Multipurpose water robot

Abstract

The invention discloses a multi-purpose water robot. The multi-purpose water robot comprises a shell, a steering mechanism, a propelling mechanism and a control system, the steering mechanism comprises a rotating disc arranged in the shell in the transverse direction and a steering driving device fixed in the shell, the rotating disc can be driven by the steering driving device to rotate around the central axis of the rotating disc, and the shell floats on the water surface. When the rotating disc rotates, reaction torque applied to the shell can drive the shell to rotate in the direction opposite to the rotating direction of the rotating disc, and steering is achieved. By arranging the rotating disc driven by the steering driving device in the machine body and utilizing the angular momentum conservation principle, when the rotating disc rotates at a high speed around the central axis of the rotating disc, the shell can rotate at a high speed in the opposite direction under the driving of reaction torque, steering is achieved, and dependence on lateral thrust or differential steering of a traditional propeller is not needed; and the turning radius is small, and the problem that a traditional water surface robot is difficult to flexibly avoid obstacles due to the too large turning radius is effectively solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aquatic robot technology, and more particularly to a multi-purpose aquatic robot. Background Technology

[0002] Water surface observation and water rescue have always been important components of hydrological and meteorological data collection and emergency rescue. Manual observation or rescue suffers from significant drawbacks, including high costs, poor working environments, difficult resupply, high risks, and limited operational time. With the continuous development of automatic control theory and technology, a large number of autonomous water surface observation vehicles of various types have emerged that can be used for water surface observation and rescue.

[0003] To date, various countries and regions have been continuously researching and manufacturing multi-purpose surface (underwater) robots. However, considering the special circumstances of some situations, such as when there are many obstacles on the water surface or in shallow water, and the obstacle avoidance situation is more complex, small surface robots, although flexible, have insufficient load capacity. Larger surface robots, while having sufficient load capacity on the water surface, have a deep draft and are not flexible enough. Due to the limitations of existing water turning devices, all types of surface (underwater) robots require a large turning radius when moving. When encountering obstacles within the turning radius, movement will be hindered, making it difficult to flexibly navigate around them, and they may even become stuck or face the risk of collision due to insufficient turning space.

[0004] Therefore, developing a steering device with a small turning radius and high maneuverability is key to breaking through the limitations of existing surface robots. This device can meet the load requirements of robots of different sizes and achieve precise steering in complex obstacle environments, thereby enabling more efficient completion of tasks such as hydrological observation and emergency rescue. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a multi-purpose aquatic robot to overcome the above-mentioned problems.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0007] A multi-purpose aquatic robot includes a shell and a steering mechanism, a propulsion mechanism, and a control system mounted on the shell;

[0008] The steering mechanism includes a rotating disk arranged in the outer shell in the lateral direction and a steering drive device fixed inside the outer shell. The rotating disk can be driven by the steering drive device to rotate around its own central axis. The outer shell floats on the water surface. When the rotating disk rotates, the reaction torque applied to the outer shell can drive the outer shell to rotate in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the rotating disk, thereby achieving steering.

[0009] The propulsion mechanism includes a propulsion device and a propeller. The propulsion device is located inside the outer casing, and the propeller is located outside the outer casing. The connecting end of the propeller is connected to the propulsion device.

[0010] The control system is used to receive data from monitoring sensors located on the housing and to control the start or stop of the propulsion device and the steering drive device.

[0011] Furthermore, the steering drive device includes a fixed frame and a steering drive motor. The fixed frame is fixed inside the housing, and the steering drive motor is fixed on the fixed frame and located on the central axis of the housing. The output end of the steering drive motor is fixedly connected to the center of the rotating disk.

[0012] Furthermore, the fixing frame is a cross-shaped support frame, and it is arranged on the outer shell in the lateral direction. The inner wall of the outer shell is provided with a fixing frame mounting groove, and the end of the fixing frame is fixed in the fixing frame mounting groove by a fixing block.

[0013] Furthermore, the outer shell includes a bottom shell and a top cover that can be fastened to the bottom shell; the bottom surface of the bottom shell is arc-shaped, and the middle part of the bottom shell is cylindrical;

[0014] The top surface of the top cover is arc-shaped;

[0015] The mounting slot for the fixing bracket is located on the inner wall of the bottom shell.

[0016] Furthermore, the propulsion device includes a gear set and a propulsion motor. The propulsion motor is mounted on the fixed frame. One side of the gear set is connected to the output end of the propulsion motor, and the other side is connected to the connection end of the propeller.

[0017] Furthermore, the gear set includes a driving gear and a driven gear, the output end of the propulsion motor is fixedly connected to the driving gear, the driving gear meshes with the driven gear, and the driven gear is fixedly connected to the connection end of the propeller.

[0018] Furthermore, a motor fastening sleeve is fixedly installed on the fixing frame, and both the steering drive motor and the propulsion motor are fixed inside the motor fastening sleeve.

[0019] Furthermore, it also includes a power supply module, which is electrically connected to the steering drive motor, the propulsion motor, and the monitoring sensor.

[0020] Furthermore, the monitoring sensors include water quality sensors, water temperature sensors, meteorological sensors, visual sensors, positioning sensors, and speed sensors.

[0021] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0022] The multi-purpose aquatic robot disclosed in this invention has a small turning radius. By setting a rotating disk driven by a steering drive device inside the body, and utilizing the principle of conservation of angular momentum, when the rotating disk rotates around its own central axis, the outer shell can rotate in the opposite direction under the drive of the reaction torque, so as to achieve robot steering. It does not need to rely on the lateral thrust or differential steering of traditional propellers. This allows the robot to achieve on-the-spot or small-range steering even in narrow waters or environments with dense obstacles by starting and stopping the rotating disk. It effectively solves the problem that traditional aquatic robots are difficult to flexibly avoid obstacles due to their large turning radius. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the multi-purpose water robot disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the multi-purpose water robot disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the multi-purpose water robot disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention. Figure 3 ;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a top view of the multi-purpose aquatic robot disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 5 for Figure 3 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction;

[0029] Figure 6 for Figure 3 Cross-sectional view along the BB direction;

[0030] Figure 7 for Figure 4 A cross-sectional view along the CC direction.

[0031] In the picture:

[0032] 1. Outer shell; 11. Bottom shell; 12. Top cover;

[0033] 2. Steering mechanism; 21. Turning disc; 22. Fixing bracket; 23. Steering drive motor; 24. Fixing block; 25. Motor fastening sleeve; 26. Cap nut; 27. Turning drive motor cover; 28. Washer;

[0034] 3. Propulsion mechanism; 31. Propeller; 32. Propulsion motor; 33. Driving gear; 34. Driven gear;

[0035] 35. Front seal; 36. Rear seal; 37. Ball bearing;

[0036] 4. Power supply module; 41. Solar cell; 42. Photovoltaic panel;

[0037] 5. Battery charging port;

[0038] 6. Combine external ports;

[0039] 7. Camera. Detailed Implementation

[0040] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. 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.

[0041] like Figure 1-7 The image shows a multi-purpose water robot provided in this embodiment, including a shell 1 and a steering mechanism 2, a propulsion mechanism 3 and a control system mounted on the shell 1;

[0042] The steering mechanism 2 includes a rotating disk 21 arranged in the outer shell 1 in the lateral direction and a steering drive device fixed inside the outer shell 1. The rotating disk 21 can be driven by the steering drive device to rotate around its own central axis. The outer shell 1 floats on the water surface (the external reaction torque applied to the outer shell 1 can be ignored). When the rotating disk 21 rotates, the reaction torque applied to the outer shell 1 can drive the outer shell 1 to rotate in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the rotating disk 21, thereby realizing robot steering.

[0043] The propulsion mechanism 3 includes a propulsion device and a propeller 31. The propulsion device is located inside the outer shell 1, and the propeller 31 is located outside the outer shell 1. The connecting end of the propeller 31 is connected to the propulsion device.

[0044] The control system is used to receive data from monitoring sensors installed on the outer shell 1 and to control the start or stop of the propulsion device and the steering drive device, so as to control the steering (steering angle and speed) and forward or backward (movement speed) of the outer shell 1.

[0045] In this embodiment, a ball bearing 37 is provided between the connecting end of the propeller 31 and the bottom shell 11 to facilitate the support of the propeller 31 and its rotation.

[0046] This invention discloses a multi-purpose aquatic robot with a small turning radius. By setting a rotating disk driven by a steering drive device inside the robot body, and utilizing the principle of conservation of angular momentum, when the rotating disk rotates around its own central axis, the outer shell can rotate in the opposite direction under the drive of the reaction torque, thus achieving steering. This eliminates the need to rely on the lateral thrust or differential steering of traditional propellers, allowing the robot to achieve on-the-spot or small-range steering even in narrow waters or environments with dense obstacles by starting and stopping the rotating disk. This effectively solves the problem that traditional aquatic robots are difficult to flexibly avoid obstacles due to their large turning radius.

[0047] The specific principles involved in this invention are as follows:

[0048] This aquatic robot utilizes the principle of conservation of rotational inertia, treating all mechanical structures except for the rotating disk 21 as a single unit. The rotating disk 21 within the outer shell 1 is in relative motion with respect to the steering drive motor 23, which provides power below. The propulsion motor 32, which provides power below, is relatively stationary relative to the supporting structures such as the fixed frame 22 and the motor fastening sleeve 25. The fixed frame 22 is also relatively stationary relative to the outer shell 1. Therefore, when the robot's movement in the water changes from linear motion to the need for steering, the steering drive motor 23 starts, and the rotating disk 21 begins to rotate. According to the law of conservation of momentum, the outer shell 1 simultaneously rotates in the opposite direction to the rotating disk 21, thus achieving the purpose of reverse rotation.

[0049] In a specific embodiment, the steering drive device includes a fixed frame 22 and a steering drive motor 23. The fixed frame 22 is fixed inside the housing 1, and the steering drive motor 23 is fixed on the fixed frame 22. The steering drive motor 23 is arranged along the longitudinal central axis of the housing 1. The output end of the steering drive motor 23 is fixedly connected to the center of the rotating disk 21.

[0050] The function of the steering drive motor 23 is to drive the water robot to turn. Setting it at the central axis position can make the point of application of the steering force consistent with the rotation center of the outer shell 1 (the rotation center usually coincides with the vertical central axis), avoiding "steering lag" or "overshoot" caused by lever arm offset, and ensuring smooth steering action without additional shaking.

[0051] The top of the output end of the steering drive motor 23 passes through the rotating disk 21 and is fixedly connected to the rotating disk 21 by the cap nut 26. The top of the steering drive motor 23 is provided with a rotating drive motor cover 27, which is fastened to the top of the motor fastening sleeve 25. Washers 28 are provided between the cap nut and the rotating disk 21, and between the motor cover and the rotating disk 21.

[0052] In a specific embodiment, the fixing frame 22 is a cross-shaped support frame, that is, its cross-section is cross-shaped. This design firstly serves to stably support the steering drive motor 23. Moreover, the cross bracket, through its fixed connection with the inner wall of the outer casing 1 at its ends, distributes the weight of the motor onto the outer casing 1, avoiding excessive local stress caused by direct suspension or single-point fixing of the motor, and preventing damage to the internal structure of the machine. Secondly, the "cross" shape of the cross bracket is lighter than a closed frame, facilitating overall weight reduction. Furthermore, the "cross" shape can fix the motor without obstructing too much space, providing space for other internal components. (Such as batteries, sensors, wires, etc.) Reserve installation and layout space to reduce structural interference; In addition, the cross bracket is connected to the inner wall of the outer shell 1 through its end, which is equivalent to forming a "cross-shaped reinforcing rib" inside the outer shell 1, which can indirectly improve the deformation resistance of the outer shell 1), and it is set on the outer shell 1 in the lateral direction. The inner wall of the outer shell 1 is provided with a mounting groove for the fixing bracket 22. The end of the fixing bracket 22 is fixed in the mounting groove of the fixing bracket 22 by the fixing block 24. The fixing block 24 can be snapped into the top of the mounting groove of the fixing bracket 22 and locked to the fixing bracket 22 by screws, which facilitates disassembly and maintenance.

[0053] In a specific embodiment, the outer shell 1 includes a bottom shell 11 and a top cover 12 that can be fastened to the bottom shell 11, and the top cover 12 and the bottom shell 11 are connected by screws; the bottom surface of the bottom shell 11 is arc-shaped, and the middle part of the bottom shell 11 is cylindrical, that is, the cross-section of the middle part of the bottom shell 11 is circular.

[0054] The top surface of the top cover 12 is arc-shaped;

[0055] The mounting slot of the fixing frame 22 is provided on the inner wall of the bottom shell 11;

[0056] The bottom shell 11 and the top cover 12 are detachably connected, which greatly improves the convenience of component maintenance and replacement.

[0057] When the robot moves on the water surface, the arc-shaped bottom surface of the bottom shell 11 allows the water flow to smoothly transition along the curved surface, avoiding eddy current resistance caused by right angles or acute angles between the bottom and the water (water flow is prone to turbulence at sharp corners, increasing resistance), significantly reducing water resistance, saving power consumption, and improving navigation speed or endurance; the cylindrical structure in the middle, combined with the arc-shaped bottom surface, allows the water to be evenly distributed along the side arc when the robot turns, reducing the turning resistance difference caused by the irregular shape of the side, making the turning action more flexible and responsive, such as quickly adjusting the sampling direction in water quality monitoring, or flexibly avoiding obstacles during rescue; the arc-shaped bottom design, combined with the symmetrical structure of the cylindrical middle section, can reduce the center of gravity shift caused by the asymmetry of the shape, improving the robot's stability on the water surface, such as reducing the risk of tipping over; the arc-shaped design of the top cover 12 is intended to reduce frictional resistance with the air, especially when moving at high speed, the arc surface can guide the airflow smoothly over the top, avoiding the head resistance generated by the flat top cover 12, further optimizing the overall motion efficiency;

[0058] In a specific embodiment, the propulsion device includes a gear set and a propulsion motor 32. The propulsion motor 32 is mounted on the fixed frame 22. One side of the gear set is connected to the output end of the propulsion motor 32, and the other side is connected to the connection end of the propeller 31.

[0059] In a specific embodiment, the gear set includes a driving gear 33 and a driven gear 34. The output end of the propulsion motor 32 is coaxially fixed with the driving gear 33. The driving gear 33 meshes with the driven gear 34, and the driven gear 34 is fixedly connected to the connecting end of the propeller 31. Both the driving gear 33 and the driven gear 34 are disposed within a gear set sealing box, which is disposed within a housing. The gear set sealing box includes a front seal 35 and a rear seal 36, which can be assembled into a complete box structure. The front seal has a mounting hole, through which the output end of the propulsion motor 32 can extend into the gear set sealing box and be fixedly connected to the driven gear 34. A sealing ring is provided at the mounting hole, and the gear set sealing box can improve the sealing performance of the gear set.

[0060] The propulsion motor 32 drives the active gear 33 to rotate, and the active gear drive wheel 33 drives the driven gear 34 to rotate, which in turn drives the propeller 31 to rotate, thus driving the water robot forward. At the same time, in conjunction with the steering drive mechanism, the water robot can move forward or backward in any direction (turning 180° and then moving forward is equivalent to moving backward in the previous position).

[0061] In a specific embodiment, a motor fastening sleeve 25 is fixedly installed on the fixing frame 22. The steering drive motor 23 and the propulsion motor 32 are both fixed inside the motor fastening sleeve 25. The steering drive motor 23 and the propulsion motor 32 are both located on the central axis of the outer shell 1 to ensure the force balance of the outer shell 1.

[0062] In a specific embodiment, a power supply module 4 is also included. The power supply module is electrically connected to the steering drive motor 23, the propulsion motor 32, and the monitoring sensor. The power supply module 4 includes a solar cell 41 and a photovoltaic panel 42 electrically connected to the solar cell. The solar cell 41 is located inside the outer shell 11, and the photovoltaic panel 42 is located outside the top cover 12. It is used to receive light and convert it into electrical energy. Both the top cover 12 and the bottom shell 11 are integrally molded from ABS plastic with certain strength, toughness, and rigidity. The top cover 12 is provided with a battery charging interface 5 electrically connected to the solar cell. When the water robot is not performing a task, it can charge and store energy through the battery charging interface 5. The top cover 12 is also provided with a combined external port 6, which is used to realize various types of data transmission and signal interaction between the water robot and external devices, modules, or systems. The combined external port includes a USB interface (for connecting debugging equipment), an Ethernet port (for connecting to the network), a power interface (for powering external sensors), a GPIO interface (for transmitting control signals), etc., which can be set according to actual needs.

[0063] In a specific embodiment, the monitoring sensors include a water quality sensor, a water temperature sensor, a meteorological sensor (including wind speed, wind direction, air pressure, and humidity sensors, which monitor the water surface and surrounding meteorological conditions to assist in the prediction of marine phenomena and the assessment of navigation safety), a vision sensor (camera 7), a positioning sensor, and a speed sensor. These sensors can be selected and installed on the water robot according to actual monitoring needs, enabling it to perform various tasks. In this embodiment, the water robot's communication system uses a 5.8G wireless image transmission kit, and the control system uses a single-chip microcomputer, specifically the Pro Mini improved version ATMEGA328P. The 5V / 16M building blocks utilize a microcontroller compatible with Arduino (C7B2). This microcontroller can automatically complete various tasks for the robot. Communication between the microcontroller and the steering drive motor 23 and propulsion motor 32 is via CAN. The microcontroller reads the return values ​​from the aforementioned monitoring sensors, processes them, and then sends them to the steering drive motor 23 and propulsion motor 32 via the CAN communication protocol, thereby controlling the robot's forward, backward, and turning movements. The communication system, control system, data acquisition, data processing, and control (regulation) processes of the various components used in this embodiment are all existing technologies; their more specific principles will not be elaborated upon here.

[0064] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-purpose aquatic robot, characterized in that, It includes a housing (1) and a steering mechanism (2), a propulsion mechanism (3) and a control system mounted on the housing (1); The steering mechanism (2) includes a rotating disk (21) arranged in the outer shell (1) in the lateral direction and a steering drive device fixed inside the outer shell (1). The rotating disk (21) can be driven by the steering drive device to rotate around its own central axis. The outer shell (1) floats on the water surface. When the rotating disk (21) rotates, the reaction torque applied to the outer shell (1) can drive the outer shell (1) to rotate in the opposite direction to the rotation of the rotating disk (21), thereby achieving steering. The propulsion mechanism (3) includes a propulsion device and a propeller (31). The propulsion device is located inside the outer shell (1), and the propeller (31) is located outside the outer shell (1). The connecting end of the propeller (31) is connected to the propulsion device. The control system is used to receive data from monitoring sensors located on the housing (1) and to control the start or stop of the propulsion device and the steering drive device.

2. The multi-purpose aquatic robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steering drive device includes a fixed frame (22) and a steering drive motor (23). The fixed frame (22) is fixed inside the housing (1), and the steering drive motor (23) is fixed on the fixed frame (22). The steering drive motor (23) is arranged along the longitudinal central axis of the housing (1). The output end of the steering drive motor (23) is fixedly connected to the center of the rotating disk (21).

3. The multi-purpose aquatic robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The fixing frame (22) is a cross-shaped support frame and is arranged on the outer shell (1) in the horizontal direction. The inner wall of the outer shell (1) is provided with a fixing frame mounting groove. The end of the fixing frame (22) is fixed in the fixing frame mounting groove by a fixing block (24).

4. The multi-purpose aquatic robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The outer shell (1) includes a bottom shell (11) and a top cover (12) that can be fastened to the bottom shell (11); the bottom surface of the bottom shell (11) is arc-shaped, and the middle part of the bottom shell (11) is cylindrical; The top surface of the top cover (12) is arc-shaped; The mounting slot for the fixing frame is located on the inner wall of the bottom shell (11).

5. The multi-purpose aquatic robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The propulsion device includes a gear set and a propulsion motor (32). The propulsion motor (32) is mounted on the fixed frame (22). One side of the gear set is connected to the output end of the propulsion motor (32), and the other side is connected to the connection end of the propeller (31).

6. The multi-purpose aquatic robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, The gear set includes a driving gear (33) and a driven gear (34). The output end of the propulsion motor (32) is fixedly connected to the driving gear (33). The driving gear (33) meshes with the driven gear (34). The driven gear (34) is fixedly connected to the connection end of the propeller (31).

7. The multi-purpose aquatic robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, A motor fastening sleeve (25) is fixedly installed on the fixing frame (22), and the steering drive motor (23) and the propulsion motor (32) are both fixed inside the motor fastening sleeve (25).

8. The multi-purpose aquatic robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes a power supply module (4), which is electrically connected to the steering drive motor (23), the propulsion motor (32) and the monitoring sensor.

9. The multi-purpose aquatic robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The monitoring sensors include water quality sensors, water temperature sensors, meteorological sensors, vision sensors, positioning sensors, and speed sensors.

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