Wall surface self-adaptive dual-mode bridge detection unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of bridge detection, and particularly relates to a wall surface self-adaptive dual-mode bridge detection unmanned aerial vehicle which comprises a carbon fiber rack, a flight module, a wall climbing module, an unmanned aerial vehicle control module and a camera. The carbon fiber tubes are set up into a cube shape according to the structure of the unmanned aerial vehicle, the turning positions of the carbon fiber tubes are connected through aluminum alloy tube clamps, the flight module comprises a propeller assembly, a set of suspension systems and two rubber tires, the propeller assembly is arranged on the upper portion of the carbon fiber rack, and the suspension systems are installed on the front portion of the carbon fiber rack; the two rubber tires are fixed to the rear side of the upper portion of the carbon fiber rack through a tire frame. The whole machine frame is in a cuboid hollow shape formed by the carbon fiber tubes, on one hand, the weight of the whole machine can be greatly reduced, on the other hand, enough space is provided for additionally installing functional assemblies such as a sensor and a mechanical arm under special requirements, and expansibility is high.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of bridge inspection technology, and in particular relates to a wall-adaptive dual-modal bridge inspection drone. Background Technology

[0002] Approximately 40% of the bridges in service in the highway network have been in service for more than 20 years, and more than 100,000 bridges are considered dangerous. The safety hazards cannot be ignored, and bridge inspection work must be taken seriously. Currently, common bridge inspection methods include traditional manual inspection, wall-climbing robot inspection, and drone inspection.

[0003] Patent CN112572632A discloses a vacuum-adhesive biomimetic wall-climbing robot, comprising an upper body, a lower body, four symmetrically distributed legs, and claws. The robot sends signals via a handle, which, through a main control board, controls the leg joint servos to lift and lower the legs, thus completing leg and body movement, forming a wall-climbing cycle. It can adapt to the wall angle and move stably on various wall surfaces. However, this robot relies on joint servos and vacuum adhesion for gradual movement, exhibiting complex and varied gaits, high control complexity, and relatively slow movement speed. This results in low efficiency during the inspection of large bridges. Furthermore, the vacuum adhesion method requires high wall roughness and flatness, while bridge walls typically have significant variations in roughness and curvature. The robot's claws cannot form a sealed environment, compromising adhesion performance. This increases the risk of detachment and fall during bridge inspections, failing to meet normal inspection requirements.

[0004] Patent CN209467321U discloses a bridge inspection drone system, including a drone body and a client. This invention uses the drone as a data acquisition device, combined with data processing by the client, to achieve intelligent and automated bridge inspection, greatly improving the efficiency of bridge inspection. However, wind direction and force vary greatly near the bottom of bridges and piers / towers, making it difficult for conventional drones to stably approach the bridge wall for inspection. Furthermore, drones struggle to maintain real-time stability in windy conditions, making it difficult to guarantee the quality of acquired images and thus reducing inspection accuracy. In addition, due to the influence of the bridge's concrete, steel reinforcement, and steel plate structure, drones may experience no or weak GPS signals near some bridge components, posing a high risk of collision or crash during long-distance operation.

[0005] In summary, using a single wall-climbing robot is insufficient to guarantee its adaptability, adhesion performance, and mobile inspection efficiency on bridge surfaces with varying curvatures. Conversely, using a single drone is insufficient to stably approach the bridge surface and obtain clear images. Therefore, how to organically combine these two approaches to create a new type of bridge inspection equipment that can adapt to bridge surfaces with varying curvatures, stably approach the surface to acquire high-definition images, and simultaneously possess both speed and flexibility is a problem that urgently needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to address the problems mentioned in the background section by providing a wall-adaptive dual-modal bridge inspection drone.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a wall-adaptive dual-modal bridge inspection drone, comprising a carbon fiber frame, a flight module, a wall-climbing module, a drone control module, and a camera. The carbon fiber frame comprises carbon fiber tubes and aluminum alloy tube clamps. The carbon fiber tubes are constructed into a cube shape according to the drone structure, and their turning points are connected by aluminum alloy tube clamps.

[0008] The flight module includes a propeller assembly, a suspension system and two rubber tires. The propeller assembly is arranged on the upper part of the carbon fiber frame, the suspension system is installed at the front of the carbon fiber frame, and the two rubber tires are fixed to the rear side of the upper part of the carbon fiber frame by tire brackets.

[0009] The climbing module includes two front propellers on the frame and two sets of suspension systems. The two front propellers on the frame are fixed to the front of the carbon fiber frame by corresponding front propeller frames.

[0010] The drone control module is mounted on the upper part of the carbon fiber frame, slightly towards the rear.

[0011] The camera is mounted on the front of a carbon fiber frame and is used to acquire images of the bridge during inspection.

[0012] Furthermore, the propeller assembly includes a rear propeller on the upper part of the frame and a front propeller on the upper part of the frame. The rear propeller on the upper part of the frame and the front propeller on the upper part of the frame are respectively fixed to the carbon fiber tube through a rear propeller frame on the upper part of the frame and a front propeller frame on the upper part of the frame.

[0013] Furthermore, the suspension system in the flight module includes a suspension connecting frame, a Mecanum wheel, a suspension positioning rod, a suspension fixing component, a suspension center component, a suspension center block, a suspension base, a suspension connecting mechanism component a, a suspension connecting mechanism component b, a suspension wheel frame, a Mecanum wheel connecting rod, a suspension connecting rod a, a suspension connecting rod b, and a shock absorber. The suspension system achieves adaptive wall contact and shock absorption functions through the coordinated connection of various components, adapting to complex bridge wall inspection scenarios.

[0014] Furthermore, the suspension connecting frame is fixed to the carbon fiber tube by bolts, the suspension positioning rod is fixed to the suspension connecting frame and two tightly closed suspension fixing components are inserted through it, the suspension center component is bolted to the suspension fixing components, the suspension center block is movably sleeved on the cylindrical rod part of the suspension center component through the central through hole, and the suspension base is fixed to the cylindrical rod part.

[0015] Furthermore, the suspension connection mechanism component a is connected to the suspension center block via the suspension connection rod b, the suspension connection mechanism component b is connected to the suspension connection mechanism component a via the suspension connection rod a, and the suspension wheel frame is connected to the suspension connection mechanism component b via two suspension connection rods a.

[0016] Furthermore, the Mecanum wheel is fixed to the suspension wheel frame via a Mecanum wheel connecting rod, and the shock absorber is mounted around the support rod of the suspension wheel frame and the support rod of the suspension fixing component. The Mecanum wheel can move flexibly along the bridge wall, and the shock absorber buffers the vibration impact caused by the unevenness of the bridge wall, ensuring the clarity of the images captured by the camera.

[0017] Furthermore, the structure and function of the suspension system in the climbing module are the same as those in the flight module, both used to achieve adaptive wall contact, flexible movement and shock absorption, ensuring detection stability during wall climbing.

[0018] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this invention are:

[0019] 1. The overall frame of this invention adopts a rectangular hollow shape made of carbon fiber tubes, which can significantly reduce the weight of the whole machine, reduce power consumption, and achieve a longer battery life. On the other hand, it has enough space to install functional components such as sensors and robotic arms for special needs, making it highly expandable.

[0020] 2. This invention adopts a dual-modal structure of flight mode and wall-climbing mode, which has the advantages of flight flexibility of UAV and wall-climbing tightness of wall-climbing robot. It can meet the inspection needs of various types of bridges, and is simple to operate with little manpower required.

[0021] 3. The front of the drone of this invention adopts a double-layer, two-set suspension system, with each set having two Mecanum wheels. This allows the drone to move on both flat and curved surfaces of the pillar. In addition, if it encounters a bumpy or irregular wall, the suspension system can ensure that the entire frame remains level, thus improving the versatility of the drone in various working scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a wall-adaptive dual-modal bridge detection UAV provided by the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the flight mode of a wall-adaptive dual-modal bridge detection UAV provided by the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the wall-adaptive dual-modal bridge detection UAV provided by the present invention, showing its wall-climbing mode on a plane.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the wall-adaptive dual-modal bridge detection UAV on a curved surface, provided by the present invention.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the top adsorption of a wall-adaptive dual-modal bridge detection UAV provided by the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 This is an isometric view of a wall-adaptive dual-modal bridge inspection UAV provided by the present invention.

[0028] In the diagram, 1 is a rubber tire, 2 is a tire carrier, 3 is a rear propeller on the upper part of the frame, 4 is a rear propeller carrier on the upper part of the frame, 5 is a drone control module, 6 is a front propeller on the upper part of the frame, 7 is a front propeller carrier on the upper part of the frame, 8 is a front propeller on the frame, 9 is a front propeller carrier on the frame, 10 is a suspension connecting frame, 11 is a Mecanum wheel, 12 is a suspension positioning rod, 13 is a suspension fixing component, 14 is a suspension center component, 15 is a suspension center block, 16 is a suspension base, 17 is a suspension connecting mechanism component a, 18 is a suspension connecting mechanism component b, 19 is a suspension wheel carrier, 20 is a Mecanum wheel connecting rod, 21 is a suspension connecting rod a, 22 is a suspension connecting rod b, 23 is a shock absorber, 24 is a camera, 25 is a carbon fiber tube, and 26 is an aluminum alloy tube clamp. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The following examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0030] like Figures 1-6 As shown, a wall-adaptive dual-modal bridge inspection drone includes a carbon fiber frame, a flight module, a wall-climbing module, a drone control module, and a camera 24.

[0031] The carbon fiber frame is the main structure of the drone. Its main function is to support and fix all the functional modules and components of the drone, and provide overall structural support and protection. It includes carbon fiber tubes 25 and aluminum alloy tube clamps 26. The carbon fiber tubes 25 are built into a cube shape according to the structure of the drone, and the turning points are connected by aluminum alloy tube clamps 26.

[0032] The flight module is the core component of a drone's ability to fly. It generates lift to lift the drone off the ground and control its attitude and movement in the air. It includes a propeller assembly, a suspension system, and two rubber tires. Specifically:

[0033] The propeller assembly is arranged on the upper part of the carbon fiber frame. Specifically, the propeller assembly includes a rear propeller 3 on the upper part of the frame and a front propeller 6 on the upper part of the frame. The rear propeller 3 on the upper part of the frame and the front propeller 6 on the upper part of the frame are respectively fixed to the carbon fiber tube 25 through the rear propeller frame 4 and the front propeller frame 7 on the upper part of the frame.

[0034] The suspension system is installed at the front of the carbon fiber frame and includes a suspension connecting frame 10, a Mecanum wheel 11, a suspension positioning rod 12, a suspension fixing component 13, a suspension center component 14, a suspension center block 15, a suspension base 16, a suspension connecting mechanism component a17, a suspension connecting mechanism component b18, a suspension wheel frame 19, a Mecanum wheel connecting rod 20, a suspension connecting rod a21, a suspension connecting rod b22, and a shock absorber 23. The suspension system achieves wall adaptive fitting and shock absorption functions through the coordinated connection of various components, making it suitable for complex bridge wall inspection scenarios.

[0035] The suspension connecting frame 10 is fixed to the carbon fiber tube 25 by bolts. The suspension connecting frame 10 serves as the main connection structure between the suspension system and the UAV carbon fiber frame 25. Its function is to transfer the load of the suspension system to the UAV body and provide a stable mounting base. The suspension positioning rod 12 is fixed to the suspension connecting frame 10 and two tightly closed suspension fixing members 13 are inserted through it. The suspension center member 14 is bolted to the suspension fixing member 13. The suspension center block 15 is movably sleeved on the cylindrical rod part of the suspension center member 14 through the center through hole. The suspension base 16 is fixed to the cylindrical rod part.

[0036] Suspension connection mechanism component a17 is connected to suspension center block 15 via suspension connection rod b22, suspension connection mechanism component b18 is connected to suspension connection mechanism component a17 via suspension connection rod a21, and suspension wheel frame 19 is connected to suspension connection mechanism component b18 via two suspension connection rods a21. The linkage mechanism composed of suspension connection mechanism component a17, suspension connection mechanism component b18, suspension connection rod a21, and suspension connection rod b22, in coordination with the relative movement of suspension center component 14 and suspension center block 15, enables the entire suspension system to adaptively deform according to the unevenness of the wall surface, ensuring that the Mecanum wheel 11 always maintains stable and sufficient contact with the wall surface;

[0037] The Mecanum wheel 11 is fixed to the suspension wheel frame 19 via the Mecanum wheel connecting rod 20. The Mecanum wheel 11 is a specially designed wheel with multiple small rollers mounted on its hub. These rollers are at a 45-degree angle to the hub axis. The Mecanum wheel 11 can achieve omnidirectional movement, including forward, backward, lateral translation, and rotation in place, thereby giving the UAV extremely high maneuverability and flexibility on the wall surface, enabling it to accurately adjust its attitude and position to adapt to the wall surface. The shock absorber 23 is wrapped around the support rod of the suspension wheel frame 19 and the support rod of the suspension fixing component 13. The Mecanum wheel 11 achieves flexible movement along the bridge wall surface. The shock absorber 23 buffers the vibration and impact caused by the unevenness of the bridge wall surface, ensuring the clarity of the images captured by the camera 24.

[0038] Two rubber tires 1 are fixed to the upper rear side of the carbon fiber frame via tire brackets 2, providing support and cushioning for the drone when moving on the wall or taking off and landing on the ground.

[0039] The wall-climbing module is a key component for the UAV to attach to and move on the wall. Its design aims to enable the UAV to stably adhere to the vertical or inclined bridge wall and perform inspection operations along the wall. It includes two front propellers 8 and two sets of suspension systems. The two front propellers 8 are fixed to the front of the carbon fiber frame through corresponding front propeller frames 9. The structure and function of the suspension system in the wall-climbing module are the same as those in the flight module. Both are used to achieve adaptive wall adhesion, flexible movement and shock absorption, and ensure the stability of inspection in the wall-climbing state.

[0040] The UAV control module 5 is mounted on the upper part of the carbon fiber frame, slightly to the rear. It is responsible for receiving operation commands, performing attitude control, navigation, and task management functions in flight and climbing modes. It includes a flight control system and a positioning and navigation system. In this embodiment, the flight control system adopts Pixhawk 2.4.8 and the positioning and navigation system adopts M8NGPS. Both the flight control system and the positioning and navigation system are mounted on the frame.

[0041] Camera 24 is mounted on the front of the carbon fiber frame and is used to acquire bridge inspection images. In this embodiment, camera 24 adopts the FCB-EW9500H high-definition camera module.

[0042] The working principle of this invention is as follows:

[0043] First, control the drone to fly to the working bridge wall. Then, control the drone to attach to the column wall (assuming the wall is flat) and move on the wall to detect bridge cracks, bridge defects, etc. After that, control the drone to rise to the horizontal wall behind the main body of the bridge and attach to the top. Move on it for further detection. After completing the bridge inspection, control the drone to fly back.

[0044] For the flight module, when the work begins, the UAV control module 5 issues a control command to control the rotation of the upper rear propeller 3 and the upper front propeller 6 of the frame, so that the UAV takes off and controls its speed to fly to the working wall. When the work is finished, the UAV returns to the operator in the same way. When the UAV performs top adsorption, the rubber tires 1 and Mecanum wheels 11 of the flight module move along the horizontal wall under the rotation control of the propeller 8 at the front of the frame to perform detection work.

[0045] For the wall-climbing module, when working on the column wall, the UAV control module 5 issues a control command to control the front propeller 8 of the frame to rotate, generating negative pressure and providing suction force near the wall, so that the Mecanum wheels 11 on the two sets of suspension systems are in close contact with the wall. When the UAV control module 5 controls the upper rear propeller 3 and the upper front propeller 6 of the frame to rotate, causing the UAV to rise, the Mecanum wheels 11 move on the wall. The suspension system adjusts itself according to the wall condition to keep the UAV level and complete the column wall inspection work.

[0046] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wall-adaptive dual-modal bridge inspection UAV, comprising a carbon fiber frame, a flight module, a wall-climbing module, a UAV control module, and a camera (24), characterized in that: The carbon fiber frame includes a carbon fiber tube (25) and an aluminum alloy tube clamp (26). The carbon fiber tube (25) is constructed into a cube shape according to the structure of the UAV, and its turning points are connected by the aluminum alloy tube clamp (26). The flight module includes a propeller assembly, a suspension system and two rubber tires (1). The propeller assembly is arranged on the upper part of the carbon fiber frame, the suspension system is installed at the front of the carbon fiber frame, and the two rubber tires (1) are fixed to the rear side of the upper part of the carbon fiber frame by tire brackets (2). The climbing module includes two front propellers (8) and two sets of suspension systems. The two front propellers (8) are fixed to the front of the carbon fiber frame by corresponding front propeller frames (9). The UAV control module (5) is mounted on the upper part of the carbon fiber frame, slightly towards the rear. The camera (24) is mounted on the front of the carbon fiber frame and is used to acquire bridge inspection images.

2. The wall-adaptive dual-modal bridge inspection UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that, The propeller assembly includes a rear propeller (3) on the upper part of the frame and a front propeller (6) on the upper part of the frame. The rear propeller (3) on the upper part of the frame and the front propeller (6) on the upper part of the frame are respectively fixed on the carbon fiber tube (25) through the rear propeller frame (4) on the upper part of the frame and the front propeller frame (7) on the upper part of the frame.

3. The wall-adaptive dual-modal bridge inspection UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that, The suspension system in the flight module includes a suspension connecting frame (10), a Mecanum wheel (11), a suspension positioning rod (12), a suspension fixing component (13), a suspension center component (14), a suspension center block (15), a suspension base (16), a suspension connecting mechanism component a (17), a suspension connecting mechanism component b (18), a suspension wheel frame (19), a Mecanum wheel connecting rod (20), a suspension connecting rod a (21), a suspension connecting rod b (22), and a shock absorber (23). The suspension system achieves wall adaptive fitting and shock absorption functions through the coordinated connection of each component, adapting to the complex wall detection scenario of bridges.

4. The wall-adaptive dual-modal bridge inspection UAV according to claim 3, characterized in that, The suspension connecting frame (10) is fixed to the carbon fiber tube (25) by bolts. The suspension positioning rod (12) is fixed to the suspension connecting frame (10) and two tightly closed suspension fixing components (13) are inserted through it. The suspension center component (14) is bolted to the suspension fixing component (13). The suspension center block (15) is movably sleeved on the cylindrical rod part of the suspension center component (14) through the central through hole. The suspension base (16) is fixed to the cylindrical rod part.

5. The wall-adaptive dual-modal bridge inspection UAV according to claim 3, characterized in that, The suspension connecting mechanism component a (17) is connected to the suspension center block (15) through the suspension connecting rod b (22), the suspension connecting mechanism component b (18) is connected to the suspension connecting mechanism component a (17) through the suspension connecting rod a (21), and the suspension wheel frame (19) is connected to the suspension connecting mechanism component b (18) through two suspension connecting rods a (21).

6. The wall-adaptive dual-modal bridge inspection UAV according to claim 3, characterized in that, The Mecanum wheel (11) is fixed to the suspension wheel frame (19) via the Mecanum wheel connecting rod (20). The shock absorber (23) is wound around the support rod of the suspension wheel frame (19) and the support rod of the suspension fixing component (13). The Mecanum wheel (11) can move flexibly along the bridge wall. The shock absorber (23) buffers the vibration impact caused by the unevenness of the bridge wall, ensuring the clarity of the image captured by the camera (24).

7. The wall-adaptive dual-modal bridge inspection UAV according to claim 6, characterized in that, The structure and function of the suspension system in the climbing module are the same as those in the flight module. Both are used to achieve adaptive wall contact, flexible movement, and shock absorption, ensuring the stability of detection during wall climbing.

8. The wall-adaptive dual-modal bridge inspection UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that, The UAV control module (5) includes a flight control system and a positioning and navigation system.

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