Mechanical arm for radioactive source installation of radioactive logging instrument

Abstract

The invention discloses a mechanical arm for radioactive source installation of a radioactive logging instrument, and relates to the technical field of low-carbon petroleum exploitation, the mechanical arm comprises a positioning base disc and a mechanical arm body fixedly connected to the positioning base disc, the mechanical arm body is rotatably connected with an installation frame, and the installation frame is provided with outlets distributed in the circumferential direction; wherein outlets of one part are in threaded connection with a sealing block to be sealed, outlets of the other part are in threaded connection with a mounting rod, a connecting rod is slidably connected into the mounting rod, communicated cavities are formed in the mounting frame, the mounting rod and the connecting rod, and a slip type gripper is mounted at the outer end of one part of the connecting rod. The mechanical arm can automatically complete all working procedures of unscrewing a hexagon nut, opening a tank cover, clamping a neutron source, putting the neutron source into a bin body, closing the bin cover and tightening the nut, manual intervention and frequent replacement or adjustment of tools are not needed, the operation complexity is reduced, the working efficiency is remarkably improved, and the radiation exposure risk is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of low-carbon oil extraction, and in particular to a robotic arm for installing a radioactive source in a radioactive well logging instrument. Background Technology

[0002] Radioactive logging tools are underground geological exploration equipment used in oil exploration and extraction. By emitting neutron rays into the formation and analyzing the returned signals, they can accurately determine the hydrogen content, porosity, and mineral composition of the rock formation. This allows for efficient identification of oil and gas reservoir distribution, assessment of production capacity, and optimization of well location design, thus contributing to low-carbon extraction. By using accurate data, they can reduce ineffective drilling and resource waste, thereby reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions during the exploration phase.

[0003] During installation, the critical radiation source, the neutron source, must be sealed in a dedicated compartment of the logging instrument. During operation, a long-handled tool with a slip gripper is used to clamp and remove the radiation source from the storage tank, accurately place it into the instrument slot, and lock it in place. Throughout the process, radiation safety and assembly accuracy must be strictly guaranteed to ensure the reliability of the detection data and the stability of long-term operation.

[0004] When installing a neutron source using a radioactive logging tool, a robotic arm can replace manual operation to reduce radiation risks. However, current robotic arms have significant limitations when performing multi-step collaborative operations. They need to sequentially complete complex actions such as opening and closing the tank cover, precisely gripping the neutron source with a slip gripper, placing the source in the designated position in the neutron source chamber, and tightening screws of various sizes. Ordinary robotic arms, due to insufficient degrees of freedom or poor compatibility of end-effectors, cannot achieve seamless transitions between multiple processes, resulting in fragmented operation procedures, limited positioning accuracy, and the need for frequent switching of auxiliary tools. This significantly reduces overall installation efficiency and adds an extra step of manual intervention. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To overcome the shortcomings of traditional robotic arms that cannot work in coordination with each other, this invention provides a robotic arm for installing the radioactive source of a radioactive logging tool.

[0006] A robotic arm for installing a radioactive source in a radioactive logging tool includes a positioning base and a robotic arm body fixed thereon. A mounting frame is rotatably connected to the robotic arm body. The mounting frame has circumferentially distributed outlets. One part of the outlets is sealed by a sealing block threaded connection, and another part of the outlets is threadedly connected to a mounting rod. A connecting rod is slidably connected inside the mounting rod. The mounting frame, mounting rod, and connecting rod all have communicating cavities. A clamp-type gripper is installed at the outer end of one part of the connecting rod for gripping a neutron source, and a lever is installed at the outer end of another part of the connecting rod for opening a cover. A telescopic screw sleeve is fixed to the bottom of the mounting frame for tightening hexagonal bolts. Springs are fixed between adjacent segments of the telescopic screw sleeve.

[0007] Furthermore, an air injection pipe is connected to the mounting bracket, and the air injection pipe is connected to the cavity of the mounting bracket.

[0008] Furthermore, a sealing ring is provided between the mounting rod and the mounting bracket, and a piston ring is fixed to the inner end of the connecting rod.

[0009] Furthermore, the positioning base plate is equipped with a storage tray for placing the removed hexagonal bolts.

[0010] Furthermore, the storage tank and the neutron source chamber are respectively fixed to both sides of the positioning base plate.

[0011] Furthermore, it also includes a motor, which is fixed to the mounting bracket. The output shaft of the motor is fixed to a rotating frame, and a sealing sleeve is fixed to the rotating frame. The sealing sleeve has a round hole.

[0012] Furthermore, the rotating frame is composed of circumferentially distributed rotating rods, with equal angles between adjacent rotating rods.

[0013] Furthermore, it also includes a sealing ring, which is fixed in the round hole of the sealing sleeve to seal the gap between the outer wall of the sealing sleeve and the inner wall of the mounting bracket.

[0014] Furthermore, it also includes a first magnetic ring corresponding to the connecting rod, the first magnetic ring being fixed to the inner end of the corresponding connecting rod, and a second magnetic ring being fixed to the mounting rod and magnetically engaging with the adjacent first magnetic ring.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are: this robotic arm can automatically complete all the processes from loosening the hexagonal nut, opening the canister lid, picking up the neutron source, placing it into the chamber, to closing the canister lid and tightening the nut, without the need for manual intervention and frequent tool replacement or adjustment, thus reducing operational complexity, significantly improving work efficiency, and reducing the risk of radiation exposure.

[0016] This robotic arm's telescopic threaded sleeve features a segmented design, with each segment equipped with a spring. It can selectively extend and retract based on bolt type and size: the bottom segment accommodates internal hexagonal bolts, while the upper segments accommodate external hexagonal bolts, with larger bolt sizes fitting towards the top. By progressively retracting unused segments, the corresponding threaded sleeve size can be precisely accessed, enabling efficient tightening and loosening of various hexagonal bolt specifications, thus improving tool versatility and operational flexibility.

[0017] The inner wall of the sealing ring of this robotic arm is designed as an arched structure that is "high in the middle and lower towards the edge". Under the action of air pressure, the gas first impacts the highest point in the middle, causing the force to concentrate and expand outward preferentially. This enhances the tightness of the seal between the sealing ring and the inner wall of the mounting frame, forming a self-tightening effect of "the greater the pressure, the tighter the seal". This effectively prevents gas from leaking from the gap between the sealing sleeve and the mounting frame, ensuring the stable operation of the pneumatic system.

[0018] This robotic arm uses a motor-driven rotating frame to rotate a sealing sleeve, controlling its circular hole to align with the desired tool (such as a clamp gripper or lever). Compressed gas is then introduced only into the connecting rod cavity of the target tool, allowing a single tool to extend independently while other unused tools remain retracted. This design avoids the space-consuming problems caused by the simultaneous extension of all components in traditional pneumatic systems, significantly reducing operational interference and improving adaptability and safety in confined spaces.

[0019] When the telescopic screw sleeve rotates, the robotic arm uses a first magnetic ring and a second magnetic ring between the connecting rod and the mounting rod to fix the connecting rod in place using magnetic attraction. This effectively suppresses uninstructed elongation caused by centrifugal force, ensuring stable and reliable rotation, reducing the risk of collision with the robotic arm body, and avoiding equipment damage or operational malfunctions. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the mounting bracket, mounting rod, and connecting rod of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the mounting rod, connecting rod, and clamp-type gripper of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the telescopic screw sleeve and spring of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the mounting bracket, motor, rotating frame, and sealing sleeve of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the motor, rotating frame, and sealing sleeve of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the mounting bracket, sealing sleeve, and sealing ring of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the sealing ring of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the mounting rod, connecting rod, first magnetic ring, and second magnetic ring of the present invention.

[0029] In the attached diagram, the following labels are used: 1-positioning base plate, 101-storage plate, 102-storage tank, 103-neutron source chamber, 2-robotic arm body, 3-mounting frame, 301-gas injection pipe, 4-mounting rod, 401-sealing ring, 5-connecting rod, 501-piston ring, 6-clamp gripper, 7-handle, 8-sealing block, 9-telescopic screw sleeve, 10-spring, 11-motor, 12-rotating frame, 13-sealing sleeve, 14-sealing ring, 15-first magnetic ring, 16-second magnetic ring. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The following description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] Example 1: A robotic arm for installing a radioactive source in a radioactive well logging tool, such as... Figures 1-4 As shown, the device includes a positioning base plate 1 and a robotic arm body 2 fixed to it. A storage tray 101 is provided on the front side of the positioning base plate 1 for placing the removed hexagonal bolts. A storage tank 102 and a neutron source chamber 103 are respectively fixed to the two sides of the positioning base plate 1. A mounting frame 3 is rotatably connected to the robotic arm body 2. A gas injection pipe 301 is connected to the mounting frame 3 and is connected to an external pneumatic control system. The mounting frame 3 has circumferentially distributed outlets around its perimeter. The outlets on the left and right sides are threadedly connected to mounting rods 4. The remaining outlets are sealed by threaded connection of sealing block 8. A sealing ring 401 is provided between mounting rod 4 and mounting frame 3 to prevent gas from escaping through the connection between mounting frame 3 and mounting rod 4, thereby improving the overall airtightness of the robotic arm. A connecting rod 5 is slidably connected inside mounting rod 4. The mounting frame 3, mounting rod 4 and connecting rod 5 are all provided with communicating cavities. Air injection pipe 301 communicates with the cavity of mounting frame 3. A piston ring 501 is fixed to the inner end of connecting rod 5. Connecting rod 5 with piston ring 501 cooperates with adjacent mounting rod 4. The cylinder piston structure is formed. When subjected to air pressure, the connecting rod 5 can extend outward along the mounting rod 4. The outer end of the right connecting rod 5 is equipped with a slip-type gripper 6, which is used to grip the neutron source. The outer end of the left connecting rod 5 is equipped with a lever 7, which is used to open the cover. Unscrewing the sealing block 8 can open the other outlets of the mounting bracket 3, thereby connecting the mounting rod 4 via threads. Other tools, such as slip-type grippers 6 or levers 7, can then be installed on the connecting rod 5. A telescopic sleeve is fixed to the bottom of the mounting bracket 3. 9. It is used to tighten hexagonal bolts. Each adjacent section of the telescopic sleeve 9 is fixed with a spring 10. The bottom telescopic joint of the telescopic sleeve 9 is used to tighten internal hexagonal bolts, and the other telescopic joints of the sleeve 9 are used to tighten external hexagonal bolts. The higher up the sleeve 9, the larger the size of the bolts that can be tightened. For example, when it is necessary to tighten the largest external hexagonal bolt, all the other telescopic joints are retracted one by one, and the springs 10 are also compressed one by one. Then the top section of the sleeve 9 can be used to tighten the largest external hexagonal bolt.

[0032] The robotic arm is used as follows: Start the robotic arm body 2. First, control the telescopic screw sleeve 9 to insert into the hexagonal nut on the cover of the storage tank 102 via the mounting bracket 3. Then, control the telescopic screw sleeve 9 to rotate, thereby loosening the hexagonal nut. Next, control the lever 7 to open the tank cover of the storage tank 102. Then, control the slip gripper 6 to reach into the storage tank 102 to clamp and remove the neutron source. Then, move it above the neutron source chamber 103. Next, control the telescopic screw sleeve 9 to rotate and loosen the hexagonal nut on the neutron source chamber 103. Then, control the lever 7 to open the chamber cover of the neutron source chamber 103. Then, control the slip gripper 6 to release the neutron source and put it into the neutron source chamber 103. Then, control the lever 7 to close the chamber cover of the neutron source chamber 103 and the cover of the storage tank 102 in sequence. Finally, control the telescopic screw sleeve 9 to reverse, thereby tightening the hexagonal nuts on the chamber cover of the neutron source chamber 103 and the cover of the storage tank 102 in sequence.

[0033] In the above process, the extension and retraction of the clamp-type gripper 6, lever 7, or other tools, as well as the gripping action of the clamp-type gripper 6, are achieved through the following pneumatic method: gas is injected into the cavity of the mounting frame 3 through the gas injection pipe 301, and then the gas enters the cavity of the mounting rod 4 and then the cavity of the connecting rod 5. After the cavity of the connecting rod 5 is filled with gas, the connecting rod 5 is pushed outward along the mounting rod 4 by the air pressure and extends. The clamp-type gripper 6 is opened by the air pressure. After the clamp-type gripper 6 is positioned with the neutron source, the gas in the cavity of the mounting frame 3 is extracted through the gas injection pipe 301, so that the clamp-type gripper 6 clamps the neutron source. The connecting rod 5 is slid inward along the mounting rod 4 under the negative pressure adsorption, so that the mounting frame 3 has enough space to drive the components on it to operate.

[0034] Example 2: Based on Example 1, such as Figures 5-8 As shown, it also includes a motor 11, which is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket 3. The output shaft of the motor 11 is fixedly connected to a rotating frame 12, which consists of six circumferentially distributed rotating rods. The angle between adjacent rotating rods is equal, all being 60 degrees. A sealing sleeve 13 is fixedly connected between the outer ends of each rotating rod of the rotating frame 12. A circular hole is opened on the sealing sleeve 13. When the circular hole is turned to any outlet of the mounting bracket 3, the gas in the mounting bracket 3 enters the mounting rod 4 of the corresponding outlet only through the circular hole. A sealing ring 14 is fixedly connected inside the circular hole of the sealing sleeve 13. It is used to seal the gap between the outer wall of the sealing sleeve 13 and the inner wall of the mounting bracket 3, preventing the gas from escaping through the gap between the outer wall of the sealing sleeve 13 and the inner wall of the mounting bracket 3. When the gas passes through the inside of the sealing ring 14 with a certain pressure, the gas applies pressure to the inner wall of the sealing ring 14 outward. The sealing ring 14 is subjected to air pressure and exhibits an outward expansion effect. Figure 6As shown, the inner wall of the sealing ring 14 is designed with a "high in the middle and low towards the edge" structure, which causes the gas to impact and concentrate at the highest point in the middle first. This area is subjected to the greatest force and is easy to deform first. In this way, the outer wall of the sealing sleeve 13 fits more tightly with the inner wall of the mounting bracket 3, thereby improving the sealing effect.

[0035] During the pneumatic extension process described above, since the gas is evenly distributed into each outlet of the mounting frame 3, all the levers 7, the slip grippers 6, and other tools on it extend equally regardless of whether they are used or not, thus occupying a large amount of space. When space is limited, it is easy to cause inconvenience in operation. Therefore, it is necessary to control that only when levers 7, slip grippers 6, or other tools are used will that tool extend outward, while other tools remain in a retracted state. The specific operation is as follows: Start the motor 11, and the output shaft of the motor 11 drives the rotating frame 12 to rotate, thereby driving the sealing sleeve 13 to rotate, so that the round hole on the sealing sleeve 13 is aligned with the tool to be used. The air injected into the cavity of the mounting frame 3 through the air injection pipe 301 enters the cavity of the connecting rod 5 connected to the tool to be used through the round hole, so that the tool extends outward alone.

[0036] like Figure 9 As shown, it also includes a first magnetic ring 15 corresponding to the connecting rod 5. The first magnetic ring 15 is fixed to the inner end of the corresponding connecting rod 5. A second magnetic ring 16 is fixed inside the mounting rod 4. The second magnetic ring 16 and the adjacent first magnetic ring 15 are magnetically attracted to each other.

[0037] When the telescopic sleeve 9 is rotated to unscrew the hexagonal nut, the mounting bracket 3 will drive the tools on it to rotate. The connecting rod 5 may automatically slide outward along the mounting rod 4 under the action of centrifugal force, which may hit the robot arm body 2. To this end, the present invention uses the first magnetic ring 15 and the second magnetic ring 16 to magnetically attract each other to fix the connecting rod 5 in a basic way, so as to avoid it being affected by centrifugal force.

[0038] 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 variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A robotic arm for installing a radioactive source in a radioactive logging tool, comprising a positioning base plate (1) and a robotic arm body (2) fixed thereon, characterized in that: The robotic arm body (2) is rotatably connected to a mounting frame (3). The mounting frame (3) has circumferentially distributed outlets. One part of the outlets is sealed by a sealing block (8) threaded connection. The other part of the outlets is threaded to a mounting rod (4). A connecting rod (5) is slidably connected inside the mounting rod (4). The mounting frame (3), the mounting rod (4) and the connecting rod (5) are all provided with communicating cavities. One part of the connecting rod (5) has a clamp-type gripper (6) installed at the outer end, which is used to grip the neutron source. The other part of the connecting rod (5) has a lever (7) installed at the outer end, which is used to open the cover. The bottom of the mounting frame (3) is fixedly connected to a telescopic screw sleeve (9), which is used to tighten hexagonal bolts. Springs (10) are fixedly connected between adjacent segments of the telescopic screw sleeve (9).

2. The robotic arm for installing a radioactive source in a radioactive logging tool as described in claim 1, characterized in that: An air injection pipe (301) is connected to the mounting bracket (3), and the air injection pipe (301) is connected to the cavity of the mounting bracket (3).

3. The robotic arm for installing the radioactive source in a radioactive logging tool as described in claim 2, characterized in that: A sealing ring (401) is provided between the mounting rod (4) and the mounting bracket (3), and a piston ring (501) is fixed to the inner end of the connecting rod (5).

4. The robotic arm for installing a radioactive source in a radioactive logging tool as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The positioning base plate (1) is provided with a storage tray (101) for placing the removed hexagonal bolts.

5. The robotic arm for installing a radioactive source in a radioactive logging tool as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The storage tank (102) and the neutron source chamber (103) are respectively fixed to both sides of the positioning base plate (1).

6. The robotic arm for installing a radioactive source in a radioactive logging tool as described in claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes a motor (11), which is fixed to the mounting bracket (3). The output shaft of the motor (11) is fixed to a rotating bracket (12), and the rotating bracket (12) is fixed to a sealing sleeve (13). The sealing sleeve (13) has a round hole.

7. The robotic arm for installing a radioactive source in a radioactive logging tool as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The rotating frame (12) is composed of circumferentially distributed rotating rods, with equal angles between adjacent rotating rods.

8. The robotic arm for installing a radioactive source in a radioactive logging tool as described in claim 7, characterized in that: It also includes a sealing ring (14), which is fixed in the round hole of the sealing sleeve (13) to seal the gap between the outer wall of the sealing sleeve (13) and the inner wall of the mounting bracket (3).

9. The robotic arm for installing a radioactive source in a radioactive logging tool as described in claim 8, characterized in that: It also includes a first magnetic ring (15) corresponding to the connecting rod (5), the first magnetic ring (15) is fixed to the inner end of the corresponding connecting rod (5), and the mounting rod (4) is fixed to a second magnetic ring (16) that magnetically engages with the adjacent first magnetic ring (15).

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