Dust sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust attached to wheels of lunar rover

Abstract

The invention provides a dust sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust attached to wheels of a lunar rover, and belongs to the field of lunar dust sweeping devices. The problem of how to research and develop a novel lunar dust removal method for lunar rover wheels is solved. The device comprises a base, a flexible dust sweeping strip, a spherical hinge joint, a supporting arm and a carbon nano tube, the base is installed on a dustproof plate on the outer side of a lunar rover wheel, the spherical hinge joint is installed on the base, and the supporting arm, the carbon nano tube and the flexible dust sweeping strip are sequentially installed on the spherical hinge joint. The elastic dust sweeping strip body is made of the special high-low-temperature-resistant, anti-radiation and high-elasticity material, compared with a traditional simple dust sweeping strip, the surface of the elastic dust sweeping strip has a microscopic rough structure, the contact area between the elastic dust sweeping strip and lunar dust particles can be increased, and it can be guaranteed that the elastic dust sweeping strip is not prone to deformation or aging in the extreme environment. The device is suitable for the extreme environment of the lunar surface, the attached lunar dust in the running process of the lunar rover is automatically removed, the flexible structure can better adapt to dust removal under different conditions, and the structure of the lunar rover is not damaged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of lunar dust cleaning devices, and in particular relates to a dust-sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust adhered to wheels of a lunar rover. Background Art

[0002] Dust removal from lunar rover wheels is crucial for lunar exploration missions. Lunar dust is an extremely fine, irregularly shaped particle found on the lunar surface, with an average diameter of 40-130μm. Due to its unique physical and chemical properties, it easily adheres to the surfaces of rover vehicles and spacesuits, causing equipment failure and potential hazards. As a lunar rover traverses the lunar surface, the rolling wheels propel lunar dust, causing it to be agitated. This agitated dust can easily accumulate on the rover's dust shields. Combined with the low gravity, this can easily cause the rover to deviate from its direction, significantly reducing its speed, increasing energy consumption, and even causing the vehicle to overturn.

[0003] During the development of the Chang'e-3 lunar rover, dust-proof seals were used to prevent lunar dust from entering the device. Researchers subjected each designed formula to numerous tests, including high-temperature compression set testing, compression cold resistance testing, and hot air aging testing, to ensure reliability. However, seals can only prevent lunar dust from entering specific areas and cannot remove lunar dust that adheres to the surface.

[0004] Wang Weidong's team at Xidian University used nanosecond laser etching to create a multi-layered microstructured aluminum-based surface with varying structural parameters, achieving a low-adhesion effect on surface dust. However, this technique primarily reduces the adhesion of lunar dust and does not actively remove already adhered lunar dust. Therefore, new dust removal methods are needed to address adhered lunar dust. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, in order to solve the problem of how to develop a new method for removing lunar dust from lunar rover wheels mentioned in the above background technology, the present invention proposes a dust-sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust attached to lunar rover wheels. The attached lunar dust can be removed by using a dust-sweeping strip structure fixed on the outside of the wheel.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a dust-sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust adhered to the wheels of a lunar rover, comprising a base, a flexible dust-sweeping strip, a ball joint, a support arm and carbon nanotubes. The base is mounted on the dust-proof plate on the outer side of the lunar rover wheel, the base is mounted with a ball joint, and the ball joint is mounted with a support arm, carbon nanotubes and a flexible dust-sweeping strip in sequence.

[0007] Furthermore, the base has a size of 30mm×20mm×5mm, is provided with 4 threaded holes, and is fixed to the dustproof plate on the outside of the wheel by bolts.

[0008] Furthermore, the base includes a carbon fiber insulation layer, a vanadium layer, a main body and an anti-corrosion coating arranged in sequence from the inside to the outside.

[0009] Furthermore, the main body is made of titanium alloy composite material with a thickness of 3.5 mm.

[0010] Furthermore, the surface of the main body is plated with a 0.2 mm anti-corrosion coating.

[0011] Furthermore, the connection surface between the base and the dust shield on the outside of the wheel is a 1.2mm carbon fiber insulation layer.

[0012] Furthermore, the vanadium layer is 0.1 mm.

[0013] Furthermore, the flexible dust sweeping strip is 400 mm in length, made of aramid fiber material, and has a diameter of 3 mm.

[0014] Furthermore, the ball joint includes a ball head and a ball bowl. The ball head adopts an additively manufactured Ti6Al4V titanium alloy matrix with MoS2 plated on the matrix surface, and the ball bowl adopts hot isostatically pressed silicon nitride ceramics.

[0015] Furthermore, the support arm 5 is made of shape memory alloy reinforced carbon fiber composite material. Compared with the prior art, the dust sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust adhered to the wheels of a lunar rover according to the present invention has the following beneficial effects: The present invention is suitable for the extreme environment of the lunar surface and can automatically remove lunar dust attached to the lunar rover during its driving. The flexible structure can better adapt to dust removal under different conditions without damaging the lunar rover structure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which constitute part of the present invention, are provided to provide a further understanding of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are provided to explain the present invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of the dust-sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust adhered to the wheels of a lunar rover according to the present invention; Figure 2 A three-dimensional diagram of the dust-sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust adhered to the wheels of a lunar rover according to the present invention; In the figure: 1-base, 2-threaded hole, 3-flexible dust sweeping strip, 4-ball joint, 5-support arm, 6-carbon nanotube. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The following will clearly and completely explain the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present invention and the features therein can be combined with each other without conflict, and the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them.

[0018] See also Figure 1-2 This embodiment describes a dust-sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust adhered to the wheels of a lunar rover. It is a flexible dust-sweeping mechanism installed on the outside of the dust shield of the lunar rover, including a base 1, a flexible dust-sweeping strip 3, a ball joint 4, a support arm 5 and a carbon nanotube 6. The base 1 is installed on the dust shield outside the wheel of the lunar rover, the ball joint 4 is installed on the base 1, and the support arm 5, the carbon nanotube 6 and the flexible dust-sweeping strip 3 are installed in sequence on the ball joint 4.

[0019] The base 1 is made of composite material, with main dimensions of 30mm x 20mm x 5mm. It is equipped with four M3 threaded holes 2, allowing it to be stably connected to the outer dust shield of the wheel. It is preferably made of a titanium alloy composite material with a thickness of 3.5mm, and a 0.2mm anti-corrosion coating on the surface. A 1.2mm thick carbon fiber insulation layer is installed at the connection to prevent heat transfer to the frame. A 0.1mm thick vanadium layer is placed between the titanium alloy and the insulation layer to ensure a strong bond between the insulation layer and the titanium alloy.

[0020] The length of the flexible dust sweeping strip 3 is set to 400 mm, and aramid fiber is used as the main body. The diameter of the dust sweeping strip is 3 mm. A section of carbon nanotube 6 is provided at the connection with the support arm 5 to make the connection between the flexible dust sweeping strip 3 and the support arm 5 more stable.

[0021] The preferred material of the ball joint 4 is a gradient composite structure. The ball head adopts an additively manufactured Ti6Al4V titanium alloy matrix, and the matrix surface is plated with MoS2 to improve its lubricity and wear resistance. The ball bowl adopts hot isostatic pressing sintered silicon nitride ceramics to reduce friction.

[0022] The support arm 5 itself is made of shape memory alloy reinforced carbon fiber composite material, TiNiPd-SMA filament bundle + T1100 carbon fiber / polyetherimide (PEI) matrix + surface ZrO2 nano thermal barrier coating. The use of this material can adjust the support force with temperature changes and has better thermal stability in the extreme environment of the lunar surface.

[0023] The working principle of the dust-sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust adhered to the wheels of the lunar rover is as follows: The elastic dust sweeping strip of the present invention is made of a special material that is resistant to high and low temperatures, radiation-resistant and highly elastic. Compared with traditional simple dust sweeping strips, its surface has a microscopically rough structure, which can not only enhance the contact area with lunar dust particles, but also ensure that it is not easily deformed or aged in extreme environments.

[0024] The ball joint 4 and the support arm 5 are used to firmly install the dust sweeper body in a suitable position near the lunar rover wheel. The dust sweeper body moves backward during driving, which can effectively remove lunar dust. Because the dust sweeper body is elastic, it will generate a certain amount of pressure when it contacts the wheel surface, making it fit tightly with the wheel surface. The microscopic rough structure on the surface of the dust sweeper rubs against the lunar dust particles attached to the wheel surface, relying on friction to peel off the lunar dust particles from the wheel surface. After peeling, the lunar dust particles will be separated from the area near the wheel due to the movement of the dust sweeper and its own inertia in the low gravity environment of the moon, thereby achieving initial removal of lunar dust. The embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are intended only to illustrate the present invention. The embodiments do not describe all details in detail, nor do they limit the present invention to the specific embodiments described. 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, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize the present invention.

Claims

1. A dust-sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust from lunar rover wheels, characterized by: The invention comprises a base (1), a flexible dust-sweeping strip (3), a ball joint (4), a support arm (5) and a carbon nanotube (6), wherein the base (1) is mounted on a dust-proof plate on the outer side of a lunar rover wheel, the ball joint (4) is mounted on the base (1), and the support arm (5), the carbon nanotube (6) and the flexible dust-sweeping strip (3) are sequentially mounted on the ball joint (4).

2. The dust-sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust from lunar rover wheels according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base (1) has a size of 30 mm × 20 mm × 5 mm and is provided with four threaded holes 2, which are fixed to the dustproof plate on the outer side of the wheel by bolts.

3. The dust-sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust adhered to lunar rover wheels according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base (1) comprises a carbon fiber heat insulation layer, a vanadium layer, a main body and an anti-corrosion coating, which are arranged in sequence from the inside to the outside.

4. The dust-sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust from lunar rover wheels according to claim 3, characterized in that: The main body is made of titanium alloy composite material and has a thickness of 3.5 mm.

5. The dust-sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust adhered to lunar rover wheels according to claim 3, characterized in that: The surface of the main body is plated with an anti-corrosion coating of 0.2 mm.

6. The dust-sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust from lunar rover wheels according to claim 3, characterized in that: The connection surface between the base (1) and the dust plate on the outer side of the wheel is a 1.2 mm carbon fiber heat insulation layer.

7. The dust-sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust from lunar rover wheels according to claim 3, characterized in that: The vanadium layer is 0.1 mm.

8. The dust-sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust adhered to lunar rover wheels according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible dust sweeping strip (3) is 400 mm long, made of aramid fiber material, and has a diameter of 3 mm.

9. The dust-sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust adhered to lunar rover wheels according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ball joint (4) comprises a ball head and a ball bowl, the ball head adopts an additively manufactured Ti6Al4V titanium alloy matrix, the matrix surface is plated with MoS2, and the ball bowl adopts hot isostatically pressed silicon nitride ceramics.

10. The dust-sweeping strip device for removing lunar dust adhered to lunar rover wheels according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support arm (5) is made of shape memory alloy reinforced carbon fiber composite material.

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