Self-adaptive pipeline inspection foreign matter grabbing robot

Abstract

The invention discloses a self-adaptive pipeline inspection foreign matter grabbing robot, and belongs to the technical field of pipeline robots. The pipeline robot solves the problems that an existing pipeline robot cannot be suitable for pipelines with smaller diameters while having grabbing and visual observation functions and cannot stably work under the condition that the pipeline robot passes through irregular wall surfaces in the pipelines. The robot comprises a robot body, a grabbing mechanism and a first detection and recognition module, self-adaptive adjustment of the distance between the front end and the rear end of a walking wheel set and a cabin is achieved through two sets of connecting rod assemblies correspondingly, advancing, retreating and / or turning actions of the robot are achieved through the walking wheel set, and when a flexible cylindrical clamping jaw is in an initial storage state, the grabbing mechanism is driven by the first detection and recognition module. One end of the flexible cylindrical clamping jaw is located at the bottom end of the inner supporting barrel, and the inner wall of the end of the flexible cylindrical clamping jaw is fixedly connected with the ball nut. The robot is used for routing inspection and foreign matter grabbing in the pipeline.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The application relates to a self-adaptive pipeline inspection foreign matter grabbing robot and belongs to the technical field of pipeline robots. BACKGROUND

[0002] Small-diameter pipelines (usually less than 200 mm in inner diameter) have long lacked efficient and reliable detection and maintenance means due to the narrow space. In recent years, commercialized products represented by the X5-HM100 small-diameter pipeline detection robot designed and manufactured by China Instrument Corporation have realized real-time image transmission inside the pipeline by lowering the minimum applicable pipe diameter to 100 mm, but their functions are limited to "visual observation" and cannot grab and clean common foreign matters such as bolts, debris and silt in the pipeline, which is single in function and difficult to meet the actual operation and maintenance requirements.

[0003] In order to balance the two core functions of "grabbing" and "visual observation", the prior art also has such a pipeline robot that can realize the functions of grabbing and visual observation, and can also realize the function of self-adapting to the pipe diameter. However, firstly, the grabbing function is generally realized by a motor controlling a jaw structure to grab the foreign matter in the pipeline, but the jaw is easy to cause damage to the inner wall of the pipeline during the opening and grabbing action, and the overall size of the jaw and the driving structure driving the jaw action is large, and the self-weight is also large, which will affect the overall quality and volume of the pipeline robot, and further cause the pipeline robot to be unable to adapt to the application of small-diameter pipelines. Secondly, the self-adaptive pipe diameter function is generally realized by a connecting rod mechanism and a screw nut structure, and this kind of structure needs to actively control the deformation of the connecting rod mechanism, and this kind of active control generally needs a driving structure to realize, which also affects the overall quality and volume of the robot, and further causes the pipeline robot to be unable to adapt to the application of small-diameter pipelines.

[0004] In addition, because there are welds inside the pipeline, when passing through the weld position, especially when vertically passing through the internal weld of the vertical pipeline, the walking mechanism in the existing self-adaptive pipeline robot can only realize the action of approaching or moving away from the center position of the robot as a whole, and cannot adaptively change the distance between one end and the center position of the robot according to the position of the foreign matter in the pipeline, which causes the friction between the robot and the inner wall of the pipeline to decrease when vertically passing through the internal pipeline, and the robot cannot move stably, which greatly limits its application in complex pipeline environments.

[0005] Therefore, a new type of self-adaptive pipeline inspection foreign matter grabbing robot is needed, which can balance the functions of grabbing and visual observation, and at the same time can ensure that its overall quality and volume can be applied to smaller-diameter pipelines, and can also work stably under the condition of passing through irregular wall surfaces in the pipeline. SUMMARY

[0006] The application provides a self-adaptive pipeline inspection foreign matter grabbing robot.

[0007] The application adopts the technical scheme that: The self-adaptive pipeline inspection foreign matter grabbing robot comprises a robot main body, a grabbing mechanism and a first detection and identification module. The robot main body comprises a cabin body and at least three walking assemblies distributed in a circumferential direction outside the cabin body. Each walking assembly comprises a walking wheel set, a mounting rod and two groups of connecting rod assemblies connecting the walking wheel set and the mounting rod. The mounting rod is fixed to the cabin body. The walking wheel set is adapted to realize the forward movement, backward movement and / or turning action of the robot. The first detection and identification module is installed outside the cabin body. The first detection and identification module is connected with the walking wheel set and the grabbing mechanism through signals. The grabbing mechanism comprises a fixed base, an outer rotating cylinder, an inner supporting barrel, a flexible cylindrical clamping jaw and a ball nut assembly. The fixed base is fixedly connected with the cabin body. The outer rotating cylinder is installed at one end of the fixed base. The inner supporting barrel is coaxially fixedly arranged in the outer rotating cylinder. The screw rod of the ball nut assembly is fixedly arranged between the inner supporting barrel and the fixed base. The screw rod is arranged in the inner supporting barrel. The cylindrical body of the flexible cylindrical clamping jaw is made of flexible material and is in an inflatable structure. The flexible cylindrical clamping jaw is coaxially arranged between the screw rod and the inner supporting barrel. When the flexible cylindrical clamping jaw is in an initial storage state, one end of the flexible cylindrical clamping jaw is located at the bottom end of the inner supporting barrel, and the inner wall of the one end of the flexible cylindrical clamping jaw is fixedly connected with the ball nut.

[0008] Further, the outer rotating cylinder comprises a straight pipe section and a bent pipe section which are integrally connected. One end of the straight pipe section is coaxially rotationally connected with the fixed base through a driving assembly. The inner supporting barrel is located in the straight pipe section.

[0009] Further, each group of connecting rod assemblies comprises a mounting seat axially slidingly arranged on the mounting rod and two parallel arranged y-shaped connecting rod mechanisms. The y-shaped connecting rod mechanism comprises a first connecting rod and a second connecting rod arranged in a y shape. One end of the first connecting rod is rotationally connected with the middle part of the second connecting rod. One end of the second connecting rod is rotationally connected with the walking wheel set. The other end of the first connecting rod is rotationally connected with the cabin body. The other end of the second connecting rod is rotationally connected with the mounting seat. A spring is further sleeved on the mounting rod. The deformation of the spring enables the two groups of connecting rod assemblies to have the functions of active unfolding and passive folding.

[0010] Further, the spring is arranged on the mounting rod between the two mounting seats.

[0011] Further, the number of springs is two, which are arranged on the mounting rods between the other ends of the first links in the two sets of link assemblies and the mounting base.

[0012] Further, the cabin includes a main cavity, a first flange and a second flange, wherein the main cavity is a cylindrical structure, the grabbing mechanism is located inside the main cavity, the first flange is an annular flange and is sleeved on the front end of the main cavity, the second flange is fixed on the rear end of the main cavity, the mounting rod is fixed between the first flange and the second flange, the other ends of the two first links in one set of link assemblies are rotatably mounted on the first flange, and the other ends of the two first links in the other set of link assemblies are rotatably mounted on the second flange.

[0013] Further, the walking wheel set includes a support frame, a driving mechanism and two sets of track wheels, wherein the driving mechanism is mounted on the support frame, the two sets of link assemblies are rotatably connected with the support frame, and the two sets of track wheels are arranged in parallel and controlled to move by the driving mechanism.

[0014] Further, the number of robot bodies is two, and the two robot bodies are connected by a hose.

[0015] Further, the grabbing mechanism is arranged in the front robot body, and the IMU is arranged in the cabin of the rear robot body.

[0016] Further, the first detection and recognition module is arranged outside the cabin of the front robot body, and the second detection and recognition module is arranged outside the cabin of the rear robot body.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present application has the following effects: The flexible cylindrical jaw wall surface relies on the friction force to grab the to-be-grabbed object into the flexible cylindrical jaw. The grabbing action is similar to the wrapping swallowing action, and can be suitable for grabbing various to-be-grabbed objects.

[0018] The two sets of link assemblies enable the robot to have a passive variable-diameter function, so that the robot can adapt to the diameter change of the inner wall of the pipeline, and ensure that the robot can work stably even if there is an irregular wall surface in the pipeline, for example, one of the walking wheel sets can still pass through normally when contacting a collapsed part or a weld of the pipeline.

[0019] The grabbing mechanism and the first detection and recognition module are arranged, so that the robot has visual and grabbing capabilities, and can work efficiently in a single task.

[0020] The robot has a small size, and can efficiently complete the inspection and cleaning tasks in narrow horizontal pipelines, vertical pipelines, curved pipelines and pipelines with uneven inner walls. Compared with the existing pipeline robots, the adaptability is stronger.

[0021] The robot body adopts a modular design, is convenient for maintenance and function expansion, and can be connected with each other according to the actual situation of the pipeline during use.

[0022] The application can be applied to the fields of mechanical engineering and hydroelectric engineering, and is applied to the maintenance, repair and cleaning tasks of basic pipeline facilities and special environment pipeline facilities. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a self-adaptive pipeline inspection foreign matter grabbing robot of the application (the main cavity in the robot body in which the grabbing mechanism is installed is not shown when the number of robot bodies is two); Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the internal state of a self-adaptive pipeline inspection foreign matter grabbing robot of the application in a pipeline with the minimum pipe diameter applicable to the robot; Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the internal state of a self-adaptive pipeline inspection foreign matter grabbing robot of the application in a pipeline with the maximum pipe diameter applicable to the robot; Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the state of a self-adaptive pipeline inspection foreign matter grabbing robot of the application before passing through a weld in a pipeline; Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the state of a self-adaptive pipeline inspection foreign matter grabbing robot of the application when one end of the walking wheel set passes through a weld in a pipeline; Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the state of a self-adaptive pipeline inspection foreign matter grabbing robot of the application when the other end of the walking wheel set passes through a weld in a pipeline; Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a cabin body; Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a walking assembly installed on a cabin body (only one walking assembly is shown); Figure 9 It is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional cross-section of a grabbing mechanism (when a flexible cylindrical clamping jaw is in an initial storage state); Figure 10 It is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional cross-section of a grabbing mechanism (when a flexible cylindrical clamping jaw is in a grabbing state); Figure 11 It is a schematic diagram of the grabbing principle of a grabbing mechanism (when a flexible cylindrical clamping jaw is in an initial storage state, the arrow direction in the flexible cylindrical clamping jaw in the figure is a schematic diagram of the movement direction of the inner cylinder wall); Figure 12 It is a schematic diagram of the grabbing principle of a grabbing mechanism (a schematic diagram of the state of a flexible cylindrical clamping jaw during the change from an initial storage state to a grabbing state, the arrow direction in the flexible cylindrical clamping jaw in the figure is a schematic diagram of the movement direction of the inner cylinder wall).

[0024] In the picture: 1. Robot body; 11. Cabin; 111. Main cavity; 112. First flange; 113. Second flange; 12. Walking assembly; 121. Walking wheel set; 121-1. Support frame; 121-2. Drive mechanism; 121-3. Track wheel; 122. Mounting rod; 123. Link assembly; 123-1. Mounting seat; 123-2. First link; 123-3. Second link; 123-4. Crossbeam; 2. Grasping Mechanism; 21. Fixed base; 22. Outer rotating cylinder; 23. Inner support cylinder; 24. Flexible cylindrical gripper; 25-1. Lead screw motor; 25-2. Lead screw; 25-3. Ball nut; 26. Thrust roller bearing; 27. Rotary motor; 28. Drive gear; 29. ​​Driven gear; 3. First detection and identification module; 4. Hoses; 5. Second detection and identification module; 6. First limiting protrusion; 7. Second limiting protrusion; 8. Limiting retaining ring. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Specific implementation method one: Combining Figures 1-12 This description of embodiments provides a clear and complete description of the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] It should be noted that the descriptions of "front," "rear," "left," "right," "inner," "outer," "left side," "right side," "upper part," "lower part," "top," and "bottom" in this invention are defined based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are merely for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the described structure must be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0027] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0028] An adaptive pipeline inspection foreign object grasping robot includes a robot body 1, a grasping mechanism 2, and a first detection and recognition module 3, wherein... The robot body 1 includes a cabin 11 and at least three walking components 12 distributed circumferentially on the outside of the cabin 11. Each of the aforementioned walking components 12 includes a walking wheel set 121, a mounting rod 122, and two sets of linkage assemblies 123 connecting the walking wheel set 121 and the mounting rod 122. The mounting rod 122 is fixed to the cabin 11. The two sets of linkage assemblies 123 respectively realize the adaptive adjustment of the distance between the front and rear ends of the walking wheel set 121 and the cabin 11. The walking wheel set 121 realizes the robot's forward, backward, and / or turning movements. The first detection and identification module 3 is installed outside the cabin 11, and the first detection and identification module 3 is connected to the walking wheel set 121 and the gripping mechanism 2 via signals. The gripping mechanism 2 includes a fixed base 21, an outer rotating cylinder 22, an inner support cylinder 23, a flexible cylindrical gripper 24, and a lead screw and nut assembly. The fixed base 21 is fixedly connected to the cabin 11. The outer rotating cylinder 22 is installed at one end of the fixed base 21. The inner support cylinder 23 is coaxially fixed inside the outer rotating cylinder 22. The lead screw motor 25-1 of the lead screw and nut assembly is fixed between the inner support cylinder 23 and the fixed base 21. The lead screw 25-2 is inserted inside the inner support cylinder 23. The flexible cylindrical gripper 24 has a flexible material and an inflatable structure. The flexible cylindrical gripper 24 is coaxially inserted between the lead screw 25-2 and the inner support cylinder 23. When the flexible cylindrical gripper 24 is in its initial retracted state, one end of the flexible cylindrical gripper 24 is located at the bottom of the inner support cylinder 23, and the inner wall of one end is fixedly connected to the ball nut 25-3.

[0029] The flexible cylindrical gripper 24 has an inflatable structure. Specifically, the cylindrical body includes inner and outer cylindrical walls, with the upper and lower ends of the inner and outer cylindrical walls integrally sealed together, forming a sealed air cavity between the inner and outer cylindrical walls. The flexible cylindrical gripper 24 is preferably made of rubber, which has a certain frictional force for easy gripping. When the flexible cylindrical gripper 24 is in its initial retracted state, one end of the flexible cylindrical gripper 24 is located at the bottom of the inner support barrel 23 and its inner wall is fixed to the ball nut 25-3. The flexible cylindrical gripper 24 is located entirely or mostly inside the inner support barrel 23. When a gripping action is required, the lead screw motor 25-1 is activated, driving the lead screw 25-2 to rotate. The ball nut 25-3 moves along the axial direction of the lead screw 25-2 toward the opening of the inner support barrel 23. During the movement of the ball nut 25-3, one end of the flexible cylindrical gripper 24 is driven to retract inward and the other end is driven to fold outward. As the ball nut 25-3 moves, the outer cylindrical wall of the flexible cylindrical gripper 24 in its initial retracted state gradually retracts inward to form the inner cylindrical wall and the other end gradually folds outward to form the outer cylindrical wall. When the other end of the flexible cylindrical gripper 24 extends out of the outer rotating cylinder 22, it performs a gripping action. After the other end of the flexible cylindrical gripper 24 contacts the object to be gripped, the lead screw motor 25-1 actuates, controlling the ball nut 25-3 to move towards the bottom of the inner support cylinder 23. This, in turn, causes the other end of the flexible cylindrical gripper 24 to retract inward. Relying on the friction of the wall of the flexible cylindrical gripper 24, the object to be gripped is grasped into the flexible cylindrical gripper 24, completing the gripping action. Its gripping action is similar to a swallowing action and can be applied to gripping various objects.

[0030] The principle of crawling is as follows Figures 11-12 As shown in the figure, the dashed line represents the imaginary contact surface in the area without the inner support barrel 23. When the flexible cylindrical gripper 24 moves with the ball nut 25-3, the inner wall of the inner support barrel 23 and the outer wall of the flexible cylindrical gripper 24 remain in contact. Since half of the inner wall that is pushed forward by the ball nut 25-3 during the extension process is used to flip outward, the actual effective extension distance is 1 / 2 of the movement distance of the ball nut 25-3. Therefore, in the extreme state, the farthest distance that the flexible cylindrical gripper 24 can maintain flexible unsupported extension is 1 / 2 of the total stroke of the ball nut 25-3. To ensure that the flexible cylindrical gripper 24 can extend along the curved section of the outer rotating barrel 22, it is only necessary to make the stroke of the lead screw 25-2 and the length of the flexible cylindrical gripper 24 at least twice the center arc length of the curved section to complete the predetermined task, so that the flexible cylindrical gripper 24 will not be unable to extend part of the outer rotating barrel 22.

[0031] The outer side of the inner support barrel 23 is machined with a first limiting protrusion 6 along its circumference, and the inner wall of the outer rotating barrel 22 is machined with a second limiting protrusion 7 along its circumference. The first limiting protrusion 6 and the second limiting protrusion 7 are arranged axially offset and a limiting retaining ring 8 is arranged between them. The radial support of the inner support barrel 23 is achieved through the first limiting protrusion 6, the second limiting protrusion 7 and the limiting retaining ring 8.

[0032] The number of robot bodies 1 is not limited to one, two or more. When the number of robot bodies 1 is two or more, each pair of adjacent robot bodies 1 is connected by a flexible connection, such as a hinge or a universal joint.

[0033] The number of walking components 12 is preferably three. At least three walking components 12 are evenly distributed along the circumference of the robot body 1 to further ensure the stability of robot walking.

[0034] The central axis of the mounting rod 122 is preferably arranged parallel to the central axis of the cabin 11.

[0035] Two sets of linkage assemblies 123 are used to adaptively adjust the distance between the front and rear ends of the walking wheel assembly 121 and the cabin 11. Specifically, one set of linkage assemblies 123 is used to adaptively adjust the distance between the front end of the walking wheel assembly 121 and the cabin 11, while the other set of linkage assemblies 123 is used to adaptively adjust the distance between the rear end of the walking wheel assembly 121 and the cabin 11. These two sets of linkage assemblies 123 enable the robot to have a passive diameter-changing function, allowing it to adapt to changes in the diameter of the pipe's inner wall. This ensures stable operation even when there are irregular wall surfaces within the pipe; for example, the robot can still pass normally even if one of the walking wheel assemblies 121 comes into contact with a collapsed section or weld seam of the pipe.

[0036] By setting up the grasping mechanism 2 and the first detection and recognition module 3, the robot of the present invention has both vision and grasping capabilities, enabling it to work efficiently in a single task.

[0037] The robot of this invention is small in size and can efficiently complete inspection and cleaning tasks in narrow horizontal pipes, vertical pipes, curved pipes and pipes with uneven inner walls. Compared with existing pipe robots, it is more adaptable.

[0038] The adaptive pipeline inspection foreign object grasping robot of the present invention is designed to be suitable for pipe diameters of less than 160mm, which falls within the small pipe diameter range.

[0039] By installing the first detection and identification module 3 on the outside of the cabin 11, high-precision detection of damage to the inner wall of the pipeline and identification of foreign objects can be achieved.

[0040] The robot body 1 adopts a modular design, which facilitates maintenance and functional expansion. When in use, one robot body 1 or multiple robot bodies 1 can be selected and connected to each other according to the actual situation of the pipeline.

[0041] The first detection and identification module 3 is preferably installed at the front of the cabin 11. The front and rear directions in this invention are defined based on the robot's forward direction.

[0042] The first detection and recognition module 3 can be a monocular camera or a binocular camera.

[0043] The robot of this invention has a dustproof and waterproof rating of IP68 or higher, a linear speed of ≥0.05m / s, a foreign object grasping capacity of ≤500g, and the ability to climb vertical pipes with load.

[0044] This invention can be applied to fields such as mechanical engineering and hydropower engineering, and can be used in the maintenance, repair and cleaning of basic pipeline facilities and pipeline facilities in special environments.

[0045] The outer rotating cylinder 22 comprises an integrally connected straight pipe section and a curved pipe section. One end of the straight pipe section is coaxially rotatably connected to the fixed base 21 via a drive assembly, and the inner support cylinder 23 is located inside the straight pipe section. This design uses the curved pipe section as a guide frame, combined with the drive assembly to drive the outer rotating cylinder 22 to rotate, enabling flexible positioning and gripping of foreign objects inside the pipe. Compared to existing technologies, this design is more suitable for narrow pipe environments and for gripping foreign objects that may be attached to the pipe sidewall. A thrust roller bearing 26 is installed between the outer rotating cylinder 22 and the fixed base 21 to axially position the outer rotating cylinder 22 and provide it with axial rotational freedom. The drive assembly includes a rotary motor 27 and an internal meshing gear set. The driving gear 28 of the internal meshing gear set is installed at the output end of the rotary motor 27, and meshing teeth are machined circumferentially on the inner wall of the outer rotating cylinder 22 as the driven gear 29 of the internal meshing gear set. The rotary motor 27 is fixedly mounted on the fixed base 21. Its output rotational motion is transmitted to the outer rotating cylinder 22 via the internal meshing gear set, so that the rotating cylinder can rotate in a controllable manner along the axis of rotation, so as to adjust the gripping direction and locate and move foreign objects during the task.

[0046] Each linkage assembly 123 includes a mounting base 123-1 axially slidably mounted on a mounting rod 122 and two parallel Y-shaped linkage mechanisms. Each Y-shaped linkage mechanism includes a first link 123-2 and a second link 123-3 arranged in a Y-shape. One end of the first link 123-2 is rotatably connected to the middle of the second link 123-3, and one end of the second link 123-3 is rotatably connected to the walking wheel assembly 121. The other end of the first link 123-2 is rotatably connected to the cabin 11, and the other end of the second link 123-3 is rotatably connected to the mounting base 123-1. A spring is also fitted on the mounting rod 122. The deformation of the spring enables both linkage assemblies 123 to have both active unfolding and passive folding functions. This design allows the linkage assembly 123 to have passive folding characteristics due to the deformation of the spring, thus enabling the robot body 1 to adapt to changes in the diameter of the pipe's inner wall without the need for a drive structure. By incorporating springs, the robot can be easily deployed at the pipe opening before entering the pipe. Simultaneously, the tension or contraction force of the springs provides positive pressure between the walking wheel assembly 121 and the pipe wall after the robot enters the pipe, ensuring sufficient friction for movement within the vertical pipe. Whether the spring's tension or contraction force is utilized depends on its position on the mounting rod 122. For example, when the spring is positioned on the mounting rod 122 between the two mounting seats 123-1, the spring's tension is utilized; when the spring is positioned on the mounting rod 122 between the other end of the first connecting rod 123-2 and the mounting seat 123-1, the spring's contraction force is utilized.

[0047] The mounting base 123-1 has a T-shaped structure, and the other ends of the two second connecting rods 123-3 are rotatably connected to the two wings of the T-shaped mounting base 123-1, respectively. The two Y-shaped connecting rod mechanisms in each connecting rod assembly 123 are preferably connected by a crossbeam 123-4. The central axis of the crossbeam 123-4 is coaxially arranged with the rotation center between one end of the first connecting rod 123-2 and the middle of the second connecting rod 123-3. The crossbeam 123-4 further ensures the synchronous operation of the two Y-shaped connecting rod mechanisms.

[0048] A spring is mounted on the mounting rod 122 between the two mounting seats 123-1. This design allows for the simultaneous active deployment and passive folding of both sets of linkage assemblies 123 using a single spring. Specifically, before the robot enters the pipe, the spring tension pushes the two mounting seats 123-1 at both ends to move in opposite directions along the mounting rod 122, achieving active deployment of the linkage assembly 123. At this time, the robot is at its maximum outer diameter, meaning the walking wheel assembly 121 is at its farthest distance from the cabin 11. When the robot is inside the pipe, the walking assembly 12 is compressed by the pipe's inner wall, causing the linkage assembly 123 to be in a passive folded state. At this time, the two mounting seats 123-1 move relative to each other along the mounting rod 122, compressing the spring. The spring tension then allows the robot to adaptively adjust its outer diameter according to the pipe's inner diameter.

[0049] Two springs are installed on the mounting rod 122 between the other end of the first link 123-2 and the mounting seat 123-1 in the two sets of link assemblies 123. With this design, before the robot enters the pipe, the spring's contraction force pulls the mounting seats 123-1 and the other end of the first link 123-2 at both ends to move relative to each other, thus actively unfolding the link assembly 123. At this time, the robot is at its maximum outer diameter, meaning the walking wheel set 121 is at its farthest distance from the cabin 11. When the robot is inside the pipe, the walking assembly 12 is compressed by the inner wall of the pipe, causing the link assembly 123 to be in a passively folded state. At this time, the two mounting seats 123-1 move relative to each other along the axial direction of the mounting rod 122, stretching the springs. The contraction force of the springs then allows the robot to adaptively adjust its outer diameter according to the inner diameter of the pipe.

[0050] The cabin 11 includes a main cavity 111, a first flange 112, and a second flange 113. The main cavity 111 is a cylindrical structure, and the gripping mechanism 2 is located inside the main cavity 111. The first flange 112 is an annular flange and is fitted onto the front end of the main cavity 111. The second flange 113 is fixedly installed at the rear end of the main cavity 111. A mounting rod 122 is fixedly installed between the first flange 112 and the second flange 113. The other ends of two first connecting rods 123-2 in one set of connecting rod assemblies 123 are rotatably mounted on the first flange 112, and the other ends of two first connecting rods 123-2 in another set of connecting rod assemblies 123 are rotatably mounted on the second flange 113. With this design, when there are two robot bodies 1 connected by a flexible hose 4, the two robot bodies 1 are arranged back to back, that is, the first flange 112 on the rear robot body 1 is located at the rear end, and the second flange 113 is located at the front end.

[0051] The walking wheel set 121 includes a support frame 121-1, a drive mechanism 121-2, and two sets of track wheels 121-3. The drive mechanism 121-2 is mounted on the support frame 121-1, and two sets of linkage assemblies 123 are rotatably connected to the support frame 121-1. The two sets of track wheels 121-3 are arranged in parallel, and their movement is controlled by the drive mechanism 121-2. In this design, each track wheel 121-3 includes a driving wheel, a driven wheel, and a track, preferably a silicone belt. The output end of the drive motor is fixedly connected to the driving wheel. By setting the track wheels 121-3, the robot can firmly grip the pipe wall while maintaining stable movement when moving on the pipe surface. Since each track wheel 121-3 can be controlled independently, the robot can turn at pipe bends or tees by adjusting the speed difference of the three walking wheel sets 121.

[0052] There are two robot bodies 1, connected by a flexible hose 4. This design allows for dual-module operation, improving maneuverability and movement stability at pipe tees, effectively preventing jamming at bends. Compared to conventional hinged connections, the flexible hose 4 connection allows the robot to adapt to pipes with smaller bending radii and greater adaptability to different pipe bending directions, further preventing jamming at bends. The flexible hose 4 can be any structure capable of providing a flexible connection between the two robot bodies 1, such as a rubber hose 4 or a universal joint, with a universal joint being preferred.

[0053] The gripping mechanism 2 is located inside the front robot body 1, while the IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) is installed inside the cabin 11 of the rear robot body 1. In this design, the IMU is connected via signal to the first detection and recognition module 3, the walking wheel assembly 121, and the gripping mechanism 2. Mapping relying solely on the camera (i.e., the first detection and recognition module 3) works well in environments with stable lighting and clear texture features, but in long pipes with poor lighting and low texture features, positioning drift is easily caused. Combining the drive wheel encoder can compensate for the shortcomings of pure vision in motion estimation by using the odometer data provided by the encoder, reducing accumulated errors. However, wheeled odometers are easily affected by ground conditions such as slippage and freewheeling, and error accumulation still exists over long-term use. Therefore, the mapping scheme using an IMU inertial measurement unit is appropriate.

[0054] The IMU provides motion data by measuring angular velocity and linear acceleration, unaffected by external environmental factors such as lighting and texture within the pipe. It can maintain pose calculations even in dark, smoke-filled, or low-texture areas where vision is impaired. Its fast dynamic response allows it to capture rapid robot movements or vibrations, complementing the camera (i.e., the first detection and recognition module 3)—vision provides absolute pose correction and global consistency, while the IMU provides local motion prediction. Especially in scenarios with continuous structures and frequent turns, such as pipes, the IMU's accurate measurement of angular velocity can significantly optimize rotation estimation and reduce drift at bends.

[0055] The first detection and recognition module 3 is installed on the exterior of the cabin 11 of the front robot body 1, while the second detection and recognition module 5 is installed on the exterior of the cabin 11 of the rear robot body 1. With this design, the first detection and recognition module 3 is preferably a binocular camera, and the second detection and recognition module 5 is preferably a monocular camera. Based on a dual-mode acquisition scheme of pipe inner wall images using monocular and binocular camera collaboration, high-precision detection of pipe inner wall damage and foreign object identification are further achieved. The robot body 1 with the first detection and recognition module 3 installed is located at the front, and the robot body 1 with the second detection and recognition module 5 installed is located at the rear. The first detection and recognition module 3 is preferably installed at the front of its respective cabin 11, and the second detection and recognition module 5 is preferably installed at the rear of its respective cabin 11 to better achieve high-precision detection and foreign object identification. The second detection and recognition module 5 is connected to the first detection and recognition module 3, the walking wheel set 121, and the gripping mechanism 2 via signal connections.

[0056] Working principle: Depending on the task requirements, the operator can use either a single-section robot or a double-section robot (i.e., one or two robot bodies 1). Holding the robot body 1, the operator compresses the walking assembly 12 to shrink its outer diameter and inserts it into the pipe opening requiring inspection. The robot is then controlled to move within the pipe via its onboard cable. The detection and recognition module, a visual perception system, transmits a recognition signal. The operator locates the foreign object in the video image, manipulates the gripping mechanism 2 to retrieve the object from the pipe, and continues the work. After the work is completed, the robot and cable are retrieved from the other end of the pipe, or the robot exits from the inlet.

[0057] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An adaptive pipeline inspection foreign object grasping robot, characterized in that: It includes a robot body (1), a gripping mechanism (2), and a first detection and recognition module (3), wherein, The robot body (1) includes a cabin (11) and at least three walking components (12) distributed circumferentially on the outside of the cabin (11). Each of the aforementioned walking components (12) includes a walking wheel set (121), a mounting rod (122), and two sets of linkage assemblies (123) connecting the walking wheel set (121) and the mounting rod (122). The mounting rod (122) is fixed to the cabin (11). The two sets of linkage assemblies (123) respectively realize the adaptive adjustment of the distance between the front and rear ends of the walking wheel set (121) and the cabin (11). The walking wheel set (121) realizes the robot's forward, backward and / or turning movements. The first detection and identification module (3) is installed outside the cabin (11), and the first detection and identification module (3) is connected to the walking wheel set (121) and the gripping mechanism (2) via signals. The gripping mechanism (2) includes a fixed base (21), an outer rotating cylinder (22), an inner support cylinder (23), a flexible cylindrical gripper (24), and a screw nut assembly. The fixed base (21) is fixedly connected to the cabin (11). The outer rotating cylinder (22) is installed at one end of the fixed base (21). The inner support cylinder (23) is coaxially fixed inside the outer rotating cylinder (22). The screw motor (25-1) of the screw nut assembly is fixedly mounted between the inner support cylinder (23) and the fixed base (21). Between 1), the lead screw (25-2) is installed inside the inner support barrel (23). The flexible cylindrical gripper (24) is made of flexible material and has an inflatable structure. The flexible cylindrical gripper (24) is coaxially installed between the lead screw (25-2) and the inner support barrel (23). When the flexible cylindrical gripper (24) is in the initial storage state, one end of the flexible cylindrical gripper (24) is located at the bottom of the inner support barrel (23) and the inner wall of one end is fixed to the ball nut (25-3).

2. The adaptive pipeline inspection foreign object grasping robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer rotating cylinder (22) includes an integrally connected straight pipe section and a bent pipe section, wherein one end of the straight pipe section is coaxially rotatably connected to the fixed base (21) through a drive assembly, and the inner support cylinder (23) is located inside the straight pipe section.

3. The adaptive pipeline inspection foreign object grasping robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each linkage assembly (123) includes a mounting seat (123-1) axially slidably mounted on a mounting rod (122) and two parallel Y-shaped linkage mechanisms. The Y-shaped linkage mechanism includes a first linkage (123-2) and a second linkage (123-3) arranged in a Y-shape. One end of the first linkage (123-2) is rotatably connected to the middle of the second linkage (123-3), one end of the second linkage (123-3) is rotatably connected to the walking wheel assembly (121), the other end of the first linkage (123-2) is rotatably connected to the cabin (11), and the other end of the second linkage (123-3) is rotatably connected to the mounting seat (123-1). A spring is also fitted on the mounting rod (122). The deformation of the spring enables both linkage assemblies (123) to have active unfolding and passive folding functions.

4. The adaptive pipeline inspection foreign object grasping robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The spring is mounted on the mounting rod (122) between the two mounting seats (123-1).

5. The adaptive pipeline inspection foreign object grasping robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: There are two springs, which are respectively set on the mounting rod (122) between the other end of the first link (123-2) and the mounting base (123-1) in the two sets of link assemblies (123).

6. The adaptive pipeline inspection foreign object grasping robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The cabin (11) includes a main cavity (111), a first flange (112) and a second flange (113). The main cavity (111) is a cylindrical structure. The gripping mechanism (2) is located inside the main cavity (111). The first flange (112) is an annular flange and is fitted on the front end of the main cavity (111). The second flange (113) is fixedly installed at the rear end of the main cavity (111). The mounting rod (122) is fixedly installed between the first flange (112) and the second flange (113). The other ends of the two first connecting rods (123-2) in a set of connecting rod assemblies (123) are rotatably installed on the first flange (112). The other ends of the two first connecting rods (123-2) in another set of connecting rod assemblies (123) are rotatably installed on the second flange (113).

7. The adaptive pipeline inspection foreign object grasping robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The walking wheel set (121) includes a support frame (121-1), a drive mechanism (121-2), and two sets of track wheels (121-3). The drive mechanism (121-2) is mounted on the support frame (121-1). Both sets of linkage assemblies (123) are rotatably connected to the support frame (121-1). The two sets of track wheels (121-3) are arranged in parallel and the drive mechanism (121-2) controls the movement of the two sets of track wheels (121-3).

8. The adaptive pipeline inspection foreign object grasping robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: There are two robot bodies (1), and the two robot bodies (1) are connected by a hose (4).

9. The adaptive pipeline inspection foreign object grasping robot according to claim 8, characterized in that: The gripping mechanism (2) is located inside the front robot body (1), and the IMU is installed inside the cabin (11) in the rear robot body (1).

10. An adaptive pipeline inspection foreign object grasping robot according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: The first detection and recognition module (3) is installed outside the cabin (11) of the front robot body (1), and the second detection and recognition module (5) is installed outside the cabin (11) of the rear robot body (1).

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