A walking mechanism of a pig house inspection robot and the pig house inspection robot

Abstract

The application discloses a walking mechanism of a pig house inspection robot and the inspection robot, and belongs to the technical field of inspection robots. The walking mechanism comprises a track and a supporting frame walking along the track. A sliding groove is arranged on the bottom wall of the track. A plurality of rack assemblies are installed side by side on the track along the extension direction of the track. The rack assembly comprises a sliding block slidingly installed in the sliding groove and a first rack fixedly installed on the bottom wall of the track. A second rack engaged with the first rack is fixedly connected to the sliding block. A first spring is fixedly connected between the sliding block and the top wall of the sliding groove. A guide groove is arranged on the side wall of the sliding block away from the first rack. Inclined surfaces are arranged on the two sides of the guide groove. Two trapezoidal blocks capable of sliding along the guide groove are installed on the supporting frame close to the side of the guide groove. The trapezoidal blocks are capable of exposing or closing the first rack by sliding along or disengaging from the guide groove. A gear capable of engaging with the exposed first rack is rotatably installed on the supporting frame. The application solves the problem that the tooth gap of the rack track is difficult to clean.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of inspection robot technology, specifically relating to a walking mechanism and inspection robot for pigsty inspection. Background Technology

[0002] Pig houses are generally characterized by high ammonia concentrations, dampness and heat, high dust concentrations, accumulated manure on the ground, and cramped spaces. Currently, the commonly used monitoring methods for pig houses are manual inspection, fixed-point multi-sensor monitoring, and inspection robots. The disadvantages of each method are as follows: Manual inspection: Low efficiency, high labor intensity, strong subjectivity leading to missed detections and misjudgments, and increasing the risk of cross-infection and stress reactions in pigs; Fixed-point multi-sensor monitoring: Limited spatial coverage, high cost and maintenance costs, insufficient dynamic response, and data redundancy; Inspection robot inspection: Can efficiently, stably, and without interference conduct pig house inspections and monitor pig houses in real time, but is subject to environmental constraints.

[0003] Existing technologies, such as Chinese Patent Publication No. CN116673927A, disclose a pigsty track-mounted inspection robot that uses a rack and pinion transmission system to effectively prevent slippage caused by dampness and dust in pigsties. However, in the pigsty environment, the upper surface, gaps, and support structure of the rack and pinion track easily accumulate dust, cobwebs, and even become a habitat for flies, making thorough cleaning and disinfection difficult. Especially on the low-lying tracks, pig feces and urine can easily splash and cover the tracks, forming hard lumps after drying, increasing running resistance, and even jamming the robot.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to propose a walking mechanism and inspection robot for pigsty inspection in order to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a walking mechanism and inspection robot for a pigsty inspection robot, so as to solve the problem that the tooth gaps of the rack and pinion track are difficult to clean in the prior art, which affects the long-term operation of the inspection robot.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0007] This invention provides a walking mechanism for a pigsty inspection robot, including a track and a support frame that moves along the track. The bottom wall of the track has a groove. Multiple rack assemblies are installed side-by-side along the track's extension direction. Each rack assembly includes a slider slidably installed in the groove and a first rack fixedly installed on the bottom wall of the track. A second rack, meshing with the first rack, is fixedly connected to the slider. A first spring is fixedly connected between the slider and the top wall of the groove. A guide groove is provided on the side wall of the slider away from the first rack. Inclined surfaces are provided on both sides of the guide groove. The guide grooves on adjacent sliders are connected. Two trapezoidal blocks that can slide along the guide groove are installed on the support frame near the guide groove. As the support frame moves along the track, the trapezoidal blocks press against the inclined surfaces, causing the slider to move upward and expose the first rack. When the support frame moves along the track and the trapezoidal blocks disengage from the guide groove, the slider moves downward under the action of the first spring, causing the second rack to cover the first rack. A gear that meshes with the exposed first rack is rotatably installed on the support frame. A drive mechanism for driving the gear to rotate is fixedly installed on the support frame.

[0008] Furthermore, the two trapezoidal blocks are located on the front and rear sides of the gear's travel direction, respectively. When the gear travels, the trapezoidal block located on the front side of the gear first disengages from the current slider corresponding to the gear, and then enters the guide groove of the next slider to press the inclined surface of the next slider so that the next slider moves upward and exposes the first rack on the next rack assembly. The trapezoidal block located on the rear side of the gear is located in the guide groove of the current slider corresponding to the gear to support the current slider corresponding to the gear. When the gear moves to the next rack assembly, the trapezoidal block located on the rear side of the gear disengages from the guide groove of the next slider so that the next slider moves downward under the action of the spring so that the second rack covers the first rack.

[0009] Furthermore, a sleeve is fixedly connected to the side wall of the support frame, a sliding rod is slidably connected inside the sleeve, a second spring is fixedly connected between the sliding rod and the inner wall of the sleeve, and the sliding rod extends out of the sleeve end and is rotatably connected to the trapezoidal block.

[0010] Furthermore, a screw is threadedly connected to the top wall of the track, and one end of the screw extends into the groove and is fixedly connected to the first spring.

[0011] Furthermore, when the bottom wall of the slider abuts against the top wall of the first rack, the first spring is in a compressed state, and the bottom wall of the second rack is located on the same plane as the bottom wall of the first rack.

[0012] Furthermore, a scraper is rotatably connected to the front side of the gear along the moving direction of the support frame. The scraper is rotatably mounted on the support frame by a torsion spring. The scraper abuts against the bottom wall of the first rack. A baffle is fixedly installed on the front side of the scraper along the moving direction of the support frame. A gap is provided between the baffle and the first rack. A collection chamber is provided on the support frame between the scraper and the baffle.

[0013] Furthermore, guide grooves are provided on both sides of the track, and rollers that cooperate with the guide grooves are rotatably mounted on the support frame, and the guide grooves can support the rollers.

[0014] A pigsty inspection robot, including a pigsty inspection robot walking mechanism.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention include:

[0016] In this invention, after the gear passes the current rack assembly, the second rack returns to its original position under the action of the first spring to cover the first rack. This prevents dust accumulation and the habitation of animals such as flies, insects, and spiders, and also prevents pig feces or urine from splashing onto the first rack in low tracks, thus ensuring the smoothness of the first rack. Furthermore, the meshing of the first and second racks provides a limit for the vertical movement of the second rack. When impurities are present at the meshing position between the first rack and the gear, the downward movement of the second rack can squeeze the impurities out of the first rack, thereby ensuring smooth gear movement, reducing cleaning labor, increasing the time the support frame travels along the track, and ensuring the long-term operation of the inspection robot.

[0017] Other advantages, objectives, and features of the invention will be set forth in the following description and will be apparent to those skilled in the art in some respects, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention can be realized and obtained through the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and beneficial effects of this invention clearer, the following figures are provided for illustration:

[0019] Figure 1 This is a side sectional view of the walking mechanism of the pigsty inspection robot according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a side view of the rack and pinion assembly mounting structure of the walking mechanism of the pigsty inspection robot according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a bottom view of the rack and pinion assembly installation structure of the walking mechanism of the pigsty inspection robot according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pigsty inspection robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] The following components are labeled in the attached diagram: track 1, guide groove 101, slide 102, screw 103, support frame 2, roller 201, gear 202, drive mechanism 203, sleeve 204, slide bar 205, second spring 206, scraper 207, baffle 208, collection chamber 209, rack assembly 3, slider 301, first rack 302, second rack 303, first spring 304, guide groove 305, inclined surface 306, trapezoidal block 4, housing 5, visible light camera 501, depth camera 502. Detailed Implementation

[0024] like Figures 1-4 As shown, this invention provides a walking mechanism for a pigsty inspection robot, including a track 1 and a support frame 2 that moves along the track 1. Guide grooves 101 are provided on both sides of the track 1. Rollers 201 that rotatably engage with the guide grooves 101 are rotatably mounted on the support frame 2. The support frame 2 moves along the guide grooves 101 via the rollers 201, allowing it to travel along the track 1. A sliding groove 102 is provided on the bottom wall of the track 1. Multiple rack assemblies 3 are installed side-by-side along the track 1 in the track's extension direction. Each rack assembly 3 includes a slider 301 slidably mounted in the sliding groove 102 and a first rack 302 fixedly mounted on the bottom wall of the track 1. The slider 301 can slide vertically along the sliding groove 102. A second rack 303 that meshes with the first rack 302 is fixedly connected to the slider 301. A first spring 304 is fixedly connected between the slider 301 and the top wall of the sliding groove 102. In the initial state, the second rack 303 can cover the first rack 302. A guide groove 305 is provided on the side wall away from the first rack 302. An inclined surface 306 is provided on both sides of the guide groove 305. The guide grooves 305 on two adjacent sliders 301 are connected. Two trapezoidal blocks 4 that can slide along the guide groove 305 are installed on the side of the support frame 2 near the guide groove 305. When the support frame 2 moves along the track 1, the trapezoidal blocks 4 can press the inclined surface 306 to make the sliders 301 move upward to expose the first rack 302. When the support frame 2 moves along the track 1 and the trapezoidal blocks 4 are disengaged from the guide groove 305, the sliders 301 move downward under the action of the first spring 304 to make the second rack 303 cover the first rack 302. A gear 202 that can mesh with the exposed first rack 302 is rotatably installed on the support frame 2. A drive mechanism 203 for driving the gear 202 to rotate is fixedly installed on the support frame 2. The drive mechanism 203 is a motor. The two trapezoidal blocks 4 are located on the front and rear sides of the gear 202 in the direction of travel, respectively.

[0025] In this plan, such as Figures 1-3The modular design of multiple rack assemblies 3 facilitates their installation and disassembly. Expansion joints are provided between adjacent rack assemblies 3 to prevent deformation due to thermal expansion and contraction of the first rack 302 and the second rack 303. Because of the large temperature differences between day and night and seasonal variations within the pigsty, the metal track will expand and contract. If insufficient expansion joints or compensating designs are not provided during installation, the track may bend, arch, or crack at the joints, affecting the movement of the gear 202 along the first rack 302. The width of the expansion joint should be smaller than the tooth gap of the first rack 302. Furthermore, the tooth gaps between two adjacent teeth of two adjacent first racks 302 are consistent with the tooth gaps between two adjacent teeth on the same first rack 302, so as to facilitate the continuity of the gear 202's movement; when installing the support frame 2, two trapezoidal blocks 4 on the support frame 2 are respectively placed on both sides of the guide groove 305, and the gear 202 is located in the middle of the guide groove 305. Since the trapezoidal blocks 4 lift the slider 301, the first rack 302 can be partially exposed, and the gear 202 meshes with the exposed part of the first rack 302; when the support frame 2 moves along the track 1 During the process, the drive mechanism 203 is activated to rotate the gear 202, causing the gear 202 to move along the exposed part of the first rack 302, thus enabling the support frame 2 to move along the track 1. As the gear 202 moves, the trapezoidal block 4 located in front of the gear 202 first disengages from the current slider 301 and enters the guide groove 305 within the next slider 301. The trapezoidal block located behind the gear 202 remains within the guide groove 305 on the current slider 301 to support it, allowing the gear 202 to move within the current rack assembly 3. After the trapezoidal block 4 on the side enters the next slider 301, it causes the next slider 301 to move upward by pressing the inclined surface 306, thereby exposing the first rack 302 on the next rack assembly 3, so that the gear 202 can smoothly mesh with the next first rack 302; that is, during the movement of the gear 202, the slider 301 appears to move forward like a wave; wherein, the side wall of the trapezoidal block 4 in contact with the guide groove 305 can be provided with balls, which convert sliding friction into rolling friction to facilitate the movement of the trapezoidal block 4 along the guide groove 305.

[0026] This design, through the meshing of gear 202 and first rack 302, effectively prevents slippage caused by dampness and dust in the pigsty. After gear 202 passes the current rack assembly 3, second rack 303 returns to its original position under the action of first spring 304 to cover first rack 302, preventing dust accumulation and the presence of flies, insects, spiders, and other animals. It also prevents pig feces or urine from splashing onto first rack 302 in low tracks, thus ensuring the smoothness of first rack 302. Furthermore, the meshing of first rack 302 and second rack 303 provides a limit for the vertical movement of second rack 303. When impurities are present at the meshing position of first rack 302 and gear 202, the downward movement of second rack 303 can squeeze the impurities out of first rack 302, ensuring smooth movement of gear 202, reducing cleaning labor, increasing the time the support frame 2 travels along track 1, and ensuring the long-term operation of the inspection robot.

[0027] In one embodiment of the present invention, a sleeve 204 is fixedly connected to the side wall of the support frame 2, a slide rod 205 is slidably connected inside the sleeve 204, a second spring 206 is fixedly connected between the slide rod 205 and the inner wall of the sleeve 204, and the slide rod 205 extends out of the sleeve 204 and is rotatably connected to the trapezoidal block 4.

[0028] In this scheme, by setting a second spring 206, it is ensured that the trapezoidal block 4 can always be located in the guide groove 305, and during the horizontal curve of track 1, the trapezoidal block 4 can adapt to the curve angle, thus ensuring the continuity of movement in the curve of track 1.

[0029] In one embodiment of the present invention, a screw 103 is threadedly connected to the top wall of the track 1, and one end of the screw 103 extends into the groove 102 and is fixedly connected to the first spring 304.

[0030] In this scheme, by rotating the screw 103, the distance between the screw 103 and the top wall of the slider 301 can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the compression degree of the first spring 304.

[0031] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the bottom wall of the slider 301 abuts against the top wall of the first rack 302, the first spring 304 is in a compressed state, and the bottom wall of the second rack 303 is located on the same plane as the bottom wall of the first rack 302, so as to ensure that the second rack 303 covers the first rack 302.

[0032] In one embodiment of the present invention, a scraper 207 is rotatably connected to the front side of the gear 202 along the moving direction of the support frame 2. The scraper 207 is rotatably mounted on the support frame 2 by a torsion spring (not shown in the figure). The scraper 207 abuts against the bottom wall of the first rack 302. A baffle 208 is fixedly installed on the support frame 2 in front of the scraper 207 along the moving direction of the support frame 2. A gap is provided between the baffle 208 and the first rack 302. A collection chamber 209 is provided on the support frame 2 between the scraper 207 and the baffle 208.

[0033] In this solution, during the movement of the support frame 2, the scraper 208 scrapes off the feces, dust, or urine residue adhering to the bottom walls of the first rack 302 and the second rack 303 into the collection chamber 209, thus preventing the first rack 302 and the second rack 303 from being difficult to detach due to the adhesion of adhesive impurities. Furthermore, the design of the collection chamber 209 prevents the inspection robot from detecting the falling impurities and thus ensuring the accuracy of the pig farm inspection.

[0034] A pigsty inspection robot, such as Figure 4 The system includes a walking mechanism for a pigsty inspection robot and an inspection device mounted on a support frame 2. The inspection device includes a housing 5 fixedly mounted on the bottom wall of the support frame 2. The housing 5 houses a control module and a visible light camera 501, a depth camera 502, an infrared sensor, a temperature / humidity / ammonia sensor, and a data transmission module, all electrically connected to the control module. The visible light camera 501 and the depth camera 502 perform visual recognition to identify abnormal pig behaviors such as lying down or fighting, with an accuracy rate ≥95%, and detect foreign objects in the pigsty such as leftover tools or foreign animals, with a response time ≤10s. The temperature / humidity / ammonia sensor performs environmental monitoring, collecting temperature, humidity, and ammonia concentration data in real time, with a data error ≤2%. The collected data is transmitted to a cloud platform via the data transmission module. The control module is electrically connected to a drive mechanism 203. When an abnormality is detected, the control module controls the drive mechanism 203 to shut down, stopping the support frame 2 from moving. Then, depth detection is performed using the depth camera 502 and the infrared sensor.

[0035] This invention reduces annual operation and maintenance costs, while replacing manual inspections, greatly saving labor costs and avoiding the safety risks of personnel coming into contact with the disease-prone environment of pig houses. The robot's all-weather, all-around monitoring capabilities improve data timeliness and the efficiency of anomaly handling. Accurate monitoring data can be synchronously connected to the pig farm's smart management platform, forming a closed-loop control system for environmental regulation and disease early warning, thereby reducing pig mortality, improving the stability of the pig house environment, and helping to improve the overall benefits of the farm.

Claims

1. A walking mechanism for a pigsty inspection robot, comprising a track and a support frame that travels along the track, characterized in that: The bottom wall of the track is provided with a groove. Multiple rack assemblies are installed side by side on the track along its extension direction. Each rack assembly includes a slider slidably installed in the groove and a first rack fixedly installed on the bottom wall of the track. A second rack that meshes with the first rack is fixedly connected to the slider. A first spring is fixedly connected between the slider and the top wall of the groove. A guide groove is provided on the side wall of the slider away from the first rack. Inclined surfaces are provided on both sides of the guide groove. The guide grooves on two adjacent sliders are connected. Two trapezoidal blocks that can slide along the guide groove are installed on the support frame near the guide groove. When the support frame moves along the track, the trapezoidal blocks press against the inclined surfaces to move the slider upward and expose the first rack. When the support frame moves along the track and the trapezoidal blocks disengage from the guide groove, the slider moves downward under the action of the first spring to cover the first rack with the second rack. A gear that can mesh with the exposed first rack is rotatably installed on the support frame. A drive mechanism for driving the gear to rotate is fixedly installed on the support frame.

2. The walking mechanism of the pigsty inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: Two trapezoidal blocks are located on the front and rear sides of the gear's travel direction, respectively. When the gear travels, the trapezoidal block located on the front side of the gear first disengages from the current slider corresponding to the gear, and then enters the guide groove of the next slider to squeeze the inclined surface of the next slider so that the next slider moves upward and the first rack on the next rack assembly is exposed. The trapezoidal block located behind the gear is positioned in the guide groove of the current slider corresponding to the gear to support the current slider corresponding to the gear; when the gear moves to the next rack assembly, the trapezoidal block located behind the gear disengages from the guide groove of the next slider, so that the next slider moves downward under the action of the spring so that the second rack covers the first rack.

3. The walking mechanism of the pigsty inspection robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: A sleeve is fixedly connected to the side wall of the support frame, and a sliding rod is slidably connected inside the sleeve. A second spring is fixedly connected between the sliding rod and the inner wall of the sleeve, and the sliding rod extends out of the sleeve end and is rotatably connected to the trapezoidal block.

4. The walking mechanism of the pigsty inspection robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The top wall of the track is threaded with a screw rod, one end of which extends into the groove and is fixedly connected to the first spring.

5. The walking mechanism of the pigsty inspection robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: When the bottom wall of the slider abuts against the top wall of the first rack, the first spring is in a compressed state, and the bottom wall of the second rack is on the same plane as the bottom wall of the first rack.

6. The walking mechanism of the pigsty inspection robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: A scraper is rotatably connected to the front side of the gear along the moving direction of the support frame. The scraper is rotatably mounted on the support frame by a torsion spring. The scraper abuts against the bottom wall of the first rack. A baffle is fixedly installed on the front side of the scraper along the moving direction of the support frame. A gap is provided between the baffle and the first rack. A collection chamber is provided on the support frame between the scraper and the baffle.

7. The walking mechanism of the pigsty inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: Guide grooves are provided on both sides of the track, and rollers that cooperate with the guide grooves are rotatably mounted on the support frame. The guide grooves can support the rollers.

8. A pigsty inspection robot, characterized in that: Including the walking mechanism of the pigsty inspection robot as described in any one of claims 1-7.

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