverse inspection needs and complex operational scenarios.

[0003] An existing pipeline inspection robot (CN117823752A) relates to the field of pipeline inspection and maintenance. The robot comprises an inspection mechanism with several drive mechanisms mounted on its outer wall. These drive mechanisms include a drive body, a drive track connected to a drive wheel, and a micro drive motor. The robot is designed to move along the inner wall of a pipeline, adapting to different pipe diameters through deformation. This robot is primarily targeted at pipeline inspection and may not be sufficiently specialized for the specific needs of cable inspection. The robot's stability and adaptability in complex environments remain to be considered, particularly in the complex conditions encountered during cable inspection, such as undulating and bending cables. The lack of digital twin modeling technology prevents real-time pipeline status reflection, reducing its intelligence level. An existing four-degree-of-freedom origami soft robot (CN117359601A) is used for underground cable inspection. The robot comprises an origami soft actuator, movable rigid-flexible grippers, and an embracing silicone soft foot. The robot utilizes a parallel control algorithm and multi-chamber gas-liquid drive control to achieve diverse motion effects, making it particularly suitable for narrow and complex underground environments. While the robot is designed for underground cable inspection, its structure may be overly complex, making it difficult to manufacture and maintain. The robot's accuracy and efficiency in actual cable inspections are unknown, particularly in the areas of high-precision detection and modeling. The lack of discussion on the robot's adaptability to diverse industrial application scenarios may limit its application in diverse environments. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to address the many shortcomings of existing pipeline detection technologies and provide a multi-modal and scalable pipe and cable detection robot that can be widely applied to pipeline detection needs in different industrial fields. It can adapt to complex pipeline spaces and achieve efficient and accurate monitoring and maintenance through multi-modal operations. The robot is equipped with a three-modal high-precision coupling modeling system based on redundant data, which can perform high-precision detection and modeling of the internal conditions of pipes and cables through high-frequency redundant feedback data from temperature, millimeter-wave radar, and low-light cameras. In addition, the design of this robot is highly scalable and can help the robot achieve more intelligent, flexible, and efficient functions by adding a DNC module, thereby better adapting to various complex industrial application scenarios. In terms of the robot's control method, the feedback control algorithm PID is adopted to ensure operational stability and high-precision positioning capabilities in various complex environments, ensuring the accuracy of detection data and efficient operation.

[0005] The present invention is achieved through at least one of the following technical solutions.

[0006] A multi-modal expandable cable inspection robot comprises a central control fuselage module, a first side drive fuselage module, a first boundary support fuselage, a second side drive fuselage module, and a second boundary support fuselage;

[0007] The first boundary support body and the second boundary support body are respectively located on both sides of the cable, and each boundary support body includes a cable clamp and a pipe support, one side of the cable clamp is connected to one side of the pipe support, and the other side of the cable clamp is connected to the other side of the pipe support via a spring assembly;

[0008] The first side-drive body module and the second side-drive body module each include a side-drive body main body, a side-drive body cover, a micro motor and a bevel gear transmission system, wherein the micro motor and the bevel gear transmission system are both located in the side-drive body main body, and the micro motor is connected to the bevel gear transmission system to drive the robot to move in the pipeline;

[0009] The central control body module includes a central processing unit, which is connected to the micro motor to manage and control the operation of the robot.

[0010] Furthermore, the cable clamp and the pipe support are both arc plates, and the arc side surfaces of the cable clamp fit closely to the cable surface.

[0011] One side of the arc plate of the cable clamp is a straight plate section, which is provided with a square groove and a screw hole, and is connected to the first side drive fuselage module through the square groove and the screw hole.

[0012] Furthermore, two rows of circumferential wheel grooves are provided on the side of the pipe support away from the cable clamp, and pins and rubber-coated bearings are installed in the wheel grooves. The rubber-coated bearings use the pins as rotating shafts and act as wheels.

[0013] Furthermore, the bevel gear transmission system includes a first brass bevel gear, a second brass bevel gear, and a transmission flange; the first brass bevel gear is meshed with the second brass bevel gear, one end of the transmission flange is connected to the first brass bevel gear, and the other end is fixedly connected to the rubber wheel; the micro motor is connected to the second brass bevel gear to drive the second brass bevel gear to rotate, and the second brass bevel gear drives the first brass bevel gear to rotate, thereby realizing the conversion of transmission direction, the first brass bevel gear is connected to the transmission flange, and the transmission flange further drives the rubber wheel to rotate.

[0014] Furthermore, the central control body module further comprises a central control body cover, a central control body body, a power carrier communication board and an ultrasonic sensor; the ultrasonic sensor is connected to the central processing unit;

[0015] The central control body module also includes a lithium battery installed, and the lithium battery is connected to the central processing unit through a voltage stabilizing board.

[0016] Furthermore, the central processing unit adopts a Raspberry Pi 5 development board, which is connected to the L298N motor driver board through the GPIO interface. The L298N motor driver board outputs a PWM signal to drive the micro motor; the ultrasonic sensor is connected through the UART serial port of the Raspberry Pi 5 development board to transmit distance data in real time.

[0017] Furthermore, it also includes a multimodal detection system, which includes a low-light camera, the ultrasonic sensor and the displacement sensor. The low-light camera is installed in front of the side drive fuselage body and cooperates with the LED light strip on the central control fuselage body to collect high-definition images and video information inside the pipeline; the ultrasonic sensor is installed in the middle of the central control fuselage cover and is responsible for detecting the size of the internal space of the pipeline and the position of obstacles. The sensor is located on the micro motor and is used to record the movement distance and position of the robot in the pipeline; the low-light camera, the ultrasonic sensor and the displacement sensor in the micro motor work together; the Raspberry Pi 5 development board uses the visual data from the low-light camera and the spatial measurement information of the ultrasonic sensor, combined with the motion trajectory data provided by the displacement sensor, to comprehensively realize the fine modeling of the interior of the pipeline, and transmits it to the external control center through the power carrier communication board.

[0018] Furthermore, it also includes a millimeter-wave radar expansion module, a pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module, a chemical leak detection expansion module, and a battery life expansion module; the millimeter-wave radar expansion module, the pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module, the chemical leak detection expansion module, and the battery life expansion module are all fixed on the main body of the central control fuselage;

[0019] The millimeter-wave radar expansion module is used to build a three-modal high-precision coupling modeling system, which realizes comprehensive monitoring of the interior of the pipeline through high-precision fusion of multi-source data;

[0020] The pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module is used to implement the cleaning and repair operations of the inner wall of the pipeline;

[0021] The chemical leak detection expansion module is used to detect chemical leaks inside pipelines and is used in pipeline environments containing volatile chemicals;

[0022] The battery life extension module is used to meet long-distance or long-term pipeline inspection tasks. By providing an additional battery pack or a replaceable power source, the battery life of the robot can be significantly extended.

[0023] Furthermore, the pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module includes a pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module body, a spray box, a feed pipe, a robotic arm, a nozzle, a robotic arm fixed beam, a third aluminum column, a fourth aluminum column and a second bearing driven wheel; the spray box is fixed to the pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module body by bolts, and the robotic arm is fixed to the pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module body by the robotic arm fixed beam. The spray box is connected to the nozzle through the feed pipe. During operation, the cleaning agent or repair spray stored in the spray box is transported to the nozzle at the end of the robotic arm through the feed pipe. Under the command control of the Raspberry Pi 5 development board, the robotic arm can flexibly adjust the angle and position of the nozzle to accurately spray the spray to the target area.

[0024] Furthermore, the chemical leak detection expansion module includes a chemical leak detection expansion module body, a first gas detector fixing member, a gas detector, a second gas detector fixing member, a fifth aluminum column, a sixth aluminum column, and a third bearing driven wheel;

[0025] The first gas detector fixing part and the second gas detector are located on both sides of the gas detector and are fixed to the body of the chemical leak detection expansion module by bolts to effectively limit the gas detector.

[0026] Compared with the existing technology, the present invention provides a multi-modal and expandable cable inspection robot with the following advantages:

[0027] (1) Flexible design of the boundary fuselage: Existing pipeline or cable monitoring robots are usually designed for specific diameters or types of pipelines, and their adaptability is relatively limited. However, the robot of the present invention adopts an innovative flexible boundary fuselage design. Through the spring assembly in the boundary support module, it can make a certain degree of adaptive adjustment according to the spatial changes of the pipeline. This design not only significantly improves the adaptability of the robot in complex pipeline structures, but also ensures the continuous safety and stability of the inspection task, thereby reducing the potential inspection risks caused by pipeline changes.

[0028] (2) High-precision detection and real-time feedback: Traditional pipeline monitoring technologies often rely on manual operation or simple automated equipment. These methods are prone to errors in complex environments and cannot provide real-time data feedback. This invention integrates high-end detection modules such as high-resolution low-light cameras, millimeter-wave radars, and displacement sensors. This not only improves the accuracy of detection data, but also enables real-time data processing and feedback to instantly detect and report problems, significantly improving the quality and safety of monitoring.

[0029] (3) Precise control and high adaptability: Existing robots often struggle to maintain stable operation in complex or changing environments. The robot of the present invention utilizes proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control technology to dynamically adjust control signals based on real-time errors, effectively reducing system errors and ensuring that the robot can precisely control its motion and maintain stable operation even in complex environments. Furthermore, the control module utilizes a Raspberry Pi 5 as its central processing unit, providing the robot with powerful computing power, enabling it to quickly process complex algorithms and large amounts of data.

[0030] (4) Easy maintenance and scalability: Compared with traditional robot systems, the present invention fully considers the convenience of maintenance and upgrade needs in its design. Each body module, drive module, etc. adopts a modular design, which is convenient for quick replacement of damaged components on site or flexible upgrade of specific modules. At the same time, the robot has high scalability and supports the flexible addition of various expansion modules, such as millimeter wave radar expansion module, thermocouple operation expansion module and endurance expansion module. The design also reserves interfaces and space for the seamless integration of future technologies, supports the further embedding of new sensors, communication technologies and intelligent systems, and ensures that the robot can continuously improve its functions as technology develops and meet the complex and changing needs of industrial applications. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a multi-modal expandable cable inspection robot in actual working conditions;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of the central control fuselage module of an embodiment;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of a side-drive fuselage according to an embodiment;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a schematic structural diagram of a boundary support fuselage module according to an embodiment;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the millimeter-wave radar expansion module in an embodiment;

[0036] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module of the embodiment;

[0037] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the chemical leak detection expansion module of the embodiment;

[0038] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the battery life extension module of the embodiment;

[0039] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the data fusion process of the embodiment;

[0040] In the figure, 1-pipeline, 2-cable, 3-central control fuselage module, 4-first side drive fuselage module, 5-first boundary support fuselage, 6-second side drive fuselage module, 7-second boundary support fuselage, 8-millimeter wave radar expansion module, 9-pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module, 10-chemical leak detection expansion module, 11-endurance expansion module;

[0041] 301-Central control unit cover, 302-Central control unit body, 303-LED light strip, 304-Lithium battery, 305-Low-light camera wiring trough, 306-Drive line wiring trough, 307-Power carrier communication board, 308-Carbon fiber fixing plate, 309-Voltage regulator board, 310-Raspberry Pi 5 development board, 311-Ultrasonic sensor;

[0042] 401-Side drive body cover, 402-Side drive body, 403-Low-light camera, 404-Bearing fixing seat, 405-First brass bevel gear, 406-Second brass bevel gear, 407-Micro motor, 408-L298N motor drive board, 409-Drive flange, 410-Non-slip rubber wheel, 411-Bearing fixing groove;

[0043] 501-cable clamp, 502-pipe support, 503-pin, 504-rubber-coated bearing, 505 copper column, 506-spring assembly;

[0044] 801-millimeter-wave radar expansion module body, 802-millimeter-wave radar and infrared temperature sensor integrated box, 803-first aluminum column, 804-second aluminum column, 805-first bearing driven wheel;

[0045] 901 - Pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module body, 902 - Spray box, 903 - Feed pipe, 904 - Robotic arm, 905 - Nozzle, 906 - Robotic arm fixing beam, 907 - Third aluminum column, 908 - Fourth aluminum column, 909 - Second bearing driven wheel;

[0046] 1001 - Chemical leak detection expansion module body, 1002 - First gas detector fixing part, 1003 - Gas detector, 1004 - Second gas detector fixing part, 1005 - Fifth aluminum column, 1006 - Sixth aluminum column, 1007 - Third bearing driven pulley;

[0047] 1101- Battery life extension module body, 1102- Battery pack fixings, 1103- Battery pack, 1104- Seventh aluminum column, 1105- Eighth aluminum column, 1106- Fourth bearing driven wheel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] To help those skilled in the art better understand the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It is apparent that the embodiments described are only a portion of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments derived by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are also within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0049] like Figure 1 As shown, a multimodal and expandable pipe and cable inspection robot is used to inspect pipeline spaces where cables are laid, such as pipe 1 and cable 2 in the figure. The inspection robot replaces manual inspection of pipelines that need to be inspected, thereby improving the efficiency of inspection and ensuring the quality and safety of the inspection process.

[0050] A multimodal expandable cable inspection robot of this embodiment includes a central control fuselage module 3, a first side drive fuselage module 4, a first boundary support fuselage 5, a second side drive fuselage module 6, and a second boundary support fuselage 7; each module is connected by bolts and can be disassembled and replaced relatively independently; the inspection robot as a whole has a mirror-symmetrical structure, and only the internal structure of the left half of the fuselage will be described later, that is, the first side drive fuselage module 4 and the second side drive fuselage module 6 are symmetrically located on both sides of the central control fuselage module 3, and the first boundary support fuselage 5 and the second boundary support fuselage 7 are symmetrically located on both sides of the central control fuselage module 3.

[0051] like Figure 3 As shown, the first side-driven fuselage module 4 and the second side-driven fuselage module 6 each include a side-driven fuselage body 402 and a side-driven fuselage cover 401. The interior of the side-driven fuselage body 402 is a symmetrical structure. An anti-slip rubber wheel 410 is provided on both sides of the side-driven fuselage body 402. Each anti-slip rubber wheel 410 is connected via a micro motor 407 and a bevel gear transmission system. The micro motor 407 and the bevel gear transmission system are both located in the side-driven fuselage body 402. The bevel gear transmission system drives the rubber wheels to move the robot in the pipeline.

[0052] Each bevel gear transmission system includes a first brass bevel gear 405, a second brass bevel gear 406, and a transmission flange 409. One end of the transmission flange 409 is connected to the first brass bevel gear 405 via a jackscrew, and the other end is fixed to the rubber wheel 410 via bolts, forming a complete transmission chain from the rubber wheel 410 to the first brass bevel gear 405. One end of the transmission flange 409 is supported by a bearing holder 404 and a bearing, and the bearing holder 404 is mounted on the side drive body 402. The first brass bevel gear 405 meshes with the second brass bevel gear 406. In addition, a micro motor 407 is connected to the second brass bevel gear 406 via a jackscrew, driving the bevel gears to rotate. The entire side drive body 402 is tightly connected to the side drive body cover 401 via bolts, ensuring that the transmission mechanism has sufficient structural strength and stability during operation.

[0053] The specific transmission process is as follows: Micromotor 407 drives the second brass bevel gear 406 to rotate, which in turn drives the first brass bevel gear 405, thereby switching the transmission direction. The first brass bevel gear 405 is connected to a transmission flange 409, which in turn drives the rubber wheel 410. This transmission mechanism enables the first side-drive module to move. Simultaneously, the other modules, through interconnected and coordinated movement, ultimately enable the entire robot to smoothly navigate within the pipeline.

[0054] The transmission flange 409 is supported by a bearing fixing seat 404 and a bearing, and the bearing fixing seat 404 is mounted on the side drive body 402;

[0055] Drive flange 409 is connected to rubber wheel 410, with an aluminum column serving as the drive shaft between them. The aluminum column is supported at both ends by bearings, one of which is embedded in a bearing retaining groove 411 located on the side wall of the side drive body 402. This bearing retaining groove 411 is a 3D-printed structure containing a deep-groove ball bearing measuring 7×11×3. Inserting this bearing into the aluminum column supports one end. Bearing retaining groove 411 is located in the middle of the side wall, aligned with the axis of the rubber wheel, ensuring symmetry and stability of the drive system.

[0056] The other end of the aluminum column is inserted into a bearing mount 404 mounted on the bottom wall of the side drive body 402. Bearing mount 404 is also a 3D-printed structure, embedded with a 3×10×3 bearing, providing support for the other end of the aluminum column. With the support of the bearings at both ends, the aluminum column can stably drive the rubber wheel 410 during rotation without excessive bending or friction that could hinder rotation, thus completing a complete drive chain from the rubber wheel 410 to the first brass bevel gear 405.

[0057] Two bearings are provided in the bearing fixing seat 404 and the bearing fixing groove 411. The two bearing positions are set to be concentric and are respectively connected to the two ends of the aluminum column, providing effective support for the bevel gear transmission system and ensuring stability during the transmission process. The aluminum column is connected to the bearing fixing seat 404 and the bearing fixing groove 411 through the bearings at both ends, so that the aluminum column can rotate smoothly and bear the load of the transmission system, thereby reducing friction and wear and ensuring long-term stable operation of the system. The micro motor 407 is connected to the second brass bevel gear 406 through a top screw to prevent the gear from idling when the motor rotates, thereby ensuring transmission efficiency and reliability. The side drive fuselage main body 402 and the side drive fuselage cover 401 are tightly connected by bolts to ensure the stability and safety of the internal transmission structure and prevent it from being affected by external interference or vibration during the operation of the robot.

[0058] The first side-drive body module 4 and the second side-drive body module 6 are symmetrical structures. Therefore, their connection and matching methods are the same as described above and will not be repeated here.

[0059] like Figure 4 As shown, the first side-driven fuselage module 5 and the second side-driven fuselage module 7 each include a cable clamp 501 and a pipe support 502. One side of the cable clamp 501 is connected to one side of the pipe support 502 via a copper column 505, and the copper column 505 serves as a rotation axis to achieve opening and closing movement. The other side of the cable clamp 501 is connected to the other side of the pipe support 502 via a spring assembly 506. The spring assembly 506 can automatically adjust the support force of the first side-driven fuselage module 5 and the second side-driven fuselage module 7 according to the different diameters of the pipe, ensuring that the robot maintains stable support in pipes of different specifications.

[0060] Both the cable clamp 501 and the pipe support 502 are arc-shaped plates. The arc-shaped side of the cable clamp 501 fits tightly against the surface of the cable 2, ensuring that the robot is firmly fixed to the cable. This effectively eliminates the impact of the spring support on the anti-slip rubber wheel, ensuring close contact between the anti-slip rubber wheel and the cable 2. This design ensures that the drive system can generate sufficient friction inside the pipe, ensuring the robot's stable progress in complex environments.

[0061] One side of the arc plate of the cable clamp 501 is a straight plate section, which is provided with a square slot and a screw hole, and is connected to the side drive fuselage main body 402 of the first side drive fuselage module 4 through the square slot and the screw hole;

[0062] The side of the pipe support 502 facing away from the cable clamp 501 features two rows of circular wheel grooves. These grooves house pins 503 and rubber-coated bearings 504, which rotate around the pins 503 and act as wheels. These bearings adhere closely to the pipe 1, ensuring that the pipe support 502 slides smoothly along the pipe's inner wall. This modular design allows the robot to adapt to varying pipe sizes, particularly in narrow or curved pipes. This significantly enhances the device's versatility and adaptability, ensuring stable operation in complex environments.

[0063] As an embodiment, the spring assembly 506 includes four linearly arranged springs, and the cable clamp 501 and the pipe support 502 are both manufactured by 3D printing.

[0064] like Figure 2 As shown, the central control body module 3 includes a central control body cover 301, a central control body body 302, a central processing unit, a power carrier communication board 307, and an ultrasonic sensor 311. The central processing unit uses a Raspberry Pi 5 development board 310, which is responsible for accurately managing and controlling the overall operation of the robot. The Raspberry Pi 5 development board 310 is connected to the L298N motor driver board 408, which is connected to the micro motor 407. Through this connection method, the central processing unit can accurately control the motor speed and motion state of the first side drive body module 4 and the second side drive body module 6. The ultrasonic sensor 311 is connected to the Raspberry Pi 5 development board 310, enabling the central processing unit to achieve real-time survey of the surrounding environment distance.

[0065] The central processing unit uses a Raspberry Pi 5 development board 310 (Raspberry Pi 5 Model B, equipped with a Broadcom BCM2712 processor). The central processing unit is connected to an L298N motor driver board 408 via a GPIO interface. The L298N motor driver board 408 (based on the STMicroelectronics L298N chip) is a common H-bridge dual-channel driver board. The motor driver board 408 outputs a PWM signal to drive a micro motor 407, achieving precise control of the robot's movement.

[0066] The ultrasonic sensor 311 is connected to the Raspberry Pi 5 development board 310 via a UART serial port to collect and feedback distance data in real time.

[0067] Furthermore, a lithium battery 304 is installed within the central control module. This is connected to the Raspberry Pi 5 development board 310, the power carrier communication board 307, the L298N motor driver board 408, and the LED light strip 303 via a voltage regulator board 309. The voltage regulator board 309 ensures a stable voltage supply to these components, thus ensuring power stability during robot operation.

[0068] The voltage regulator board 309 is a power regulator board that is compatible with the Raspberry Pi 5 and has a 5V stable voltage output and current protection function, which can achieve safe power supply to the main control and peripherals.

[0069] The power line carrier communication board 307 uses a power line carrier module provided by ROVMAKER. This module is based on the HomePlug AV protocol and can achieve efficient data communication through existing power lines. The working principle of this module is to transmit data through the power line carrier, with a maximum transmission rate of up to 200Mbps and a supported communication distance of 300 meters. The module supports the connection of up to 8 nodes and is suitable for achieving stable wireless data transmission in complex environments. In the present invention, the ROVMAKER power line carrier module is connected to the Raspberry Pi 5 development board 310 and exchanges data through a 10 / 100Mbps adaptive Ethernet interface, providing the robot with long-distance data transmission capabilities. This module implements high-speed pipeline power line communication based on OFDM modulation. Its basic principles and implementation methods can be found in "Zhou et al., "Design of Power Line Communication System Based on OFDM for Underground Robots", Journal of Sensors, 2022". The application of this module can effectively solve the problem of unstable signals in traditional wireless communications in complex environments, especially when robots conduct long-distance inspections in pipelines, ensuring the real-time and reliability of data. As an existing and traceable power line communication technology, the ROVMAKER power carrier module has been widely used in the industrial field. It can meet the communication needs of the present invention in complex pipeline environments and is suitable for applications such as automated robots and sensor data transmission. By connecting to the Raspberry Pi 5 development board, it supports data exchange with other robot components through GPIO and Ethernet interfaces, ensuring real-time feedback and stable data transmission when the robot is performing pipeline inspection.

[0070] The Raspberry Pi 5 development board 310, through the coordinated operation of the L298N motor driver board 408 and the voltage regulator board 309, enables the central processing unit to precisely control the motor speed and motion of the first side drive module 4 and the second side drive module 6. Furthermore, a lithium battery 304 is installed within the central control module to ensure a stable power supply during robot operation.

[0071] The central control body cover 301 and the central control body main body 302 are manufactured using 3D printing technology. The central control body main body 302 is equipped with the aforementioned LED light strip 303. The LED light strip 303 is attached to the front of the central control body main body 302 and connected to the Raspberry Pi 5 development board 301 via GPIO pins, which can control the light strip's on and off. The Raspberry Pi 5 development board 310 and the voltage regulator board 309 are both mounted on a carbon fiber fixing plate 308, which is connected to the central control body main body 302 via aluminum columns, effectively utilizing the vertical space within the robot.

[0072] Furthermore, the central control body 302 and the central control body cover 301 are connected by a protruding structure and bolts, effectively securing the lithium battery, preventing it from shaking or slipping during operation and ensuring safe operation. To enhance the convenience and neatness of internal wiring, the side of the central control body 302 is equipped with a low-light camera wiring groove 305 and a drive cable wiring groove 306, meeting functional requirements while also balancing aesthetics and practicality.

[0073] The first side-drive module 4 is connected to the central control module 3 via bolts. Specifically, the side-drive module 402 is connected to the sidewalls of the central control module 302 via bolt holes, ensuring a secure fixation. The end of the side-drive module 402, facing away from the central control module 302, is provided with a square protrusion and screw hole. The cable clamp 501 in the first boundary support module 5 is provided with a corresponding square groove and screw hole on the sidewall where it meets the side-drive module 402. The combination of the square groove and the bolts ensures a secure connection between the first side-drive module 4 and the first boundary support module 5, ensuring strength and stability after assembly.

[0074] The first side-drive fuselage module 4 and the second side-drive fuselage module 6 are symmetrical structures, and the first boundary support fuselage 5 and the second boundary support fuselage 7 are also symmetrical structures. Therefore, their connection and coordination methods are the same as described above and will not be repeated here. As a result, the central control fuselage module 3, the first side-drive fuselage module 4, the first boundary support fuselage 5, the second side-drive fuselage module 6, and the second boundary support fuselage 7 form a tightly connected integrated structure. When the first side-drive fuselage module 4 and the second side-drive fuselage module 6 move, the other components will also move synchronously, ensuring the coordinated operation of the entire system.

[0075] To achieve precise robot movement within the pipeline, the present invention employs a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control algorithm to drive micromotor 407, ensuring smooth movement and precise positioning within the pipeline. The PID control system continuously adjusts the speed of micromotor 407 through real-time error feedback, maintaining the robot's stability and operational accuracy within the complex pipeline environment.

[0076] The three main parameters of a PID control system are proportional gain (P), integral gain (I), and differential gain (D), which are responsible for regulating the current error magnitude, accumulated error magnitude, and rate of change, respectively. Proportional gain (P) adjusts the control output based on the current error magnitude; integral gain (I) accumulates past errors to eliminate persistent errors; and differential gain (D) adjusts the rate of error change to suppress rapid error fluctuations. These three parameters are experimentally calibrated to optimal values ​​to meet the robot's requirements for stable control under various pipe diameters, slopes, and surface friction conditions.

[0077] The PID control system first relies on displacement sensors built into the motors to obtain displacement information. The robot uses four motors to drive rubber wheels i, and an odometer records the number of rotations of each pulley. By multiplying the cumulative number of wheel rotations by the wheel's circumference, the robot's travel distance can be calculated. If four motors were used to control four wheels separately, the rotation data for each wheel would need to be averaged to determine the robot's overall displacement within the pipe.

[0078]

[0079] Among them, wheel_radius represents the radius of the rubber wheel, revolutions i Indicates the number of revolutions of the wheel, D measured Indicates the actual distance traveled by the robot after measurement and calculation.

[0080] In order to make the robot move to the specified target position, set a target distance D target , and obtain the current displacement D in real time measured Distance to target D target The difference between them is used to control the output of the motor.

[0081] The current displacement information is obtained through the displacement sensor. Each drive motor is equipped with an odometer. The cumulative displacement of the robot in the pipeline is calculated by recording the number of revolutions of the rubber wheel and multiplying it by the wheel circumference. In the robot's central control module, the error between the current displacement and the set target position is compared in real time to obtain the error value e(t), which is used as the input of the PID controller. The data fed back by the odometer at each time is used to calculate the error e(t) = Dtarget -D measured , and adjust the motor driving speed based on this error.

[0082] After obtaining the real-time error e(t), the PID controller calculates the control signal u(t) according to the following formula:

[0083]

[0084] Where t represents the current time and is used to describe the moment when the error between sensor feedback data and the target position is calculated during real-time control. τ represents the time variable in the integration process and is used in the integral operation to accumulate the effect of the error value over the entire time period, ensuring that the control system can eliminate the deviation. d represents the differential time variable of the error change rate and is used to calculate the rate of change of the error over time, helping the control system predict the error trend and make appropriate adjustments.

[0085] Where, u(t) is the driving voltage of the controller to the motor; K p is the proportional gain, which determines the effect of the error on the control output; K i K is the integral gain, used to eliminate static error. d is the differential gain, which is used to predict the error trend. The PID controller calculates the control output u(t) in real time, gradually adjusting the motor speed. When the robot's position error is large, the PID controller provides a higher output signal, accelerating the motor. As the robot approaches the target position, the controller reduces the output to ensure smooth deceleration, thus avoiding overshoot.

[0086] The PID control system also employs a closed-loop feedback mechanism, acquiring and updating motion data collected by the displacement sensor (i.e., the odometer built into micromotor 407) in real time to ensure that control errors are continuously corrected. When the error u(t) falls below a preset threshold, the central processing unit sends a stop signal, automatically stopping the motor and signaling that the robot has precisely reached its target position.

[0087] Taking into account the diversity of pipeline inner diameters, slopes, and surface friction conditions, the PID control system integrates a fault-tolerant and adaptive mechanism. This mechanism uses sensors to detect abnormal changes in the robot's motion state in real time, and is used to determine whether there is external interference or sudden changes in the pipeline environment. The specific detection method is as follows:

[0088] Abnormal speed detection: By comparing the actual speed feedback from the micro motor with the set target speed, if there is a continuous deviation or excessive fluctuation (such as exceeding 10% for more than 3 seconds), it is determined that there may be a slope change or increased friction;

[0089] Displacement-power deviation judgment: By analyzing the ratio of motor power consumption per unit time to robot displacement, if the power increases significantly while the displacement decreases, it is considered that external resistance or environmental disturbance exists.

[0090] Once this condition is detected, the central control unit initiates an adaptive PID parameter adjustment mechanism, which dynamically adjusts the proportional (P), integral (I), and differential (D) coefficients based on fuzzy control logic or a lookup table.

[0091] For example:

[0092] In curves or high-friction areas, increase the P value to enhance the response speed to the current error, while reducing the D value to avoid over-response and oscillation;

[0093] In long slope areas, moderately increase the I value to slow down the speed drift caused by the cumulative error;

[0094] If multiple interferences are detected in a short period of time, the system will temporarily reduce the upper limit of the total output power to ensure stable operation of the robot and prevent slipping or jumping.

[0095] Through this intelligent parameter adjustment mechanism, the PID controller can make real-time parameter corrections based on actual environmental changes, thereby effectively offsetting system response errors caused by sudden changes in friction, bending radius or slope.

[0096] In summary, through continuous error feedback and dynamic PID parameter adjustment mechanisms, the robot can maintain smooth and precise movement in various environments such as straight sections, turning sections, uphill or downhill in the pipeline, significantly improving the efficiency, stability and reliability of the overall inspection task.

[0097] As an embodiment, the robot integrates a low-light camera 403, the ultrasonic sensor 311, and a displacement sensor to form a multimodal detection system. The low-light camera 403 is mounted in front of the side-drive body 402 and works in conjunction with the LED light strip 303 on the central control body 302 to capture high-definition images and video information from within the pipeline. The ultrasonic sensor 311 is mounted in the middle of the central control body cover 301 and is responsible for detecting the dimensions of the interior of the pipeline and the location of obstacles. The micromotor 407 has a built-in displacement sensor that records the robot's movement distance and position within the pipeline. Through the collaborative operation of the low-light camera 403, the ultrasonic sensor 311, and the displacement sensor within the micromotor 407, combined with advanced multi-sensor fusion 3D reconstruction technology, the robot can accurately reconstruct a 3D geometric model of the pipeline's interior.

[0098] Multi-view reconstruction using an ultrasonic phased array and a low-light camera for mobile robots in a simulation environment: This study simulated a 40kHz 5×5 non-uniform sparse ultrasonic phased array and proposed a multi-view indoor 3D reconstruction method that integrates the ultrasonic phased array and a monocular camera. Experimental results demonstrate that this method performs well in terms of accuracy, consistency, and completeness (J. Ren and X. Hong, "Multi-View Reconstruction Fusing Ultrasonic Phased Array and Camera for Mobile Robots in Simulation Environment," in IEEE Access, vol. 12, pp. 13860-13869, 2024, doi: 10.1109 / ACCESS.2024.3357117). The Raspberry Pi 5 development board 310 utilizes visual data from a low-light camera 403, spatial measurement information from an ultrasonic sensor, and motion trajectory data from a displacement sensor to achieve a comprehensive and detailed modeling of the pipeline interior, helping inspectors intuitively understand the internal shape and condition of the pipeline. All detection data is processed in real time by the Raspberry Pi 5 development board 310 and transmitted to the external control center through the power line carrier communication board 307, thereby ensuring efficient transmission and real-time feedback of inspection data, and ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the entire detection process.

[0099] The multimodal expandable pipe and cable inspection robot of the present embodiment also includes a DNC expansion module, which includes a millimeter-wave radar expansion module 8, a pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module 9, a chemical leakage detection expansion module 10, and a battery life expansion module 11. The millimeter-wave radar expansion module 8, the pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module 9, the chemical leakage detection expansion module 10, and the battery life expansion module 11 are all fixedly connected to the rear of the central control fuselage main body 302 by aluminum column bolts, that is, the other end where the LED light strip 303 is installed. A convenient quick-release structure design is adopted, so that the module can be flexibly replaced between various inspection tasks. The power supply and data transmission interfaces of each expansion module adopt standardized interfaces to ensure the stability and versatility of the connection, facilitate the rapid installation and data synchronization of the expansion module, and effectively support the robot's multi-functional operation in complex environments.

[0100] like Figure 5As shown, the millimeter-wave radar expansion module 8 can be used to build a three-modal, high-precision coupled modeling system. This module integrates a millimeter-wave radar, a contact thermocouple sensor, a non-contact infrared temperature sensor, and a low-light camera 403. The low-light camera 403 is bolted to the front end of the first side-drive fuselage module 4, ensuring structural stability and positioning accuracy. Through high-precision fusion of multi-source data, this expansion module enables comprehensive monitoring of the pipeline interior.

[0101] The millimeter-wave radar expansion module 8 includes a millimeter-wave radar expansion module body 801, a millimeter-wave radar and infrared temperature sensor integrated box 802, a first aluminum column 803, a second aluminum column 804, and a first bearing driven wheel 805. Among them, the infrared temperature sensor integrated box 802 integrates the millimeter-wave radar and the infrared temperature sensor for accurately collecting spatial and temperature data in the pipeline. The first aluminum column 803 and the second aluminum column 804 are respectively installed at the front end of the millimeter-wave radar expansion module body 801, and are connected to the rear of the central control body 302 through the aluminum column, that is, the other end of the LED light strip 303 is installed, to achieve a stable connection between the expansion module and the central control body. The first bearing driven wheel 805 is located on the lower surface of the millimeter-wave radar expansion module body 801. The first bearing driven wheel 805 can ensure that the expansion module is smoother when the robot moves as a whole, significantly reducing the resistance during movement.

[0102] Millimeter-wave radar captures the pipeline's spatial dimensions, curvature, and obstacle information in real time, generating a precise spatial profile of the pipeline. Thermocouple sensors, attached to key locations on the pipeline's inner wall, perform contact temperature measurement, accurately capturing temperature change data and ensuring high accuracy. Infrared temperature sensors, using infrared radiation, provide rapid, non-contact temperature measurements at other locations along the pipeline, providing comprehensive temperature distribution information. Low-light camera 403 simultaneously generates high-definition image data, capturing detailed images of the pipeline's internal structure. This multi-source information is integrated and processed to provide high-precision 3D modeling and comprehensive monitoring capabilities for pipeline inspection.

[0103] All sensor data are transmitted to the Raspberry Pi 5 development board 310 in real time for high-frequency redundant feedback and data fusion, such as Figure 9As shown. The Raspberry Pi 5 development board 310 uses an advanced data fusion algorithm, which combines multi-sensor fusion technology (Wang Lingyang. Design and implementation of autonomous navigation system of mobile robot based on multi-sensor fusion [D]. Shanghai University of Technology, 2023. DOI: 10.27801 / d.cnki.gshyy.2023.000465.) and an online temperature monitoring system based on infrared temperature measurement (Wei Kegang, Fang Xianglong, Lin Chuqiao, et al. Design of online temperature monitoring system for power equipment based on infrared temperature measurement and wireless transmission technology [J]. Journal of Northeast Electric Power University, 2015, 35(06): 17-20. DOI: 10.19718 / j.issn.1005-2992.2015.06.004.) to integrate the spatial data of millimeter-wave radar, the temperature change data of temperature sensor and the image information of low-light camera with high precision to generate a three-dimensional structural model and real-time temperature cloud map inside the pipeline. This model helps inspectors more intuitively understand the internal geometry and temperature distribution of pipelines, promptly identifying potential defects or abnormal areas, and ensuring the accuracy and comprehensiveness of various inspection tasks. This multimodal, high-precision coupled modeling approach improves the overall reliability of inspections, making this invention particularly advantageous for complex pipeline inspection tasks.

[0104] To further improve the accuracy and adaptability of the detection system, the ultrasonic sensor 311 has an ultrasonic flaw detection function, which is used to identify structural defects on the inner wall of the pipeline, including cracks, bubbles, corrosion and other problems. Ultrasonic flaw detection analyzes the propagation and reflection characteristics of sound waves in the pipeline wall through the emission of high-frequency sound wave pulses and the reception of echoes, thereby accurately measuring the location and size of the defect. Specifically, when the sound wave encounters defects such as cracks or gaps, a part of the sound wave will be reflected back to the ultrasonic sensor 311. By calculating the time difference of the round trip sound wave and combining it with the sound velocity of the material, the depth and distance of the defect can be determined. The ultrasonic sensor 311 uses the following formula to calculate the defect position:

[0105]

[0106] Where d is the distance to the defect, v is the propagation velocity of the sound wave in the pipe material, and t is the round-trip time of the sound wave. To ensure accurate data, the ultrasonic sensor calibrates the sound velocity parameters based on the material's density and elastic modulus, enabling high-precision flaw detection. Furthermore, the ultrasonic sensor analyzes the intensity of the reflected wave to determine the defect type. The reflection intensity, R, is calculated based on the difference in acoustic impedance between the two media using the following formula:

[0107]

[0108] Here, Z1 and Z2 represent the acoustic impedance of the sound wave in the pipe material and air, respectively. High reflection intensity typically indicates damage or voids in the pipe, while low reflection intensity may indicate minor corrosion or areas of low density. Using the real-time flaw detection data from the ultrasonic sensor, the central control module can generate pipeline damage reports and locate potential risk areas. All data is processed in real time by the Raspberry Pi 5 development board 310 and transmitted to the external control center via the power carrier communication board 307, ensuring comprehensive monitoring of pipeline status and reliable test data. The integration of ultrasonic flaw detection capabilities makes this invention more advantageous in inspecting complex pipeline structures and identifying potential defects.

[0109] like Figure 6 As shown, the pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module 9 is used to clean and repair the inner wall of the pipeline. Its structure includes a pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module body 901, a spray box 902, a feed pipe 903, a robotic arm 904, a nozzle 905, a robotic arm fixing beam 906, a third aluminum column 907, a fourth aluminum column 908, and a second bearing driven wheel 909. The spray box 902 is fixed to the pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module body 901 by bolts, and the robotic arm 904 is fixed to the pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module body 901 by the robotic arm fixing beam 906. The spray box 902 is connected to the nozzle 905 via the feed pipe 903.

[0110] During operation, the cleaning agent or repair spray stored in spray cartridge 902 is delivered via feed pipe 903 to nozzle 905 at the end of robotic arm 904. Under the control of Raspberry Pi 5 development board 310, robotic arm 904 flexibly adjusts the angle and position of the nozzle to precisely spray the material to the target area. By controlling the spray volume and range, the spray is evenly distributed, effectively cleaning dirt from the pipe wall or precisely repairing damaged areas. This improves the repair effect and adhesion quality, significantly enhancing pipe durability and operational efficiency.

[0111] Furthermore, the third and fourth aluminum columns 907 and 908 are bolted to the rear of the central control body 302 (the other end where the LED light strip 303 is mounted), ensuring a stable connection between the expansion module and the central control body. A second bearing driven pulley 909 is mounted on the lower surface of the pipe cleaning and repair expansion module body 901. This ensures smooth operation of the expansion module during overall robot movement, effectively reducing motion resistance.

[0112] The Raspberry Pi 5 development board 310-based robotic arm grasping system uses computer vision recognition technology and OpenCV to process image information, enabling the robotic arm to identify and grasp objects. It also uses an inverse kinematics algorithm to enhance grasping stability (1 Tian Bodi, Ke Chunyan, Hang Jiawei, Zhao Chenxu. Design of a robotic arm grasping system based on Raspberry Pi [J]. Information and Computers, 2022, 34(15): 4-6). Similarly, the image from the low-light camera on the robot can be combined with the above algorithm to achieve cleaning or repair work according to the specific conditions inside the pipeline.

[0113] like Figure 7 As shown, the chemical leak detection expansion module 10 is used to detect chemical leaks within pipelines and is particularly suitable for pipeline environments containing volatile chemicals. The chemical leak detection expansion module 10 includes a chemical leak detection expansion module body 1001, a first gas detector mounting member 1002, a gas detector 1003, a second gas detector mounting member 1004, a fifth aluminum column 1005, a sixth aluminum column 1006, and a third bearing driven pulley 1007.

[0114] The first gas detector fixture 1002 and the second gas detector are located on both sides of the gas detector 1003 and are fixed to the chemical leak detection expansion module body 1001 by bolts, effectively limiting the gas detector 1003 to prevent it from sliding or shifting during the movement of the robot. The fifth aluminum column 1005 and the sixth aluminum column 1006 are connected to the rear of the central control body 302 (the end with the LED light strip 303 installed) by bolts to ensure a stable connection between the expansion module and the central control body. The third bearing driven wheel 1007 is installed on the lower surface of the chemical leak detection expansion module body 1001. The third bearing driven wheel 1007 enables the expansion module to maintain smooth operation during the overall movement of the robot and reduce movement resistance.

[0115] The module is equipped with a highly sensitive gas detector 1003, which can monitor the gas concentration and composition changes in the pipeline in real time to determine whether there is a chemical leak. The gas detector 1003 can quickly capture abnormal components in the air and feed back the detection data to the Raspberry Pi 5 development board 310. The Raspberry Pi 5 development board 310 combines gas detection data with the existing gas leak monitoring algorithm (Deng Feng, Long Hui, Hu Li, et al. Design of indoor gas leak monitoring system based on OneNet platform [J]. Microcontrollers and Embedded Systems Applications, 2020, 20(1): 61-64). By analyzing the concentration gradient of the leaking gas, the leaking section can be accurately located, thereby promptly discovering potential chemical leak risks and significantly improving the safety and accuracy of pipeline detection.

[0116] like Figure 8As shown, the battery life extension module 11 is used to meet long-distance or long-duration pipeline inspection tasks. By providing an additional battery pack or a replaceable power source, the robot's battery life can be significantly extended. The battery life extension module 11 comprises a battery life extension module body 1101, a battery pack fixture 1102, a battery pack 1103, a seventh aluminum column 1104, an eighth aluminum column 1105, and a fourth bearing driven wheel 1106.

[0117] The battery pack fixture 1102 is bolted to the battery life extension module body 1101, limiting the position of the battery pack 1103 and ensuring the stability of the battery pack during operation. The seventh aluminum column 1104 and the eighth aluminum column 1105 are bolted to the rear of the central control body 302 (i.e., the end where the LED light strip 303 is installed) to achieve a stable connection between the expansion module and the central control body. The fourth bearing driven wheel 1106 is installed on the lower surface of the battery life extension module body 1101. The fourth bearing driven wheel 1106 ensures that the battery life extension module runs smoothly when the robot moves as a whole, effectively reducing motion resistance.

[0118] The battery life expansion module is designed as an intelligent power management system that monitors the battery level and the robot's energy consumption in real time, automatically switching to a backup power source when the battery is low to ensure operational continuity. The module also supports on-demand configuration of power sources of varying capacities and types (such as lithium battery packs or industrial power supplies) to meet the battery life requirements of diverse mission scenarios, providing the robot with long-lasting and reliable power support.

[0119] The present invention utilizes PID control technology, enabling the robot to efficiently complete pipeline inspection tasks, maintain stable operation under varying operating conditions, and provide accurate and reliable inspection data. Furthermore, through the adaptive adjustment of PID control, the robot can easily adapt to diverse pipeline environments, further enhancing the practicality and reliability of the present invention.

[0120] In addition, to cope with more complex working conditions, such as when the cable is subjected to greater stress, significant fluctuations may occur in the pipeline, resulting in irregular changes in the spatial structure of the pipeline. In this case, the robot needs to be able to move 360 ​​degrees around the cable to adapt to complex environments and ensure the continuity of operations. To meet this requirement, the robot body structure can be adjusted, and the existing rubber wheels 410 can be replaced with omnidirectional wheels or Mecanum wheels. This improvement can significantly enhance the robot's freedom of movement, allowing it to move not only along the cable direction, but also to achieve multi-directional movement such as lateral, oblique, and rotational movements, thereby more flexibly bypassing the complex undulating areas of the cable, effectively improving the robot's adaptability and operational performance in narrow spaces and irregular pipeline environments.

[0121] The preferred embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are intended only to help illustrate the present invention. These preferred embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit the present invention to the specific embodiments described. Obviously, numerous modifications and variations are possible based on the contents of this specification. These embodiments are selected and described in detail in this specification to better explain the principles and practical applications of the present invention, so that those skilled in the art can better understand and utilize the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-modal and scalable cable inspection robot, characterized in that: It includes a central control fuselage module, a first side drive fuselage module, a first boundary support fuselage, a second side drive fuselage module, and a second boundary support fuselage; The first boundary support body and the second boundary support body are respectively located on both sides of the cable, and each boundary support body includes a cable clamp and a pipe support, one side of the cable clamp is connected to one side of the pipe support, and the other side of the cable clamp is connected to the other side of the pipe support via a spring assembly; The first side-drive body module and the second side-drive body module each include a side-drive body main body, a side-drive body cover, a micro motor and a bevel gear transmission system, wherein the micro motor and the bevel gear transmission system are both located in the side-drive body main body, and the micro motor is connected to the bevel gear transmission system to drive the robot to move in the pipeline; The central control body module includes a central processing unit, which is connected to the micro motor to manage and control the operation of the robot.

2. A multi-modal expandable cable inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cable clamp and the pipe support are both arc plates, and the arc side of the cable clamp fits tightly to the cable surface; One side of the arc plate of the cable clamp is a straight plate section, which is provided with a square groove and a screw hole, and is connected to the first side drive fuselage module through the square groove and the screw hole.

3. The multi-modal expandable cable inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: Two rows of circumferential wheel grooves are provided on the side of the pipe support away from the cable clamp. Pins and rubber-coated bearings are installed in the wheel grooves. The rubber-coated bearings use the pins as rotating shafts and act as wheels.

4. The multi-modal expandable cable inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bevel gear transmission system includes a first brass bevel gear, a second brass bevel gear, and a transmission flange; The first brass bevel gear is meshed with the second brass bevel gear, one end of the transmission flange is connected to the first brass bevel gear, and the other end is fixedly connected to the rubber wheel; the micro motor is connected to the second brass bevel gear to drive the second brass bevel gear to rotate, and the second brass bevel gear drives the first brass bevel gear to rotate, thereby realizing the conversion of transmission direction, the first brass bevel gear is connected to the transmission flange, and the transmission flange further drives the rubber wheel to rotate.

5. The multi-modal expandable cable inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The central control body module further includes a central control body cover, a central control body body, a power carrier communication board and an ultrasonic sensor; the ultrasonic sensor is connected to the central processing unit; The central control body module also includes a lithium battery installed, and the lithium battery is connected to the central processing unit through a voltage stabilizing board.

6. The multi-modal expandable cable inspection robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: The central processing unit uses a Raspberry Pi 5 development board, which is connected to the L298N motor driver board through the GPIO interface. The L298N motor driver board outputs a PWM signal to drive the micro motor; the ultrasonic sensor is connected through the UART serial port of the Raspberry Pi 5 development board to transmit distance data in real time.

7. The multi-modal expandable cable inspection robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The robot also includes a multimodal detection system, which includes a low-light camera, an ultrasonic sensor, and a displacement sensor. The low-light camera is installed in front of the side drive body and works in conjunction with the LED light strip on the central control body to collect high-definition images and video information from the inside of the pipeline. The ultrasonic sensor is installed in the middle of the central control body cover and is responsible for detecting the size of the space inside the pipeline and the location of obstacles. The sensor is located on the micromotor and is used to record the movement distance and position of the robot in the pipeline. The low-light camera, the ultrasonic sensor, and the displacement sensor in the micromotor work together. The Raspberry Pi 5 development board uses the visual data from the low-light camera and the spatial measurement information of the ultrasonic sensor, combined with the motion trajectory data provided by the displacement sensor, to comprehensively realize the fine modeling of the interior of the pipeline, and transmits it to the external control center through the power carrier communication board.

8. The multi-modal expandable cable inspection robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: It also includes a millimeter-wave radar expansion module, a pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module, a chemical leak detection expansion module, and a battery life expansion module; the millimeter-wave radar expansion module, the pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module, the chemical leak detection expansion module, and the battery life expansion module are all fixed on the main body of the central control fuselage; The millimeter-wave radar expansion module is used to build a three-modal high-precision coupling modeling system, which realizes comprehensive monitoring of the interior of the pipeline through high-precision fusion of multi-source data; The pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module is used to implement the cleaning and repair operations of the inner wall of the pipeline; The chemical leak detection expansion module is used to detect chemical leaks inside pipelines and is used in pipeline environments containing volatile chemicals; The battery life extension module is used to meet long-distance or long-term pipeline inspection tasks. By providing an additional battery pack or a replaceable power source, the battery life of the robot can be significantly extended.

9. The multi-modal expandable cable inspection robot according to claim 7, characterized in that: The pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module includes a pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module body, a spray box, a feed pipe, a robotic arm, a nozzle, a robotic arm fixed beam, a third aluminum column, a fourth aluminum column and a second bearing driven wheel; the spray box is fixed to the pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module body by bolts, and the robotic arm is fixed to the pipeline cleaning and repair expansion module body by the robotic arm fixed beam. The spray box is connected to the nozzle through the feed pipe. During operation, the cleaning agent or repair spray stored in the spray box is transported to the nozzle at the end of the robotic arm through the feed pipe. Under the command control of the Raspberry Pi 5 development board, the robotic arm can flexibly adjust the angle and position of the nozzle to accurately spray the spray to the target area.

10. The multi-modal expandable cable inspection robot according to claim 8, characterized in that: The chemical leak detection expansion module includes a chemical leak detection expansion module body, a first gas detector fixing part, a gas detector, a second gas detector fixing part, a fifth aluminum column, a sixth aluminum column and a third bearing driven wheel; The first gas detector fixing part and the second gas detector are located on both sides of the gas detector and are fixed to the body of the chemical leak detection expansion module by bolts to effectively limit the gas detector.

Images