Differential driving assembly walking in pipeline

Abstract

The invention belongs to the field of differential drive assemblies, and particularly relates to a differential drive assembly walking in a pipeline, which comprises a plummer block, an inner support table is arranged in the plummer block, and the plummer block and the inner support table are fixed through a pin column; the tray mechanism comprises a spring end base installed at the bottom of the pin column, a spring piece is installed on the spring end base, the other end of the spring piece is connected with a spring bracket, and a guide rod penetrating into the inner supporting table is arranged on the outer side of the spring bracket. The plummer block is used as a basic frame for installing a driving motor and transmission mechanisms, the transmission mechanisms on the two sides are driven by the driving motor to work, different power is applied to wheel frames on the two sides to achieve differential driving control, a floating inner supporting table is arranged on the plummer block, an elastic tray mechanism is matched, and the differential driving control can be achieved under different pipe diameter environments. The walking wheels and the tray are tightly attached to the pipe wall, and the problems of slipping and friction loss and jamming in the walking process are effectively solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of differential drive assemblies, and more specifically to a differential drive assembly that travels within a pipe. Background Technology

[0002] The differential drive assembly is an important component of the transmission system. It is mainly used to adjust the speed difference between the left and right drive wheels to ensure that the wheels on both sides can move in a pure rolling manner when turning or driving on uneven roads, thereby reducing the friction between the tires and the ground.

[0003] The inner wall of the pipe is usually smooth. Ordinary wheeled walking devices will slip and spin due to insufficient friction, which can easily lead to failure to move forward or loss of positioning and control.

[0004] When a pipe has bends or curves, the inner and outer wheels of a two-wheel or three-wheel drive system need different linear speeds when traveling through a bend. Forcing synchronization can cause the wheels to slip and wear or even get stuck.

[0005] There may be welds, deformations, and foreign objects accumulated in the inner diameter of the pipe. When the walking device passes through this location, the fixed shape will cause the wheels to be suspended in the air and lose traction, affecting normal walking. Summary of the Invention

[0006] (I) Purpose of the Invention

[0007] To address the technical problems existing in the background art, this invention proposes a differential drive assembly that travels within a pipeline, featuring sufficient differential drive control for travel and an elastic pallet mechanism design to adapt to different pipe diameter scenarios.

[0008] (II) Technical Solution

[0009] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a differential drive assembly that travels in a pipeline, including a shaft platform, wherein the shaft platform has an internal support platform built in it, and the shaft platform and the internal support platform are fixed together by a pin.

[0010] The pallet mechanism includes a spring end seat installed at the bottom of the pin, a spring element installed on the spring end seat, a spring support connected to the other end of the spring element, a guide rod inserted into the inner support platform on the outer side of the spring support, a pallet above the guide rod, and a rod seat that moves along the guide rod formed at the bottom of the pallet.

[0011] The drive motor is located on both sides of the shaft platform. The transmission mechanism includes a transmission box installed at the output end of the drive motor. The output end of the transmission box is a through structure, with a collar inserted into the shaft hole of the shaft platform at one end and a wheel frame installed at the other end.

[0012] The wheel frame is fitted with wheels.

[0013] Preferably, the shaft platform has symmetrical shaft holes, and a matching shaft collar is inserted into the shaft holes, the shaft collar rotating along the axis of the shaft holes.

[0014] Preferably, a bolt is inserted through the corner of the attachment end face of the transmission box and the shaft platform, and the transmission box and the shaft platform are combined into an integral structure by means of the bolt.

[0015] Preferably, the inner support platform and the shaft platform are fixed together by two pins, the two pins are on the same axis, and there is a gap between the shaft platform and the inner support platform. The inner support platform rotates forward and backward along the pins within the gap range.

[0016] Preferably, the rod seat has two through holes that are compatible with the specifications of the guide rod, and the tray moves vertically along the guide rod via the rod seat.

[0017] Preferably, the spring is a deformation member, the movable distance of the tray is the same as the deformation amplitude of the spring, and the spring support is initially in a free state.

[0018] Preferably, the drive motor and transmission mechanism are provided in two sets, symmetrically arranged on both sides of the shaft platform, and the output transmission of the two are independently controlled.

[0019] Preferably, the transmission box contains a first gear, a second gear, and a third gear. The first gear is connected to the output end of the drive motor, and the third gear is connected to the collar and the wheel frame. The first gear and the third gear are driven by the meshing of the second gear.

[0020] Preferably, the wheel frame rotates in both directions as driven by the drive motor, and the two wheel frames are controlled by the connected drive motor to perform synchronous or differential drive.

[0021] Preferably, the traveling wheel fitted on the outer wall of the wheel frame is fixedly installed by screws, and the cross-section of the traveling wheel is a trapezoidal structure that is narrow on the outside and wide on the inside;

[0022] The outer layer of the walking wheel is an elastic structure, and the inner layer is a supporting structure.

[0023] The above-mentioned technical solution of the present invention has the following beneficial technical effects: the axle platform serves as the basic frame for installing the drive motor and transmission mechanism. The transmission mechanisms on both sides are controlled by the drive motor. Different power is applied to the wheel frames on both sides to achieve differential drive control. A floating inner support platform is set on the axle platform, which is combined with an elastic pallet mechanism. In different pipe diameter environments, the traveling wheels and pallet can be tightly attached to the pipe wall, effectively solving the problems of slippage and loss of friction during travel. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the pallet mechanism structure of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the separated structure of the shaft platform, inner support platform, and pallet mechanism of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the single-sided drive mechanism of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the transmission box structure of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the first cross-sectional structure of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the second cross-sectional structure of the present invention.

[0031] Figure label:

[0032] 1. Shaft base; 2. Inner support platform; 21. Pin; 31. Spring end seat; 32. Spring component; 33. Spring support; 34. Guide rod; 35. Tray; 36. Rod seat; 4. Drive motor; 51. Transmission box; 52. First gear; 53. Second gear; 54. Third gear; 55. Shaft collar; 56. Bolt rod; 6. Wheel frame; 7. Traveling wheel. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these descriptions are merely exemplary and not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, descriptions of well-known structures and techniques are omitted in the following description to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concept of the invention.

[0034] like Figure 1-7 As shown, the present invention proposes a differential drive assembly that travels in a pipeline, including a shaft platform 1, an inner support platform 2 built into the shaft platform 1, and the shaft platform 1 and the inner support platform 2 are fixed together by a pin 21.

[0035] The pallet mechanism includes a spring end seat 31 installed at the bottom of the pin 21, a spring element 32 installed on the spring end seat 31, a spring support 33 connected to the other end of the spring element 32, a guide rod 34 that penetrates the inner support platform 2 is provided on the outer side of the spring support 33, a pallet 35 is provided above the guide rod 34, and a rod seat 36 that moves along the guide rod 34 is formed at the bottom of the pallet 35.

[0036] The drive motor 4 is set on both sides of the shaft platform 1. The transmission mechanism includes a transmission box 51 installed at the output end of the drive motor 4. The output end of the transmission box 51 is a through structure. One end is provided with a collar 55 that penetrates the shaft hole of the shaft platform 1, and the other end is equipped with a wheel frame 6.

[0037] The wheel frame 6 is fitted with traveling wheels 7.

[0038] It should be noted that: symmetrical shaft holes are provided on the shaft base 1. The drive mechanism is installed through the shaft base 1. The transmission box 51 of the transmission mechanism is fixed on both sides of the shaft base 1. A matching shaft collar 55 is inserted into the shaft hole. The shaft collar 55 rotates along the axis of the shaft hole, realizing the rotation of the shaft collar 55 in the shaft hole within the transmission box 51.

[0039] It should be added that: a bolt 56 passes through the corner of the end face of the transmission box 51 and the shaft platform 1. The transmission box 51 and the shaft platform 1 are combined into a whole structure by the bolt 56. The bolt 56 is used to lock the corner, so that the transmission box 51 is stably installed on the shaft platform 1. The internal collar 55 and shaft hole can rotate normally.

[0040] In this embodiment, the shaft platform 1 serves as the basic frame for mounting the drive motor 4 and the transmission mechanism. The gearbox 51 of the transmission mechanism is controlled by the drive motor 4. The drive motors 4 and the transmission mechanisms on both sides work independently. Different power can be applied to the wheel frames 6 on both sides to achieve differential drive control through independent operation.

[0041] A floating inner support platform 2 is set on the upper part of the shaft platform 1, which is combined with a flexible pallet mechanism. This allows the traveling wheels 7 and the pallet 35 to be tightly attached to the pipe wall in different pipe diameter environments, effectively solving the problems of slippage and loss of friction during travel.

[0042] The drive motor 4 and the transmission mechanism are set in two sets, symmetrically arranged on both sides of the shaft platform 1. The output transmission of the two is independently controlled. The independently set drive motor 4 and transmission mechanism can perform differential speed control of the drive assembly.

[0043] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the inner support platform 2 and the shaft platform 1 are fixed together by two pins 21. The two pins 21 are on the same axis, and there is a gap between the shaft platform 1 and the inner support platform 2. The inner support platform 2 rotates in both directions along the pins 21 within the gap. The inner support platform 2 is floatingly set inside the shaft platform 1. The gap between the two is used for slight adjustment of the inner support platform 2 along the pins 21 to adapt to the bending of the pipeline.

[0044] In order to enable the pallet 35 to move stably along the guide rod 34, two through holes are further provided on the rod seat 36. The through holes are adapted to the specifications of the guide rod 34. The pallet 35 makes a vertical linear displacement along the guide rod 34 through the rod seat 36. One of the rod seats 36 is adjacent to the side travel wheel 7, and its movement is synchronized with the travel wheel 7.

[0045] It is understandable that the spring 32 is a deformation component, and the movement distance of the tray 35 is the same as the deformation range of the spring 32. The spring support 33 is initially in a free state. When the pipe diameter changes, the spring 32 is compressed or reset with the pipe diameter, which drives the tray 35 to adjust its position to ensure that the end face of the tray is tightly attached to the pipe wall.

[0046] As an example of the operation of the transmission box 51: The transmission box 51 contains a first gear 52, a second gear 53 and a third gear 54. The first gear 52 is connected to the output end of the drive motor 4, and the third gear 54 is connected to the collar 55 and the wheel frame 6. The first gear 52 and the third gear 54 are driven by the meshing of the second gear 53. Power is transmitted through multi-stage meshing. The compact structure reduces the space occupied. The transmission box 51 transmits power and is positioned by the collar 55 passing through the shaft hole of the shaft platform 1. It is reinforced by the bolt 56 to ensure the connection strength and stability between the transmission mechanism and the shaft platform 1, and can withstand the vibration and driving torque during pipeline movement.

[0047] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the wheel frame 6 rotates in both directions as driven by the drive motor 4, and the two wheel frames 6 are controlled by the connected drive motor 4 to perform synchronous or differential drive.

[0048] Wheel frame 6 is independently controlled, and there is no mechanical interference in the power transmission between the two;

[0049] When driven synchronously, the drive motors 4 on both sides have the same speed and the same direction, and move forward and backward in the straight tube by reversing forward and reverse.

[0050] When differential drive is used, the drive motors on both sides rotate at different speeds or in different directions, which can be used for turning, adjusting posture, and getting out of trouble.

[0051] To facilitate the installation of the traveling wheels 7 on the wheel frame 6, the traveling wheels 7 fitted onto the outer wall of the wheel frame 6 are further fixedly installed using screws.

[0052] Among them, the cross-section of the walking wheel 7 is a trapezoidal structure that is narrow on the outside and wide on the inside. Its inner wide side is wider and is firmly connected to the wheel frame 6. Its outer wide side is narrower to maximize the contact area with the pipe wall and improve the contact point with the pipe.

[0053] The outer layer of the walking wheel 7 is an elastic structure, which has high contact friction and adaptability when in contact with smooth, rough, or dirty pipe walls. Its inner layer is a support structure, which still has a stable support effect when the outer elastic structure deforms, thus improving the adaptability of the walking wheel 7.

[0054] As an example: when walking in a straight pipe environment, the drive motors 4 on both sides rotate synchronously in the forward direction, and transmit power to drive the shaft ring 55 through the gear set of the transmission box 51. The shaft ring 55 rotates on the shaft platform 1, and the wheel frame 6 drives the walking wheel 7 to roll at a constant speed, so that the walking wheel 7 is in full contact with the pipe wall. The pallet mechanism continuously provides downward pressure to prevent slippage.

[0055] When traveling through a curved pipe environment, the drive motor 4 on one side decelerates while the drive motor 4 on the other side accelerates, and the traveling wheels 7 on both sides generate a speed difference, realizing the turning of the drive assembly along the curved pipe section. During the turning process, the curvature of the inner pipe wall of the curve increases, the pressure on the traveling wheels 7 increases, the tray 35 compresses the spring 32 to drive the traveling wheels 7 to retract, the pressure on the outer side of the curve decreases, and the spring support 33 extends to contact the traveling wheels 7 with the pipe wall. During the turning process, the inner support platform 2 rotates around the pin 21 to relieve the structural torque.

[0056] When passing through a variable-diameter pipe environment, when the local pipe diameter increases, the pressure on the traveling wheel 7 decreases, the spring 32 pushes the tray 35 to float up, causing the traveling wheel 7 to extend outward and re-press the pipe wall;

[0057] When the diameter of the pipe is reduced locally, the traveling wheel 7 is pressurized by the pipe wall, the tray 35 moves down along the guide rod 34, and the spring 33 is compressed and deformed to avoid jamming and maintain reasonable pressure.

[0058] Understandably, when the walking wheel 7 slips, the drive motor 4 can drive the walking wheel 7 on one side to reverse, adjust the direction of the drive assembly, and get out of the slipping position, so that it can move normally and get away from the slipping position.

[0059] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative or explanatory of the principles of the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. Therefore, any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention should be included within the protection scope of the invention. Furthermore, the appended claims are intended to cover all variations and modifications falling within the scope and boundaries of the appended claims, or equivalent forms of such scope and boundaries.

Claims

1. A differential drive assembly that travels within a pipeline, characterized in that, It includes a shaft platform (1), which has an inner support platform (2) built inside it, and the shaft platform (1) and the inner support platform (2) are fixed together by a pin (21); The pallet mechanism includes a spring end seat (31) installed at the bottom of the pin (21), a spring element (32) installed on the spring end seat (31), a spring support (33) connected to the other end of the spring element (32), a guide rod (34) inserted into the inner support platform (2) is provided on the outside of the spring support (33), a pallet (35) is provided above the guide rod (34), and a rod seat (36) movable along the guide rod (34) is formed at the bottom of the pallet (35). The drive motor (4) is located on both sides of the shaft platform (1). The transmission mechanism includes a transmission box (51) installed at the output end of the drive motor (4). The output end of the transmission box (51) is a through structure. One end is provided with a collar (55) that penetrates the shaft hole of the shaft platform (1), and the other end is provided with a wheel frame (6). The wheel frame (6) is fitted with a traveling wheel (7).

2. The differential drive assembly traveling within a pipeline according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shaft platform (1) has symmetrical shaft holes, and a matching shaft collar (55) is inserted into the shaft holes. The shaft collar (55) rotates along the axis of the shaft hole.

3. The differential drive assembly for traveling within a pipeline according to claim 1, characterized in that, A bolt (56) passes through the corner of the end face of the transmission box (51) and the shaft platform (1), and the transmission box (51) and the shaft platform (1) are combined into a whole structure by means of the bolt (56).

4. The differential drive assembly traveling within a pipeline according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner support platform (2) and the shaft platform (1) are fixed together by two pins (21). The two pins (21) are on the same axis. There is a gap between the shaft platform (1) and the inner support platform (2). The inner support platform (2) rotates forward and backward along the pins (21) within the gap.

5. A differential drive assembly for traveling within a pipeline according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rod base (36) has two through holes that are compatible with the specifications of the guide rod (34). The tray (35) moves vertically along the guide rod (34) via the rod base (36).

6. A differential drive assembly traveling within a pipeline according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spring element (32) is a deformable element, the movable distance of the tray (35) is the same as the deformation range of the spring element (32), and the spring support (33) is initially in a free state.

7. A differential drive assembly traveling within a pipeline according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive motor (4) and transmission mechanism are provided in two sets, symmetrically arranged on both sides of the shaft platform (1), and their output transmission is independently controlled.

8. A differential drive assembly traveling within a pipeline according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission box (51) contains a first gear (52), a second gear (53) and a third gear (54). The first gear (52) is connected to the output end of the drive motor (4), and the third gear (54) is connected to the collar (55) and the wheel frame (6). The first gear (52) and the third gear (54) are driven by meshing with the second gear (53).

9. A differential drive assembly for traveling within a pipeline according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wheel frame (6) rotates in both directions as driven by the drive motor (4), and the two wheel frames (6) are controlled by the connected drive motor (4) to perform synchronous or differential drive.

10. A differential drive assembly for traveling within a pipeline according to claim 1, characterized in that, The walking wheel (7) fitted on the outer wall of the wheel frame (6) is fixedly installed by screws, and the cross section of the walking wheel (7) is a trapezoidal structure that is narrow on the outside and wide on the inside; The outer layer of the walking wheel (7) is an elastic structure, and the inner layer is a support structure.

Images