Pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot

Abstract

The invention discloses a pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot which comprises a front end cleaning device and an upper portion cleaning device, the front end cleaning device comprises a front bucket, a left bucket and a right bucket, and the front bucket is connected to the front end of a robot frame body and conducts propelling walking and up-down movement; the left bucket and the right bucket surround a central point fixed on the front bucket, are symmetrically distributed, and rotate and unfold along a circular guide rail on the front bucket at the same time; the upper cleaning device comprises a lifting platform, an upper bucket and a rotating mechanism, the lifting platform is connected to the upper portion of the robot frame body, an angle adjusting device is arranged at the lower end of the upper bucket, a guide rail rotating point is arranged on the outer edge of the bottom, and the upper bucket is installed on the lifting platform through the rotating mechanism; the lifting platform, the rotating mechanism and the angle adjusting device are matched together to enable the upper bucket to reach the required height and angle; and the front-end cleaning device and the upper cleaning device are adjusted to proper positions according to actual conditions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of robots, and in particular to a robot for cleaning the inner circumference of a pipeline. Background Art

[0002] As urban drainage pipes discharge increasingly large volumes, industrial waste entering these pipes can cause blockage or corrosion, necessitating timely cleaning and unblocking. Pipeline robots can access underground pipes to perform tasks such as management, maintenance, repair, and unblocking, mitigating these hazards.

[0003] Currently, pipeline dredging is mainly carried out by relevant personnel carrying relevant equipment, such as flushing with high-pressure water flow. In cases of necessity, they manually go deep into the pipeline to remove silt and debris that is difficult to flush with water. At present, pipeline robots are mainly divided into external pipeline and internal pipeline. External pipeline robots are mainly used for inspection and maintenance, using AI, sensors, simple equipment, etc. to inspect the status of pipelines in order to collect data, conduct on-site inspections, and perform repairs; internal pipeline robots are mainly used for inspection, cleaning, and operations; their movement modes are mainly foot-type, wheel-type, crawler-type, peristaltic-type, etc., and the power sources are mainly internal combustion engines, electricity, hydraulic power, etc.; the methods suitable for different pipe sizes are slightly different; pipeline inspection and dredging robots generally use the above-mentioned movement methods to enter the pipeline and use cameras, infrared, gas sensors, etc. to check the relevant status and transmit it to the handheld terminal or background through wireless technologies such as Wifi and Bluetooth or by physically placing optical fiber lines and cables for data storage and analysis, viewing and marking or operation, etc.; some crawler and wheeled pipeline robots use wheels and tracks to adapt to different pipe diameters; some use connecting rods and drive sources to realize wheels and tracks to change the angle and walking support point to meet walking needs;

[0004] Some dredging methods involve crushing the silt through a mechanical structure and then flushing it out of the pipeline, but this cleaning method requires a flushing device; some carry a sludge storage device and transport the sludge out of the pipe after it reaches a certain amount. This method requires the robot to have a large transport capacity and a large body, and is mostly suitable for large pipelines; all dredging methods can only clean the lower part of the pipeline, which is soaked in scale all year round, and scale is stored on the sides and top. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned deficiencies in the current field of robotics technology, the present invention provides a pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot, which can increase the contact force between the track and the pipeline, increase the walking ability and propulsion force of the robot body, and form the bucket to different angles and heights to effectively remove visible dirt on the upper part.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of the present invention adopt the following technical solutions:

[0007] A pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot includes a robot frame body, and a motion device, a storage device and a cleaning device connected to the robot frame body. The cleaning device includes an upper cleaning device, and the upper cleaning device includes a lifting platform, an upper bucket and a rotating mechanism. The lifting platform is connected to the top of the robot frame body. The lower end of the upper bucket is provided with an angle adjustment device, and a guide rail rotation point is provided on the bottom outer edge. The upper bucket is installed on the lifting platform through the rotating mechanism. The lifting platform, the rotating mechanism and the angle adjustment device cooperate to make the upper bucket reach the required height and angle; the cleaning device is adjusted to a suitable position according to actual conditions.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, the rotating mechanism includes a rotating gear, a rotating rack and a support point. The support point is fixedly installed on the lifting platform. The rotating gear is connected to the support point and the rotating rack through a threaded through hole. The rotating rack is connected to the bottom end of the upper bucket. The rotating mechanism causes the top end of the upper bucket to rise by rotating.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, the angle adjustment device is driven by a motor to change the tilt angle of the upper bucket, so that the movable range of the upper bucket is increased.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, the cleaning device also includes a front-end cleaning device, which includes a front bucket. The front bucket is connected to the front end of the robot frame body and moves forward and backward and up and down. Two second buckets are provided on the rear side of the front bucket. The two second buckets are symmetrically arranged and movably connected to the rear of the front bucket, so that the two second buckets can be rotated to the left and right and expanded respectively.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, the robot further comprises a lighting system, which is located at the front end, the rear end and the upper cleaning device of the robot frame body.

[0012] According to one aspect of the present invention, the storage device includes a storage bin and a collecting trough, the storage bin is located at the front end of the robot frame body, and the collecting trough is located on both sides of the storage bin and below the upper cleaning device.

[0013] According to one aspect of the present invention, it also includes a camera group, which includes a front camera, a rear camera and a side camera. The camera group is installed at the upper end of the upper cleaning device, the front camera faces the front end of the robot frame body, the rear camera faces the rear end of the robot frame body, and the side cameras face the two sides of the robot frame body respectively.

[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, the motion device includes a left track and a right track, which are connected to the bottom of the robot frame body. The left track and the right track both use hub motors as drive sources and are independent monotonous modules. The hub motors are covered with track teeth, and the track teeth are matched with the left track and the right track.

[0015] According to one aspect of the present invention, the motion device also includes a base plate and a track angle adjustment push rod, the base plates are fixedly installed on the opposite side of the hub motor, the base plates are provided with an upper hinge hole and a lower hinge hole, the left track and the right track are respectively connected to the robot frame body through the upper hinge hole and the lower hinge hole on their respective base plates, the upper hinge hole is connected to the track angle adjustment push rod, and the lower hinge hole is connected to the robot frame body through a pin shaft.

[0016] According to one aspect of the present invention, the base plate is also provided with a tensioner, a driven wheel and a driving wheel. The tensioner is located at the upper front end of the base plate, the driven wheel is located at the lower end of the base plate and is connected to the bottom of the left track and the right track at the same time. The driving wheel is located at the rear end of the base plate and is independently driven by the hub motor.

[0017] The advantages of the implementation of the present invention are as follows: the cleaning device includes a front cleaning device and an upper cleaning device, the front cleaning device includes a front bucket, a left bucket and a right bucket, the front bucket is connected to the front end of the robot frame body and is propelled and moved up and down, the left bucket and the right bucket are symmetrically distributed around a center point fixed on the front bucket, and rotate and unfold along the circular guide rail on the front bucket; the upper cleaning device includes a lifting platform, an upper bucket and a rotating mechanism, the lifting platform is connected to the top of the robot frame body, an angle adjustment device is provided at the lower end of the upper bucket, and a guide rail rotation point is provided at the bottom outer edge, the upper bucket is mounted on the lifting platform through the rotating mechanism, the lifting platform, the rotating mechanism and the angle adjustment device cooperate to make the upper bucket reach the desired height and angle; the contact force between the crawler and the pipeline can be increased, the walking ability and propulsion force of the robot body can be increased, the buckets can be formed into different angles and heights, and visible dirt on the upper part can be effectively removed. Through unmanned cleaning work, cleaning the pipeline becomes safer and more hygienic, while saving labor costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only 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 This is an overall side view of a pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot according to the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is an overall left-side view of a pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot according to the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3 This is an overall rear side view of a pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot according to the present invention;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a side view of the front end cleaning device of the pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot according to the present invention;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a side view of the upper cleaning device of the pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot according to the present invention;

[0024] Figure 6 This is an overall diagram of the angle adjustment device of a pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot described in the present invention.

[0025] Description of reference numerals:

[0026] 1. Robot frame; 2. Front bucket; 3. Left bucket; 4. Right bucket; 5. Circular guide rail; 6. Lifting platform; 7. Upper bucket; 8. Guide rail rotation point; 9. Rotating gear; 10. Rotating rack; 11. Support point; 12. Angle adjustment motor; 13. Guide rail; 14. Guide rail support frame; 15. Fixing parts; 16. Storage bin; 17. Collection trough; 18. Front camera; 19. Rear camera; 20. Side camera; 21. Left crawler track; 22. Right crawler track; 23. Hub motor; 24. Base plate; 25. Track angle adjustment push rod; 26. Upper hinge hole; 27. Lower hinge hole; 28. Pin; 29. ​​Tensioner; 30. Driven pulley; 31. Driving pulley DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the 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.

[0028] Example 1

[0029] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, a pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot includes a robot frame body 1, and a motion device, a storage device and a cleaning device connected to the robot frame body 1, and the cleaning device includes a front cleaning device and an upper cleaning device.

[0030] The front-end cleaning device comprises a front bucket 2, a left bucket 3, and a right bucket 4. The front bucket 2 is connected to the front end of the robot frame 1 via a spring-loaded linkage and can be propelled and moved up and down by a motor. The bucket edge of the front bucket 2 is arc-shaped and can conform to the edge of the pipe. The spring-loaded linkage effectively ensures the strength of the front bucket 2. A dual-axis and vertical guide system allows the front bucket 2 to advance material over short distances, while a drive mechanism allows the front bucket 2 to advance over long distances. A rotary motor can also be added at the connection of the front-end cleaning device to enable the front bucket 2 to flip, transferring accumulated dirt to a storage device at the rear. The left and right buckets 3 and 4 are controlled by separate motors and are symmetrically arranged around a center point fixed to the front bucket 2. They rotate and unfold along a circular guide rail 5 on the front bucket 2, forming a large semicircle with the front bucket 2. During the operation of the pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot, when cleaning the front part, the lower edge of the front bucket 2 can be used to clean to the bottom of the pipeline; the dirt in the front bucket 2 can also be flipped over and poured into the rear storage device; when the mud layer is thick, the front bucket 2 can be used to push the upper dirt first and then push the deeper layer layer by layer. The upper part of the edge of the front bucket 2 can also be provided with spiral teeth, rubber bottom edge, etc. to form a device with a crushing structure.

[0031] The upper cleaning device includes a lifting platform 6, an upper bucket 7, and a rotating mechanism. In this embodiment, the upper bucket 7 is configured as a pair of symmetrical cleaning bucket devices. The outer edge of the upper bucket 7 is configured as a circular guide rail that does not exceed a semicircle. The lifting platform 6 is preferably configured as a single-stage or multi-stage X-shaped lifting platform, and can also be configured as other lifting platforms with strong telescopic properties to increase the overall height of the upper cleaning device. The lifting platform 6 is connected to the top of the robot frame body 1. The lower end of the upper bucket 7 is provided with an angle adjustment device, and a guide rail rotation point 8 is provided at the bottom outer edge. The upper bucket 7 is mounted on the lifting platform 6 via a rotating mechanism. The lifting platform 6, rotating mechanism, and angle adjustment device work together to enable the upper bucket 7 to reach the desired height and angle. The rotating mechanism includes a rotating gear 9, a rotating rack 10, and a support point 11. The rotating mechanism can be a gear rack structure driven by a motor, or a structure driven by other screws, push rods, etc. or a connecting rod combination. There are two pairs of support points 11, which are fixed side by side on the lifting platform 6. There are two rotating gears 9, one on each side opposite to the other of each pair of support points 11, and connected to the support points 11 via threaded through holes. There are two rotating racks 10, one installed and connected between each pair of support points 11, and fixedly connected to the rotating gear 9, which is rotated by a motor. The rotating rack 10 is also connected to the bottom end of the upper bucket 7. When the rotating mechanism is driven to rotate, the top end of the upper bucket 7 is supported to rise. The angle adjustment device includes an angle adjustment motor 12, a guide rail 13, a guide rail support frame 14 and a fixing member 15. The guide rail 13 is fixed to the bottom outer edge of the upper bucket 7 and allows the guide rail rotating point 8 to pass through it. One end of the guide rail support frame 14 is fixed to the middle of the guide rail 13, and the other end is fixed to the lower end of the upper bucket 7. One end of the angle adjustment motor 12 is connected to the rotating rack 10 on the lifting platform 6, and the other end is connected to the fixing member 15. The fixing member 15 is fixedly installed in the bottom center of the upper bucket 7. The angle adjustment device controls the position of the movable guide rail rotation point 8 in the guide rail 13, so that the upper bucket 7 rotates and unfolds along the guide rail 13 at an angle. The front edge of the upper bucket 7 is configured with the same rubber and other structures as the front bucket 2. When the pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot finds that there is dirt above the pipeline circumference, it can reach the position by adjusting the lifting platform 6, the rotating mechanism and the angle adjustment device, and then drive the rotating mechanism to rotate the upper bucket 7 to scrape off the dirt, or rely on the movement of the motion device to scrape off the dirt.

[0032] The storage device includes a storage bin 16 and a collecting trough 17 . The storage bin 16 is located at the front end of the robot frame body 1 . The collecting trough 17 is located on both sides of the storage bin 16 and below the upper cleaning device.

[0033] The motion device includes a left crawler 21, a right crawler 22, a base plate 24 and a crawler angle adjustment push rod 25. The left crawler 21 and the right crawler 22 are connected to the bottom of the robot frame body 1, and both use a hub motor 23 as a drive source, forming an independent monotonous module. The hub motor 23 is provided with track teeth on the outside, and the track teeth and the external crawler size match. The hub motor 23 is placed on the base plate 24. The base plate 24 is provided with an upper hinge hole 26, a lower hinge hole 27, a tensioner 29, a driven wheel 30 and a driving wheel 31. The left crawler 21 and the right crawler 22 are connected to the robot frame body 1 through the upper hinge hole 26 and the lower hinge hole 27 on their respective base plates 24. The upper hinge hole 26 is connected to the track angle adjustment push rod 25, and the lower hinge hole 27 is connected to the robot frame body 1 via a pin 28. The track angle adjustment push rod 25 is driven by a motor to control the position of the left track 21 and the right track 22, realizing multi-scene motion of the robot frame body 1. The tensioner 29 is located at the upper front end of the base plate 24. The driven pulley 30 is located at the lower end of the base plate 24 and is connected to the bottom of the left track 21 and the right track 22. The driving pulley 31 is located at the rear end of the base plate 24 and is independently driven by the hub motor 23. The hub motor 23 drives the driving pulley 31 to rotate, thereby driving the entire motion device through the tracks. The left track 21 and the right track 22 of the pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot are independent structures, which are driven independently and form angled walking tracks with the robot frame body 1 through a row of electric drive propulsion rods and hinges with the same spacing. This not only ensures the carrying capacity and adaptability of the tracks, increases the contact area and improves the propulsion force, but also can be adapted to different pipe diameters. At the same time, it increases the service life of the tracks and effectively increases the posture adjustment ability of the pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot in the pipeline.

[0034] In this embodiment, the pipe inner circumference cleaning robot is also equipped with a lighting system and a camera group. The lighting system is installed at the front end, rear end and upper cleaning device of the robot frame body. The camera group includes a front camera 18, a rear camera 19 and a side camera 20. The camera group is installed at the upper end of the upper cleaning device, the front camera 18 faces the front end of the robot frame body 1, the rear camera 19 faces the rear end of the robot frame body 1, and the side cameras 20 face the two sides of the robot frame body 1 respectively. Panoramic observation is formed by the camera group, and a panoramic view can also be directly formed by using a panoramic camera. The pipe inner circumference cleaning robot then returns the image to the control terminal through wireless or wired technology, and the control terminal then sends a control signal to operate movement or cleaning.

[0035] In this embodiment, the pipe inner circumference cleaning robot is also equipped with AI sensors, including laser sensors, depth cameras, and ultrasonic sensors, enabling autonomous cleaning. It includes an overall operational algorithm and hardware configuration, including a 3D pipeline construction algorithm, identification and removal of waste in the upper and lower halves of the pipe, liveness detection and removal, transport mode, and manual one-touch mode. This intelligent operation robot is constructed by integrating AI intelligence with electronic and electrical power technologies. The hardware configuration includes an intelligent chip and its associated storage media, a power supply and control panel, a communication module, a voltage module, and a safety electrostatic module.

[0036] Advantages of the present invention include: the cleaning device includes a front cleaning device and an upper cleaning device, the front cleaning device includes a front bucket, a left bucket, and a right bucket, the front bucket is connected to the front end of the robot frame body and is propelled and moved up and down, the left bucket and the right bucket are symmetrically distributed around a center point fixed on the front bucket, and rotate and unfold along the circular guide rail on the front bucket; the upper cleaning device includes a lifting platform, an upper bucket, and a rotating mechanism, the lifting platform is connected to the top of the robot frame body, an angle adjustment device is provided at the lower end of the upper bucket, and a guide rail rotation point is provided at the bottom outer edge, the upper bucket is mounted on the lifting platform via the rotating mechanism, and the lifting platform, rotating mechanism, and angle adjustment device cooperate to adjust the upper bucket to a desired height and angle; the contact force between the crawler and the pipeline can be increased, the walking ability and propulsion force of the robot body can be increased, the buckets can be formed into different angles and heights, and visible dirt on the upper part can be effectively removed. Through unmanned cleaning work, cleaning the pipeline becomes safer and more hygienic, while saving labor costs.

[0037] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot, comprising a robot frame body (1), and a motion device, a storage device and a cleaning device connected to the robot frame body (1), characterized in that: The cleaning device includes an upper cleaning device, which includes a lifting platform (6), an upper bucket (7) and a rotating mechanism. The lifting platform (6) is connected to the top of the robot frame body (1). The lower end of the upper bucket (7) is provided with an angle adjustment device, and a guide rail rotation point (8) is provided on the outer edge of the bottom. The upper bucket (7) is installed on the lifting platform (6) through the rotating mechanism. The lifting platform (6), the rotating mechanism and the angle adjustment device cooperate to make the upper bucket (7) reach the required height and angle; the cleaning device is adjusted to a suitable position according to actual conditions.

2. The pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotating mechanism includes a rotating gear (9), a rotating rack (10) and a support point (11), wherein the support point (11) is fixedly mounted on the lifting platform (6), and the rotating gear (9) is connected to the support point (11) and the rotating rack (10) via a threaded through hole, and the rotating rack (10) is connected to the bottom end of the upper bucket (7). The rotating mechanism causes the top end of the upper bucket (7) to rise by rotating.

3. The pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The angle adjustment device is driven by a motor to change the tilt angle of the upper bucket (7), thereby increasing the range of movement of the upper bucket (7).

4. The pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cleaning device also includes a front-end cleaning device, which includes a front bucket (2). The front bucket (2) is connected to the front end of the robot frame body (1) and moves forward and backward and up and down. Two second buckets are provided on the rear side of the front bucket (2). The two second buckets are symmetrically arranged and movably connected to the rear of the front bucket (2), so that the two second buckets can be rotated to the left and right and unfolded respectively.

5. The pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a lighting system, which is located at the front end, the rear end and the upper cleaning device of the robot frame body (1).

6. The pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The storage device comprises a material storage bin (16) and a collecting trough (17), wherein the material storage bin (16) is located at the front end of the robot frame body (1), and the collecting trough (17) is located on both sides of the material storage bin (16) and below the upper cleaning device.

7. The pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The robot also includes a camera group, which includes a front camera (18), a rear camera (19) and a side camera (20). The camera group is installed at the upper end of the upper cleaning device, the front camera (18) faces the front end of the robot frame body (1), the rear camera (19) faces the rear end of the robot frame body (1), and the side cameras (20) face the two sides of the robot frame body (1).

8. The pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot according to claim 7, characterized in that: The motion device comprises a left crawler (21) and a right crawler (22), which are connected to the bottom of the robot frame body (1). The left crawler (21) and the right crawler (22) both use a hub motor (23) as a driving source and are independently formed into a monotonous module. The hub motor (23) is provided with crawler teeth on the outside, and the crawler teeth are matched with the left crawler (21) and the right crawler (22).

9. The pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot according to claim 8, characterized in that: The motion device also includes a base plate (24) and a track angle adjustment push rod (25), the base plates (24) are fixedly mounted on opposite sides of the wheel hub motor (23), the base plates (24) are provided with an upper hinge hole (26) and a lower hinge hole (27), the left track (21) and the right track (22) are connected to the robot frame body (1) through the upper hinge hole (26) and the lower hinge hole (27) on their respective base plates (24), the upper hinge hole (26) is connected to the track angle adjustment push rod (25), and the lower hinge hole (27) is connected to the robot frame body (1) through a pin shaft (28).

10. The pipeline inner circumference cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base plate (24) is further provided with a tensioning wheel (29), a driven wheel (30) and a driving wheel (31), wherein the tensioning wheel (29) is located at the upper front end of the base plate (24), the driven wheel (30) is located at the lower end of the base plate (24) and is connected to the bottom of the left crawler (21) and the right crawler (22), and the driving wheel (31) is located at the rear end of the base plate (24) and is independently driven by the wheel hub motor (23).

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