Pipeline crack detection robot with pipe surface adaptability

Abstract

The invention discloses a pipeline crack detection robot with pipe surface adaptability, and relates to the technical field of detection robots. The device comprises a machine body, a scanner assembly is installed at one end of the top of the machine body, a camera holder assembly is installed at the other end of the top of the machine body, the scanner assembly is used for scanning the pipeline inner wall crack condition, and the camera holder assembly is used for shooting the pipeline interior condition; two sliding table modules are fixedly installed in the machine body, threaded rods are rotationally connected into the two sliding table modules, and sliding blocks are in threaded connection with the outer surfaces of the threaded rods. According to the pipeline crack detection robot, the planet wheel assembly is adopted as a driving mechanism, the angles of the planet wheels and the machine body can be adjusted, the planet wheels are omnidirectional wheels, the obstacle crossing ability of the robot is enhanced, meanwhile, the robot can move along the lowest position of a pipeline under the action of gravity, the robot can be better attached to the inner wall of the pipeline, and the pipeline crack detection efficiency is improved. A stable posture is kept, and the accuracy of overall crack detection is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of inspection robot technology, specifically to a pipe crack inspection robot with pipe surface adaptability. Background Technology

[0002] Pipeline crack detection helps to identify potential hazards in a timely manner and prevent leaks from causing safety accidents. It also effectively avoids environmental pollution and ensures the long-term stable operation of equipment. Currently, common pipeline inspection techniques include manual inspection and endoscopic inspection, but these methods suffer from low efficiency, high risk, and limitations imposed by pipe diameter and shape. Robots can replace manual labor in entering complex or narrow pipes, offering advantages such as automation, high precision, and adaptability to various environments, thus improving inspection efficiency and safety. Existing pipeline robots are mainly wheeled and tracked, which can easily climb onto pipe walls during movement, leading to unstable motion and affecting the accuracy of crack scanning. Therefore, this invention proposes a pipeline crack detection robot with pipe surface adaptability. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a pipe crack detection robot with pipe surface adaptability, which overcomes the shortcomings of existing pipe crack detection robots that tend to climb up the pipe wall and therefore move unsteadily.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a pipe crack detection robot with pipe surface adaptability, applied to the detection of pipe inner walls, including a body, a scanner assembly installed at one end of the top of the body, and a camera gimbal assembly installed at the other end. The scanner assembly is used to scan the cracks in the inner wall of the pipe, and the camera gimbal assembly is used to photograph the inside of the pipe.

[0005] Two slide modules are fixedly installed inside the machine body. The two slide modules are rotatably connected to threaded rods. The outer surface of the threaded rods is threaded with sliders. The sliders are slidably connected to the slide modules. Lifting rods are fixedly connected to the side walls of the sliders. Both ends of the lifting rods are hinged with foot plates, which are rotatably connected to the machine body.

[0006] A sprocket is rotatably connected to the center of the foot plate, and planetary gear assemblies are rotatably connected to both ends of the foot plate. A sprocket is fixedly connected to the rotating end of the planetary gear assembly. A chain is provided between the sprocket and the first sprocket. One of the drive gears drives the first sprocket to rotate, and movement can be achieved through the planetary gear assembly.

[0007] The slider moves up and down, and through the lifting rod, it drives the foot plates on both sides to deflect in opposite directions along the body, which can drive the planetary gear assembly to deflect and adjust the crawling angle of the body.

[0008] Furthermore, the scanner assembly includes a bracket, one side of which is rotatably connected to the machine body, and the top of the bracket is fixedly connected to the scanner body. An arc-shaped adjustment plate is fixedly connected to the other side of the bracket. Multiple fixing holes are provided on the side wall of the arc-shaped adjustment plate. The fixing holes at different positions are connected to the machine body by screws to control the deflection angle of the bracket and the scanner body.

[0009] Furthermore, the camera gimbal assembly includes a base fixedly mounted on the top of the camera body, a gear five fixedly mounted on the top of the base, a camera bracket rotatably connected to the top of the gear five, a gear seven meshing with the outer surface of the gear five, a gear six meshing with the outer surface of the gear seven, gears six and seven being rotatably connected to the bottom of the camera bracket, and a gimbal motor one fixedly mounted on the camera bracket, the output end of the gimbal motor one being fixedly connected to gear six to drive gear six, and the circumferential rotation of the camera bracket is achieved by utilizing the meshing relationship between gears six, gear seven and gear five;

[0010] A high-definition camera is rotatably connected to the top of the camera bracket. Gear 10 is fixedly connected to one side of the high-definition camera and is rotatably connected to the camera bracket. Gear 9 is meshed with the lower part of gear 10, and gear 8 is meshed with the lower part of gear 9. A gimbal motor 2 is installed on one side of gear 8 and is fixed to the bottom of the camera bracket. The gimbal motor 2 drives gear 8 and uses the meshing relationship between gear 8, gear 9, and gear 10 to achieve the pitch and tilt of the high-definition camera.

[0011] Furthermore, the two slide modules are arranged symmetrically in mirror image along the center line of the machine body, and a lifting motor is also installed on the machine body. The top of the threaded rod inside the slide module is connected to the output end of the lifting motor through a synchronous pulley and a synchronous belt.

[0012] Furthermore, a closed-loop motor is fixedly installed on the side wall of the foot plate, and the output shaft of the closed-loop motor is fixedly connected to the sprocket.

[0013] Furthermore, the planetary gear assembly includes a rotating shaft rotatably connected to the foot plate. One end of the rotating shaft is fixedly connected to a sprocket two, and the other end is fixedly connected to a gear two. A planetary support is rotatably connected to one side of the gear two, and three gear threes are meshed on the outer surface of the gear two. Gear fours are meshed on the outer surface of each gear three. An omnidirectional wheel is coaxially mounted on one side of the gear four, and the omnidirectional wheel, gear four, and gear three are all rotatably connected to the planetary support.

[0014] Furthermore, the number of omnidirectional wheels is twelve, with three omnidirectional wheels forming a group for coordinated use, and the three omnidirectional wheels in a group are arranged circumferentially at equal intervals around the axis of rotation.

[0015] Furthermore, a mounting base is fixedly installed at the bottom of one end of the scanner assembly of the machine body. Linkage 2 and link 3 are rotatably connected to the mounting base. Gears are fixedly connected to the ends of link 2 and link 3 that are connected to the mounting base, and the two gears mesh with each other. Linkage 5 and link 4 are rotatably connected to the other ends of link 2 and link 3, respectively. Torsion springs are installed at the connection points of link 2 and link 5, and link 3 and link 4.

[0016] Furthermore, the bottom ends of the fifth and fourth connecting rods are rotatably connected to odometers, and the output end of the odometers is fixedly connected to a rubber wheel.

[0017] Furthermore, a vehicle controller is installed on the top of the body, and the vehicle controller is electrically connected to the closed-loop motor, lifting motor, gimbal motor one, gimbal motor two, high-definition camera, scanner body, and odometer via wires.

[0018] A cable is connected to one end of the device body near the scanner body, and the other end of the cable is connected to a remote controller. The remote controller and the vehicle controller are electrically connected via the cable.

[0019] A cable winder is installed on the cable between the machine body and the remote controller for winding up the cable.

[0020] The present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0021] 1. The pipeline crack detection robot of the present invention uses a planetary gear assembly as a drive mechanism. The angle between the planetary gear and the body is adjustable, and the planetary gear wheels are omnidirectional wheels, which enhances the robot's obstacle-crossing ability and allows the robot to move along the lowest position of the pipeline under the action of gravity. This allows the robot to better fit the inner wall of the pipeline, maintain a stable posture, and improve the accuracy of overall crack detection.

[0022] 2. In this invention, the scanner assembly, through structures such as a bracket and an arc-shaped adjustment plate, allows for angle adjustment of the scanner body, reducing the impact of the scanner's blind zone on the measurement and enabling the scanner to measure pipes with smaller radii.

[0023] 3. The present invention mounts the odometer on the machine body through a multi-link structure. It can not only adapt to the undulations of the pipeline and maintain good contact with the pipeline wall through its own rotation and extension, but also enable the odometer to cross obstacles, avoiding detection interruption or data loss caused by uneven pipeline or obstacles.

[0024] 4. This invention drives gear six to rotate via gimbal motor one. The meshing relationship between gears six, seven, and five causes the camera bracket to rotate circumferentially around gear five, achieving 360-degree omnidirectional rotation of the camera in the horizontal direction. By activating gimbal motor two to drive gear eight to rotate, the meshing relationship between gear eight, nine, and ten causes the high-definition camera to deflect vertically on the camera bracket. This adds vertical pitch deflection to the existing horizontal circumferential rotation, enabling the high-definition camera to perform more flexible observations in three-dimensional space and to comprehensively scan the inner wall of a pipe from top to bottom at various height levels.

[0025] Of course, any product implementing this invention does not necessarily need to achieve all of the advantages described above at the same time. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention from a first-view perspective;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a two-dimensional schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention from a second perspective;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a front view of the pipe crack detection robot of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a right view of the pipe crack detection robot of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a left view of the pipe crack detection robot of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 6 This is a top view of the pipe crack detection robot of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 7 This is a bottom view of the pipe crack detection robot of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of the foot plate angle adjustment mechanism of the pipeline crack detection robot of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 9 This is a right view of the footplate angle adjustment mechanism of the pipeline crack detection robot of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of adjusting the foot plate angle adjustment mechanism of the pipeline crack detection robot of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 11 This is a perspective view of the sprocket of the pipeline crack detection robot of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 12 This is a perspective view of the planetary gears of the pipeline crack detection robot of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 13 This is a perspective view of the scanner component of the pipe crack detection robot of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 14 This is a perspective view of the odometer of the pipeline crack detection robot of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 15 This is a perspective view of the camera gimbal assembly of the pipeline crack detection robot of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 16 This is a circuit diagram of the pipe crack detection robot of the present invention.

[0042] Figure label:

[0043] 101. Winder; 102. Remote Controller; 1. Body; 2. Main Processor; 3. Coprocessor; 4. Battery; 5. Scanner Assembly; 6. Camera Gimbal Assembly; 7. Odometer; 8. Foot Plate; 9. Closed-Loop Motor; 10. Planetary Gear Assembly; 11. Lifting Motor; 12. Slide Module; 13. Synchronous Pulley; 14. Synchronous Belt; 15. Slider; 16. Lifting Rod; 17. Connecting Rod 1; 18. Output Shaft; 19. Sprocket 1; 20. Rotating Shaft; 21. Chain; 22. Gear 2; 23. Planetary Support; 24. 25. Gear 3; 26. Gear 4; 27. Omnidirectional wheel; 28. Bracket; 29. ​​Mounting base; 30. Link 2; 31. Link 3; 32. Link 4; 33. Link 5; 34. Rubber wheel; 35. Base; 36. Gear 5; 37. Camera bracket; 38. Gear 6; 39. Gear 7; 40. Gear 2; 41. Gear 8; 42. Gear 9; 43. Gear 10; 44. Sprocket 2; 45. High-definition camera; 46. Threaded rod; 47. Arc-shaped adjustment plate; 48. Scanner body. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this disclosure, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0045] Please see Figures 1-16The present invention provides a technical solution: a pipe crack detection robot with pipe surface adaptability, applied to the detection of pipe inner wall, including a body 1, a scanner component 5 installed at one end of the top of the body 1, and a camera gimbal component 6 installed at the other end. The scanner component 5 is used to scan the cracks in the inner wall of the pipe, and the camera gimbal component 6 is used to photograph the inside of the pipe.

[0046] Two slide modules 12 are fixedly installed inside the body 1. Threaded rods 46 are rotatably connected inside the two slide modules 12. A slider 15 is threadedly connected to the outer surface of the threaded rods 46. The slider 15 is slidably connected to the slide module 12. A lifting rod 16 is fixedly connected to the side wall of the slider 15. Foot plates 8 are hinged to both ends of the lifting rod 16 and are rotatably connected to the body 1.

[0047] A sprocket 19 is rotatably connected to the center of the foot plate 8. Planetary gear assemblies 10 are rotatably connected to both ends of the foot plate 8. A sprocket 24 is fixedly connected to the rotating end of the planetary gear assembly 10. A chain 21 is provided between the sprocket 24 and the sprocket 19. One of the drive gears drives the sprocket 19 to rotate, and movement can be achieved through the planetary gear assembly 10.

[0048] The slider 15 moves up and down, and through the lifting rod 16, it drives the foot plates 8 on both sides to deflect in opposite directions along the body 1, which can drive the planetary gear assembly 10 to deflect, thereby adjusting the crawling angle of the body 1.

[0049] Regarding the technical solution of this embodiment, the scanner assembly 5 includes a bracket 27. One side of the bracket 27 is rotatably connected to the body 1, and the top of the bracket is fixedly connected to the scanner body 48. The other side of the bracket 27 is fixedly connected to an arc-shaped adjustment plate 47. Multiple fixing holes are provided on the side wall of the arc-shaped adjustment plate 47. Screws are used to connect the fixing holes at different positions to the body 1 to control the deflection angle of the bracket 27, thereby changing the angle of the scanner body 48 relative to the body 1, that is, the angle of the scanner body 48 relative to the cross-section of the pipe. The scanner body 48 has a blind zone and cannot measure objects smaller than a certain distance, therefore it cannot measure pipes smaller than a certain radius. By forming a certain angle between the scanner body 48 and the cross-section of the pipe, the distance between the ray of the scanner body 48 and the pipe wall can be increased, thereby reducing the measurable radius of the pipe. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the scanner is a Trimble X-series scanner with a scanning radius greater than or equal to 0.6 meters and less than or equal to 150 meters, a point cloud of 1 million points / second, a point cloud accuracy of 2 mm, and a scanning angle greater than or equal to 345 degrees. The scanner body 48 scans at a speed of 120 revolutions / second while the trolley is moving. The scanning result is three-dimensional point cloud data of the pipe. Through the three-dimensional point cloud data, the convergence radius of the pipe and crack size measurement can be analyzed, and a high-definition pipe image can be generated.

[0050] Regarding the technical solution of this embodiment, the camera gimbal assembly 6 includes a base 34 fixedly installed on the top of the body 1. A gear 5 35 is fixedly installed on the top of the base 34. A camera bracket 36 is rotatably connected to the top of the gear 5 35. A gear 7 39 is meshed with the outer surface of the gear 5 35. A gear 6 38 is meshed with the outer surface of the gear 7 39. Both gear 6 38 and gear 7 39 are rotatably connected to the bottom of the camera bracket 36. A gimbal motor 1 37 is also fixedly installed on the camera bracket 36. The output end of the gimbal motor 1 37 is fixedly connected to the gear 6 38. The gimbal motor 1 37 drives the gear 6 38 to rotate, thereby achieving the desired rotation. The meshing relationship between gears 38 and 39 and gear 5 and 35 drives the camera bracket 36 to rotate circumferentially around gear 5 and 35, realizing 360-degree omnidirectional rotation of the camera in the horizontal direction. This allows for quick adjustment of the camera's observation angle, enabling comprehensive and detailed observation of the inner wall of the pipe in all directions, without missing any areas where cracks or deformations may exist. Furthermore, in complex pipe environments, operators can remotely control the camera to precisely adjust to the target position and angle as needed, allowing for repeated observation and detailed inspection of specific suspected defect points or key areas, thus improving the targeting and accuracy of the inspection.

[0051] A high-definition camera 45 is rotatably connected to the top of the camera bracket 36. A gear 10 43 is fixedly connected to one side of the high-definition camera 45. The gear 10 43 is rotatably connected to the camera bracket 36. A gear 9 42 is meshed below the gear 10 43. A gear 8 41 is meshed below the gear 9 42. A gimbal motor 2 40 is installed on one side of the gear 8 41. The gimbal motor 2 40 is fixed to the bottom of the camera bracket 36. When the gimbal motor 2 40 is started, it drives the gear 8 41 to rotate. By utilizing the meshing relationship between the gear 8 41, the gear 9 42, and the gear 10 43, the high-definition camera 45 can be driven to rotate vertically on the camera bracket 36, thereby achieving the pitch deflection of the high-definition camera 45. In addition to the horizontal circumferential rotation, the addition of vertical pitch deflection allows the high-definition camera 45 to perform more flexible observation in the three-dimensional space. The inside of the pipe may contain complex structures such as upward or downward curved sections, protrusions, valves, etc. The high-definition camera 45's tilt and deflection functions can easily inspect these special parts. For example, when inspecting an upward-curving pipe section, the camera's tilt angle can be adjusted to look upwards; when inspecting a downward-curving section or sediment at the bottom of the pipe, the camera can be tilted downwards for detailed inspection. This adapts to various complex pipe geometries, further expanding the inspection range and enabling a comprehensive scan of the pipe's inner wall from top to bottom and at all height levels, ensuring that no possible cracks or abnormalities are missed.

[0052] Furthermore, the two slide modules 12 are arranged symmetrically in mirror image along the center line of the machine body 1. The top of the threaded rod 46 inside the slide module 12 is connected to the output end of the lifting motor 11 through the synchronous pulley 13 and the synchronous belt 14. The lifting motor 11 is installed on the machine body 1. When the lifting motor 11 is started, it drives the threaded rod 46 to rotate, and the engagement relationship between the threaded rod 46 and the slider 15 can be used to drive it to move up and down. When the slider 15 moves up and down, the lifting rod 16 can drive the foot plates 8 on both sides to deflect inward or outward. It should be noted that the slide module 12 is adapted to the slider 15 and can provide support and guidance for the slider 15.

[0053] Specifically, the two slide modules 12 are arranged symmetrically in mirror image along the center line of the body 1. The body 1 is also equipped with a lifting motor 11. The lifting motor 11 drives the threaded rod 46 to rotate through the synchronous wheel 13 and the synchronous belt 14, so that the two sliders 15 can move up and down synchronously. This ensures that the two foot plates 8 deflect inward or outward at the same angle. The angle of the foot plates 8 can be flexibly adjusted according to the geometry of the pipe and the movement state of the robot, so that the tangent direction of the planetary gear assembly 10 and the pipe wall is perpendicular, allowing the robot to better fit the inner wall of the pipe and maintain a stable posture.

[0054] Furthermore, by adjusting the angle of the footplate 8, the robot can adapt to different pipe diameters within a certain range. When entering a pipe with a smaller diameter, the deflection angle of the footplate 8 can be reduced, thus reducing the overall width of the robot. In pipes with a larger diameter, the deflection angle of the footplate 8 can be increased to expand the robot's support range and ensure that there is sufficient contact area and support force between the robot and the pipe wall, thereby achieving adaptive detection of pipes with different diameters.

[0055] It needs to be further explained that, such as Figure 10 The diagram shown is a schematic diagram of the adjustment amount calculation for the footplate 8 angle adjustment mechanism of the pipeline crack detection robot of the present invention. The angle adjustment is achieved by using the lifting motor 11 to drive the slider 15 to move. Therefore, the position l of the slider 15 can be used as the control quantity. The appropriate position l of the slider 15 is selected according to the pipeline radius r. The specific calculation method is as follows:

[0056] It should be noted that, Figure 10 To draw on the same plane, in Figure 10 Draw two auxiliary lines, one for the overall symmetry center of the robot and the other for the symmetry center of the planetary gears;

[0057]

[0058] In the formula, r: pipe radius;

[0059] h: The perpendicular distance from the hinge center of the foot plate 8 deflected along the body 1 to the contact point of the symmetrical center line of the planetary gear and the arc of the pipe.

[0060] l1: The vertical distance from the hinge center of the foot plate 8 along the body 1 to the symmetrical center line of the planetary gear;

[0061] l2: The vertical distance from the hinge center of the footplate 8 along the body 1 to the center line of symmetry of the robot as a whole;

[0062] l3: The distance from the center of the hinge circle of the foot plate 8 as it deflects along the body 1 to the center of the hinge point between the connecting rod 17 and the foot plate 8.

[0063] l4: The distance between the center of the hinge point between link 17 and foot plate 8 and the intersection of the straight line containing l2 and the center line of symmetry of the robot as a whole;

[0064] l5: The vertical distance from the center of the hinge point between lifting rod 16 and connecting rod 17 to the center line of symmetry of the robot as a whole.

[0065] l6: The distance between the center of the hinge point of lifting rod 16 and connecting rod 17 and the intersection of the straight line containing l2 and the center line of symmetry of the robot as a whole;

[0066] l7: The distance from the center of the hinge point between connecting rod 17 and foot plate 8 to the center of the hinge point between lifting rod 16 and connecting rod 17;

[0067] l: The perpendicular distance from the line containing l2 to the line containing l5;

[0068] θ1: The angle between the center line of symmetry of the robot as a whole and the center line of symmetry of the planetary gears;

[0069] θ2: The angle between the line containing l3 and the center line of symmetry of the planetary gear;

[0070] θ3: The angle between the line containing l3 and the center line of symmetry of the robot as a whole;

[0071] θ4: The angle between the line containing l2 and the line containing l4;

[0072] θ5: The angle between the robot's overall center line of symmetry and the line containing l5;

[0073] Regarding the technical solution of this embodiment, a closed-loop motor 9 is fixedly installed on the side wall of the foot plate 8. The output shaft 18 of the closed-loop motor 9 is fixedly connected to the first sprocket 19. Starting the closed-loop motor 9 can drive the first sprocket 19 to rotate, thereby driving the second sprocket 44 to rotate through the chain 21, which in turn drives the planetary gear assembly 10 to rotate.

[0074] Regarding the technical solution of this embodiment, the planetary gear assembly 10 includes a rotating shaft 20 rotatably connected to the foot plate 8. One end of the rotating shaft 20 is fixedly connected to the second sprocket 44, and the other end is fixedly connected to the second gear 22. A planetary support 23 is rotatably connected to one side of the second gear 22, and three third gears 24 are meshed on the outer surface of the second gear 22. Each third gear 24 is meshed with a fourth gear 25 on its outer surface. An omnidirectional wheel 26 is coaxially mounted on one side of the fourth gear 25, and the omnidirectional wheel 26, the fourth gear 25, and the third gears 24 are all rotatably connected to the planetary support 23. 3. When sprocket 2 44 rotates, it drives gear 2 22, gear 3 24 and gear 4 25 to rotate, which in turn drives omnidirectional wheel 26 to rotate, realizing the overall movement of the robot. The design of omnidirectional wheel 26 enables the robot to form multi-point support when moving in the pipe, and it can automatically slide to the bottom of the pipe by its own gravity, keeping it in the lowest position of the pipe. This avoids the robot climbing up the pipe wall or even flipping over due to factors such as pipe tilting or bending, thereby enhancing the stability of the robot's movement in the pipe and improving the smoothness and safety of the inspection process.

[0075] Furthermore, the planetary gear assembly 10 meshes with three gears 24 via gear 22, and gears 24 are connected to gear 4 25 and omnidirectional wheel 26. This multi-gear transmission structure can achieve more complex motion conversion. When the robot encounters an obstacle, the omnidirectional wheel 26 contacts the obstacle and generates friction. If the omnidirectional wheel 26 stops rotating due to friction, the rotation of the rotating shaft 20 in the planetary gear assembly 10 will drive the planetary support 23 to rotate, thereby driving the entire planetary gear assembly 10 and the robot to cross the obstacle, effectively avoiding the robot from getting stuck or unable to move forward, and greatly improving the robot's passability when encountering obstacles such as stones and debris in complex pipe environments.

[0076] In this embodiment, there are twelve omnidirectional wheels 26, with three omnidirectional wheels 26 forming a group for coordinated use. The three omnidirectional wheels 26 in a group are arranged circumferentially at equal intervals around the pivot 20. The omnidirectional wheels 26 can rotate independently of the planetary gear shaft and the planetary support 23. This allows the robot to change direction and adjust its posture more flexibly during movement. For example, when it needs to turn or avoid local obstacles, the omnidirectional wheels 26 can quickly adjust their rotation angle to achieve the robot's turning action. This enhances the robot's movement flexibility in the complex three-dimensional space inside the pipe and enables it to better adapt to the complex structures such as pipe bends and branches.

[0077] It should be further explained that gear components such as gear 22, gear 324, and gear 425 mesh with each other to form a compact gear transmission system. This compact layout allows for complex power transmission and motion conversion within a small space, ensuring that the planetary gear assembly 10 is not too large. This facilitates the integration and miniaturization of the entire robot system and makes it easier for the robot to enter pipes with smaller diameters for inspection operations.

[0078] Regarding the technical solution of this embodiment, a mounting base 28 is fixedly installed on the bottom of the body 1 at one end of the scanner assembly 5. A second connecting rod 29 and a third connecting rod 30 are rotatably connected to the mounting base 28. Gears are fixedly connected to the ends of the connecting rods 29 and 30 that are connected to the mounting base 28, and the two gears mesh with each other. The other ends of the connecting rods 29 and 30 are respectively rotatably connected to a fifth connecting rod 32 and a fourth connecting rod 31. Torsion springs are installed at the connection points of the connecting rods 29 and 32 and the connecting rods 30 and 31. The torsion springs are used to provide elastic force to drive the fourth connecting rod 31 and the fifth connecting rod 32 to reset.

[0079] Furthermore, the bottom ends of connecting rod 5 (32) and connecting rod 4 (31) are rotatably connected to an odometer 7, and the output end of the odometer 7 is fixedly connected to a rubber wheel 33. The circumference of the rubber wheel 33 is fixed, and the distance can be calculated by the number of rotations inside the odometer 7 when the rubber wheel 33 rotates. When the robot travels in the pipe, if it encounters a protrusion or depression in the inner wall of the pipe, the connecting rod structure can make the odometer 7 adapt to the undulations of the pipe and maintain good contact with the pipe wall through its own rotation and extension. For example, when a protrusion appears on one side of the pipe wall, connecting rod 2 (29) or connecting rod 3 (30) can drive connecting rod 5 (31) to rotate. 2 or linkage 4 rotates upward, allowing the odometer 7 to smoothly pass over the protrusion and continue to move in contact with the pipe wall. This avoids detection interruption or data loss caused by uneven pipes. Furthermore, when facing obstacles in the pipe, such as stones or debris, the elastic deformation and rotational capability of the linkage mechanism enable the robot to cross these obstacles. When an obstacle blocks the way, the linkage deforms under the action of the torsion spring, causing the odometer 7 and other components to lift up. After passing the obstacle, the linkage returns to its original position under the restoring force of the torsion spring and continues to contact the pipe wall, ensuring the robot's continuous and stable movement and improving detection efficiency.

[0080] Regarding the technical solution of this embodiment, a power supply is installed on the body 1 to supply power to the electrical equipment on the robot.

[0081] Regarding the technical solution of this embodiment, such as Figure 16 As shown, a vehicle controller is installed on the top of the body 1. The vehicle controller is electrically connected to the closed-loop motor 9, the lifting motor 11, the gimbal motor 1 37, the gimbal motor 2 40, the high-definition camera 45, the scanner body 48, and the odometer 7 via wires.

[0082] A cable is connected to one end of the body 1 near the scanner body 48, and the other end of the cable is connected to a remote controller 102. The remote controller 102 is electrically connected to the vehicle controller via a cable.

[0083] A cable winder 101 is installed on the cable between the robot body 1 and the remote controller 102. The cable winder 101 is activated to wind up the cable, which can be used to pull the robot out of the pipe in case of failure.

[0084] like Figure 16 The diagram shows the circuit schematic of the pipe crack detection robot of this invention. The robot has two controllers: an on-board controller and a remote controller 102. The on-board controller adopts a dual-core architecture, including a main processor 2 and a coprocessor 3. The main processor 2 uses an Intel N100 industrial computer with the latest generation ultra-low voltage CPU, responsible for data acquisition, analysis, and modeling from the scanner and odometer 7. The coprocessor 3 uses an ESP32S3 MCU. The robot features a 32-bit LX7 dual-core processor with a clock speed of up to 240MHz. The coprocessor 3 primarily controls the motors and interacts with the remote controller 102 via RS485. The remote controller 102 also uses an ESP32S3 MCU and is mainly responsible for displaying the robot's operating status and issuing commands to the onboard controller via remote sensing and buttons. The closed-loop motor 9 drives the planetary gear assemblies 10 on both sides, employing a brushless closed-loop geared motor with CAN communication. Utilizing its maximum torque of 6 N / m, it drives the robot by pulling two assemblies on one side via chain 21. The front and rear lifting motors 11 control the planetary gears to be perpendicular to the contact surface, changing the angle of the robot's legs by driving the slider 15 linkage mechanism. Both motors are closed-loop stepper motors, controlled by pulse signals. The gimbal motor adjusts the camera's shooting angle, controlled by PWM signals. To ensure stability over long distances, an analog AV signal camera is used, allowing image display even with signal interference. The pipeline model was created by fusing data from a laser scanner and odometer 7, which uses a multi-turn absolute encoder to ensure data accuracy.

[0085] The working principle and usage process of this invention are as follows: The inspection robot is placed at the entrance of the pipe, ensuring that the robot body is roughly aligned with the pipe's centerline, and that the footplates 8 and planetary gears are in suitable positions to allow smooth entry into the pipe. Then, the closed-loop motor 9 is activated, driving sprocket 19 to rotate, which in turn drives sprocket 24 via chain 21. When sprocket 24 rotates, it drives gears 22, 3, and 4, which in turn drive the omnidirectional wheel 26 to rotate, thus achieving overall robot movement. During robot movement, when the angle of the footplates 8 needs adjustment, the lifting motor 11 is activated, driving the threaded rod 4... Rotating the screw rod 46 allows the slider 15 to move up and down using the meshing relationship between the screw rod 46 and the slider 15. When the slider 15 moves up and down, the lifting rod 16 can drive the foot plates 8 on both sides to deflect inward or outward, so that the tangent direction of the planetary gear assembly 10 and the pipe wall is perpendicular, allowing the robot to better fit the inner wall of the pipe and maintain a stable posture. When the high-definition camera 45 is used to observe the inside of the pipe, the gimbal motor 37 drives the gear 6 38 to rotate. With the meshing relationship between gear 6 38, gear 7 39 and gear 5 35, the camera bracket 36 is driven to rotate circumferentially around gear 5 35. The rotation enables the camera to rotate 360 ​​degrees horizontally, allowing for rapid adjustment of the camera's observation angle. Activating the gimbal motor 2 40 drives gear 8 41 to rotate. Utilizing the meshing relationship between gear 8 41, gear 9 42, and gear 10 43, the high-definition camera 45 can be vertically deflected on the camera bracket 36, thus achieving pitch deflection of the high-definition camera 45. In addition to horizontal circumferential rotation, the addition of vertical pitch deflection allows the high-definition camera 45 to perform more flexible observations within a three-dimensional spatial range, enabling observation of the inner wall of the pipe from top to bottom. A comprehensive scan of the area at each height level is performed to ensure that no possible cracks or abnormalities are missed. When scanning the cracks inside the pipe using the scanner body 48, the connection position between the arc adjustment plate 47 and the machine body 1 can be adjusted in advance according to the actual situation of the pipe, thereby adjusting the pitch angle of the scanner body 48. This facilitates increasing the distance between the ray of the scanner body 48 and the pipe wall, thereby reducing the measurable radius of the pipe. If the robot malfunctions during the inspection process, the robot can be pulled out of the pipe by activating the cable winder 101 set outside the pipe to wind up the cable.

[0086] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0087] For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention can be understood according to the specific circumstances. When an element is referred to as being "assembled on," "mounted on," "fixed to," or "set on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element present. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element present. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible embodiments.

[0088] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0089] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "an embodiment," "example," "specific example," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this disclosure. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

Claims

1. A pipe crack detection robot with pipe surface adaptability, applied to the inspection of pipe inner walls, characterized in that, Includes a body (1), on one end of the top of the body (1) is a scanner assembly (5) and on the other end is a camera gimbal assembly (6). The scanner assembly (5) is used to scan the cracks in the inner wall of the pipe, and the camera gimbal assembly (6) is used to photograph the inside of the pipe. Two slide modules (12) are fixedly installed inside the body (1). Threaded rods (46) are rotatably connected inside the two slide modules (12). A slider (15) is threadedly connected to the outer surface of the threaded rod (46). The slider (15) is slidably connected to the slide module (12). A lifting rod (16) is fixedly connected to the side wall of the slider (15). Foot plates (8) are hinged to both ends of the lifting rod (16). The foot plates (8) are rotatably connected to the body (1). A sprocket (19) is rotatably connected to the center of the foot plate (8), and planetary gear assemblies (10) are rotatably connected to both ends of the foot plate (8). A sprocket (44) is fixedly connected to the rotating end of the planetary gear assembly (10). A chain (21) is provided between the sprocket (44) and the sprocket (19). One of the drive gears drives the sprocket (19) to rotate, and movement can be achieved through the planetary gear assembly (10). The slider (15) moves up and down, and through the lifting rod (16), it drives the foot plates (8) on both sides to deflect in opposite directions along the body (1), which can drive the planetary gear assembly (10) to deflect, and is used to adjust the crawling angle of the body (1).

2. The pipe crack detection robot with pipe surface adaptability according to claim 1, characterized in that: The scanner assembly (5) includes a bracket (27), one side of which is rotatably connected to the body (1), and the top of the bracket (27) is fixedly connected to the scanner body (48). The other side of the bracket (27) is fixedly connected to an arc-shaped adjustment plate (47). The side wall of the arc-shaped adjustment plate (47) is provided with multiple fixing holes. The fixing holes at different positions are connected to the body (1) by screws to control the deflection angle of the bracket (27) and the scanner body (48).

3. The pipe crack detection robot with pipe surface adaptability according to claim 2, characterized in that: The camera gimbal assembly (6) includes a base (34) fixedly installed on the top of the body (1). A gear five (35) is fixedly installed on the top of the base (34). A camera bracket (36) is rotatably connected to the top of the gear five (35). A gear seven (39) is meshed with the outer surface of the gear five (35). A gear six (38) is meshed with the outer surface of the gear seven (39). Both the gear six (38) and the gear seven (39) are rotatably connected to the bottom of the camera bracket (36). A gimbal motor one (37) is also fixed on the camera bracket (36). The output end of the gimbal motor one (37) is fixedly connected to the gear six (38) to drive the gear six (38). The circumferential rotation of the camera bracket (36) is realized by utilizing the meshing relationship between the gear six (38), the gear seven (39) and the gear eight (41). A high-definition camera (45) is rotatably connected to the top of the camera bracket (36). A gear ten (43) is fixedly connected to one side of the high-definition camera (45). The gear ten (43) is rotatably connected to the camera bracket (36). A gear nine (42) is meshed with the bottom of the gear ten (43). A gear eight (41) is meshed with the bottom of the gear nine (42). A gimbal motor two (40) is installed on one side of the gear eight (41). The gimbal motor two (40) is fixed to the bottom of the camera bracket (36) and drives the gear eight (41). The pitch and deflection of the high-definition camera (45) is realized by the meshing relationship between the gear eight (41), the gear nine (42), and the gear ten (43).

4. The pipe crack detection robot with pipe surface adaptability according to claim 2, characterized in that: The two slide modules (12) are arranged symmetrically in mirror image along the center line of the machine body (1). A lifting motor (11) is also installed on the machine body (1). The top of the threaded rod (46) inside the slide module (12) is connected to the output end of the lifting motor (11) through a synchronous pulley (13) and a synchronous belt (14).

5. A pipe crack detection robot with pipe surface adaptability according to claim 4, characterized in that: A closed-loop motor (9) is fixedly installed on the side wall of the foot plate (8), and the output shaft (18) of the closed-loop motor (9) is fixedly connected to the sprocket (19).

6. A pipe crack detection robot with pipe surface adaptability according to claim 5, characterized in that: The planetary gear assembly (10) includes a rotating shaft (20) rotatably connected to the foot plate (8). One end of the rotating shaft (20) is fixedly connected to the second sprocket (44), and the other end is fixedly connected to the second gear (22). A planetary support (23) is rotatably connected to one side of the second gear (22), and three third gears (24) are meshed on the outer surface of the second gear (22). All the outer surfaces of the third gears (24) are meshed with fourth gears (25). An omnidirectional wheel (26) is coaxially mounted on one side of the fourth gear (25), and the omnidirectional wheel (26), the fourth gear (25), and the third gears (24) are all rotatably connected to the planetary support (23).

7. A pipe crack detection robot with pipe surface adaptability according to claim 6, characterized in that: The number of omnidirectional wheels (26) is twelve. Every three omnidirectional wheels (26) are used in a group, and the three omnidirectional wheels (26) in a group are arranged circumferentially at equal intervals around the rotating shaft (20).

8. A pipe crack detection robot with pipe surface adaptability according to claim 7, characterized in that: The body (1) is fixedly mounted on the bottom of one end of the scanner assembly (5) with a mounting base (28). The mounting base (28) is rotatably connected to a second link (29) and a third link (30). The ends of the second link (29) and the third link (30) connected to the mounting base (28) are fixedly connected to gears, and the two gears mesh with each other. The other ends of the second link (29) and the third link (30) are rotatably connected to a fifth link (32) and a fourth link (31), respectively. Torsion springs are installed at the connection between the second link (29) and the fifth link (32), and at the connection between the third link (30) and the fourth link (31).

9. A pipe crack detection robot with pipe surface adaptability according to claim 8, characterized in that: The bottom ends of the fifth link (32) and the fourth link (31) are rotatably connected to the odometer (7), and the output end of the odometer (7) is fixedly connected to the rubber wheel (33).

10. A pipe crack detection robot with pipe surface adaptability according to claim 9, characterized in that: The top of the body (1) is equipped with a vehicle controller. The vehicle controller is electrically connected to the closed-loop motor (9), lifting motor (11), gimbal motor one (37), gimbal motor two (40), high-definition camera (45), scanner body (48), and odometer (7) via wires. The body (1) is connected to a cable at one end near the scanner body (48), and the other end of the cable is connected to a remote controller (102). The remote controller (102) is electrically connected to the vehicle controller via the cable. A cable winder (101) is installed on the cable between the body (1) and the remote controller (102) for winding the cable.

Images