An adaptive curved surface welding seam detection robot

Abstract

The application provides a self-adaptive curved surface welding seam detection robot, and belongs to the technical field of welding detection. The robot comprises a robot body and a detection mechanism. The detection mechanism comprises a mounting bracket, a first rotating part, a second rotating part, a detection assembly and an elastic part. The detection assembly, the second rotating part and the first rotating part are sequentially stacked along a first direction. The first rotating part is provided with a first axis extending along a second direction. The first rotating part and the second rotating part are rotationally connected around the first axis. The second rotating part is provided with a second axis extending along a third direction. The second rotating part and the detection assembly are rotationally connected around the second axis. One end of the elastic part is connected with the first rotating part, and the other end is connected with the detection assembly. In this way, through the design of double orthogonal axis rotation, the elastic flexible supporting structure and the compact stacked layout, the high adaptability, high accuracy and high stability requirements of self-adaptive curved surface welding seam detection are realized, and the core technical requirements of industrial curved surface workpiece welding seam detection are fully met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of weld inspection technology, and in particular relates to a weld inspection robot with adaptive curved surfaces. Background Technology

[0002] In industries such as petrochemicals, wind power equipment, and aerospace, the weld quality of curved workpieces (e.g., pressure vessel cylinders, pipe elbows, wind turbine blade flanges) directly determines the operational safety and service life of the equipment. Therefore, the demand for high-precision and highly adaptable testing of curved welds is becoming increasingly urgent.

[0003] In traditional techniques, the inspection of curved welds often relies on manual visual observation or manual operation with portable inspection equipment such as radiographic testing, ultrasonic testing, and magnetic flux leakage testing. This has significant limitations: high labor intensity, extremely low efficiency, and the inspection results are greatly affected by the experience of the personnel and have poor accuracy. The inspection equipment is not portable enough and is difficult to adapt to complex curved surfaces, especially when working at heights or in confined spaces, which poses extremely high safety risks.

[0004] In related technologies, the use of drones to carry inspection equipment is used to improve inspection efficiency and reduce safety risks. However, the drone-borne inspection equipment scheme has obvious defects: First, the attitude adjustment capability of the inspection mechanism is insufficient. Most of them are rigid structures with a single degree of freedom, which cannot adaptively adjust the detection angle to follow the complex curvature of the area where the weld is located on the curved surface. This easily leads to problems such as uneven contact gap and blind spots, making it difficult to guarantee inspection accuracy. Second, the contact mechanism is unreasonable. The rigid contact between the inspection equipment and the curved workpiece can easily damage the sensor and the workpiece surface. Single-point elastic pressure can easily lead to force imbalance and attitude deviation of the detection components, making it impossible to achieve tight contact with the weld surface. Third, the structural layout is loose and the volume is large. The dispersed arrangement of various components leads to chaotic torque transmission, making it easy for the inspection equipment to interfere with the workpiece in the narrow curved space. It is impossible to flexibly adjust the detection attitude and has poor spatial adaptability. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides an adaptive surface weld inspection robot to at least solve the above-mentioned problems in related technologies.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution: a weld inspection robot comprising:

[0007] The robot body is used to move on the surface of curved workpieces;

[0008] The detection mechanism includes a mounting bracket, a first rotating component, a second rotating component, a detection component, and an elastic component. One side of the mounting bracket is fixedly connected to the robot body, and the other side is fixedly connected to the first rotating component. The detection component, the second rotating component, and the first rotating component are stacked sequentially along a first direction.

[0009] The first rotating component is provided with a first axis extending along a second direction, and the first rotating component and the second rotating component are rotatably connected around the first axis. The second rotating component is provided with a second axis extending along a third direction, and the second rotating component is rotatably connected to the detection component around the second axis.

[0010] One end of the elastic element is connected to the first rotating element, and the other end passes through the second rotating element and is connected to the detection assembly. The generated elastic force drives the detection assembly to flexibly resist the curved workpiece.

[0011] The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0012] In some alternative embodiments, there are multiple elastic elements, which are arranged circumferentially at intervals about the center line of the first rotating element.

[0013] In some alternative implementations, each elastic element is inclined relative to the centerline of the first rotating element;

[0014] One end of each elastic element extends toward the center line of the first rotating element, and the other end extends toward the center line of the first rotating element.

[0015] In some alternative implementations, the first axis and the second axis are arranged in the same plane.

[0016] In some alternative embodiments, the first rotating member includes:

[0017] The rotating plate is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket.

[0018] Two first side plates are disposed on the side of the rotating plate facing the second rotating component, and are spaced apart along the second direction;

[0019] The second rotating component is located between the two first side plates and is rotatably connected to the two first side plates.

[0020] In some alternative implementations, the detection component includes:

[0021] The weld seam detection sensor is electrically connected to the control box of the robot body.

[0022] The weld detection sensor is connected to the side of the connecting plate opposite to the second rotating component.

[0023] Two second side plates are located on the side of the connecting plate facing the second rotating member and are spaced apart along a third direction. The second rotating member is located between the two second side plates and is rotatably connected to the two second side plates.

[0024] In some optional implementations, the detection mechanism further includes a camera component electrically connected to the control box of the robot body. The camera component and the detection component are arranged at intervals along a first direction and are fixedly connected to the robot body via a mounting bracket. The camera component is used to monitor the detection status of the detection component in real time.

[0025] In some alternative implementations, the detection mechanism further includes a linear lifting assembly electrically connected to the control box of the robot body, and the mounting bracket is connected to the robot body through the linear lifting assembly, which is used to drive the detection mechanism to move along a first direction.

[0026] In some alternative implementations, the robot body includes:

[0027] The frame is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket;

[0028] Adsorption components are installed on the side of the frame facing the curved workpiece to form an adsorption force between the components and the curved workpiece.

[0029] The traveling assembly is mounted on the side of the frame facing the curved workpiece and is used to drive the frame to travel along the surface of the curved workpiece.

[0030] Energy storage device, mounted on the frame and electrically connected to the walking assembly;

[0031] The control box is mounted on the rack, and the detection components and energy storage components are electrically connected to the control box.

[0032] In some alternative implementations, the robot body also includes a weld seam tracking sensor, which is mounted on the side of the robot body facing the curved workpiece and electrically connected to the energy storage device and control box.

[0033] In the aforementioned adaptive curved surface weld inspection robot, on the one hand, by setting a dual-axis rotation structure of the first and second rotating components, with the first axis extending along the second direction and the second axis extending along the third direction, and the first, second, and third directions being perpendicular to each other, the detection component has rotational degrees of freedom in two orthogonal directions, enabling it to adaptively adjust its posture according to the curvature changes of the surface under test. On the other hand, through the structural design of an elastic element connecting the first rotating component at one end and passing through the second rotating component to connect to the detection component, the elastic force of the elastic element drives the detection component to flexibly resist the curved workpiece, avoiding problems such as wear and detection signal distortion caused by hard contact between the detection component and the curved workpiece, while ensuring that the detection component and the weld surface are always in close contact, significantly improving the accuracy of the detection data. Furthermore, through the compact layout of the detection component, the second rotating component, and the first rotating component stacked sequentially along the first direction, the space occupied is smaller. Combined with the orthogonal constraint of the dual axes, the spatial structure of the inspection mechanism is more regular, the torque transmission path is clearer, and it is conducive to the flexible adjustment of the posture of the detection component in the narrow curved space. Thus, through the dual orthogonal axis rotation design, elastic and flexible support structure, and compact stacking layout, the high adaptability, high accuracy, and high stability requirements of adaptive curved surface weld inspection are achieved, fully meeting the core technical demands of weld inspection for industrial curved surface workpieces.

[0034] It should be understood that the description in this section is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of this application, nor is it intended to limit the scope of this application. Other features of this application will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0035] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of exemplary embodiments of this application will become readily apparent upon reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. Several embodiments of this application are illustrated in the drawings by way of example and not limitation, in which:

[0036] In the accompanying drawings, the same or corresponding reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

[0037] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the adaptive surface weld inspection robot in an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0038] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a testing institution;

[0039] Figure 3 It shows Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the robot's main body;

[0040] Figure 4 It shows Figure 3A bottom view of the frame structure, including a portion of the central frame, the suction components, and the drive wheel assembly.

[0041] The following are the labeling instructions in the diagram: 11. Robot body; 111. Frame; 112. Adsorption component; 113. Walking component; 1131. Driven wheel assembly; 1132. Drive wheel assembly; 11321. Drive wheel; 11322. Drive component; 114. Energy storage component; 115. Control box; 116. Weld seam tracking sensor; 12. Detection mechanism; 121. Mounting bracket; 122. First rotating component; 1221. Rotating plate; 1222. First side plate; 123. Second rotating component; 1231. Avoidance area; 124. Detection component; 1241. Weld seam detection sensor; 1242. Connecting plate; 1243. Second side plate; 125. Elastic component; 126. Camera component; 127. Linear lifting component. Detailed Implementation

[0042] To make the objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0043] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used to rearrange, add, or delete steps. For example, the steps described in this application can be executed in parallel, sequentially, or in different orders, as long as the desired result of the technical solution of this application can be achieved, and this is not limited herein.

[0044] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0045] In industries such as petrochemicals, wind power equipment, and aerospace, the weld quality of curved workpieces (e.g., pressure vessel shells, pipe elbows, wind turbine blade flanges) directly determines the operational safety and service life of the equipment. Therefore, the demand for high-precision and highly adaptable inspection of curved welds is increasingly urgent. In traditional technologies, the inspection of curved welds mostly relies on manual visual observation or manual operation with portable inspection equipment such as radiographic testing, ultrasonic testing, and magnetic flux leakage testing. This has significant limitations: high labor intensity, extremely low efficiency, and the inspection results are greatly affected by the experience of the personnel and have poor accuracy. The inspection equipment is not portable enough and cannot be adapted to complex curved surfaces, especially when working at heights or in confined spaces, posing extremely high safety risks.

[0046] For example, the curved workpiece can be a wind turbine tower. As the core supporting component of a wind turbine, the structural safety of the tower directly affects the normal operation and sustained benefits of the turbine. The quality and health of the tower are crucial for ensuring the safe operation of wind power equipment, avoiding structural failures, and extending its service life. Regular tower inspections can detect potential defects or damage early, preventing accidents, downtime, and increased maintenance costs caused by tower failure, thereby ensuring the reliability and economic benefits of wind power projects. Currently, inspections are typically conducted manually by climbing the wind turbine tower and visually observing or using X-ray, ultrasonic, or magnetic flux leakage testing equipment. This method is inefficient and prone to safety accidents.

[0047] In related technologies, the use of drones to carry inspection equipment is used to improve inspection efficiency and reduce safety risks. However, the drone-borne inspection equipment solution has obvious defects: First, the inspection mechanism has insufficient attitude adjustment capability, and most are rigid structures with a single degree of freedom. They cannot flexibly adjust the detection angle to follow the complex curvature of curved welds, which easily leads to problems such as uneven contact gaps and blind spots, making it difficult to guarantee inspection accuracy. Second, the contact mechanism is unreasonable. The rigid contact between the inspection equipment and the curved workpiece can easily damage the sensor and the workpiece surface. Single-point elastic pressure can easily cause the detection components to be unbalanced and deviate in attitude, making it impossible to achieve a tight fit with the weld surface. Third, the structural layout is loose and the volume is large. The dispersed arrangement of various components leads to chaotic torque transmission, making it easy for the inspection equipment to interfere with the workpiece in a narrow curved space. It is impossible to flexibly adjust the detection attitude and has poor spatial adaptability.

[0048] To address the aforementioned issues, this application employs a dual-axis rotation structure with a first rotating component and a second rotating component. The first axis extends along a second direction, and the second axis extends along a third direction, with the first, second, and third directions being perpendicular to each other. This provides the detection component with rotational freedom in two orthogonal directions, enabling it to adaptively adjust its posture in response to changes in the curvature of the surface under test. Furthermore, this application utilizes a structure where one end of an elastic element connects to the first rotating component, and the other end passes through the second rotating component to connect to the detection component. This design leverages the elastic force of the elastic element to allow the detection component to flexibly resist the curved workpiece, avoiding sensor wear and signal distortion caused by hard contact between the detection component and the workpiece. Simultaneously, it ensures that the detection component remains in close contact with the weld surface, significantly improving the accuracy of the detection data. Finally, this application features a compact layout where the detection component, the second rotating component, and the first rotating component are stacked sequentially along the first direction, resulting in a smaller footprint. Combined with the orthogonal constraint of the dual axes, this creates a more regular spatial structure for the detection mechanism, a clearer torque transmission path, and facilitates flexible posture control of the detection component within a confined curved space.

[0049] The various embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0050] For ease of explanation, this application is in Figure 1 A three-dimensional rectangular coordinate system is added. The direction of the Z-axis is the first direction, which is the stacking direction of the detection component 124, the second rotating component 123 and the first rotating component 122. The direction of the Y-axis is the second direction, which is the extension direction of the first axis. The direction of the X-axis is the third direction, which is the extension direction of the second axis. The first direction, the second direction and the third direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0051] Combination Figure 1In some embodiments, this application provides an adaptive curved surface weld inspection robot, which includes a robot body 11 and an inspection mechanism 12. The robot body 11 is a wall-climbing robot and can walk on the surface of a curved workpiece. The inspection mechanism 12 includes a mounting bracket 121, a first rotating member 122, a second rotating member 123, a detection component 124, and an elastic member 125. One side of the mounting bracket 121 is fixedly connected to the robot body 11, and the other side is fixedly connected to the first rotating member 122. The detection component 124, the second rotating member 123, and the first rotating member 124 are all connected to the robot body 11. A rotating component 122 is stacked sequentially along a first direction; the first rotating component 122 has a first axis extending along a second direction, and the first rotating component 122 and the second rotating component 123 are rotatably connected around the first axis. The second rotating component 123 has a second axis extending along a third direction, and the second rotating component 123 is rotatably connected to the detection component 124 around the second axis. One end of the elastic component 125 is connected to the first rotating component 122, and the other end passes through the second rotating component 123 and is connected to the detection component 124. The elastic force generated drives the detection component 124 to flexibly resist the curved workpiece. For example, the elastic component 125 can be a spring.

[0052] In the aforementioned adaptive surface weld inspection robot, on the one hand, by setting a dual-axis rotation structure of the first rotating member 122 and the second rotating member 123, with the first axis extending along the second direction and the second axis extending along the third direction, and the first, second, and third directions being perpendicular to each other, the detection component 124 has rotational degrees of freedom in two orthogonal directions, enabling it to adaptively adjust its posture according to the curvature change of the surface to be measured; on the other hand, through the structural design of the elastic member 125, one end of which is connected to the first rotating member 122 and the other end passes through the second rotating member 123 to connect to the detection component 124, the elastic force of the elastic member 125 is used to drive... By flexibly abutting the probe component 124 against the curved workpiece, problems such as wear and signal distortion caused by hard contact between the probe component 124 and the curved workpiece are avoided. At the same time, it ensures that the probe component 124 is always in close contact with the weld surface, significantly improving the accuracy of the detection data. On the other hand, the compact layout of the probe component 124, the second rotating component 123, and the first rotating component 122 stacked sequentially along the first direction occupies less space. Combined with the orthogonal constraint of the dual axes, the spatial structure of the detection mechanism 12 is more regular, the torque transmission path is clearer, and it is also conducive to the flexible adjustment of the posture of the probe component 124 in the narrow curved space. Thus, through the dual orthogonal axis rotation design, the elastic flexible abutment structure, and the compact stacked layout, the high adaptability, high accuracy, and high stability requirements of adaptive curved weld detection are achieved, fully meeting the core technical requirements of industrial curved workpiece weld detection.

[0053] Combination Figure 1In some embodiments, there are multiple elastic elements 125, which are arranged circumferentially around the center line of the first rotating element 122. Thus, by arranging the multiple elastic elements 125 circumferentially around the center line of the first rotating element 122, the elastic force is evenly distributed along the circumference of the first rotating element 122, ensuring force balance when the detection component 124 abuts against the curved workpiece. Simultaneously, the circumferentially spaced arrangement of the multiple elastic elements 125 forms a multi-directional synergistic elastic force. When the curvature of the curved workpiece changes abruptly, the deformation can be adjusted synchronously to buffer the impact force, avoiding attitude loss of control caused by concentrated force on a single elastic element 125. This achieves a simultaneous improvement in the force balance and attitude stability of the detection component 124.

[0054] It should be noted that the elastic element 125 also has a suspension and stabilization function: when the first rotating element 122, the second rotating element 123 and the detection component 124 are in a suspended state, the elastic element 125 can generate a uniform elastic tension. Through multi-directional coordinated tension, the gravity and inertial force of each component are balanced, so that the three maintain a relatively fixed and stable posture, avoiding posture loss due to suspension, and laying a stable foundation for subsequent precise fitting and inspection of curved workpieces.

[0055] Combination Figure 1 In some embodiments, each elastic member 125 is inclined relative to the center line of the first rotating member 122, with one end of each elastic member 125 extending toward the center line of the first rotating member 122 and the other end extending toward the center line of the first rotating member 122; specifically, the center line of the first rotating member 122 is a straight line that passes through the intersection of the first axis and the second axis and extends along the first direction.

[0056] Thus, by tilting each elastic element 125 relative to the centerline of the first rotating element 122, the space occupied by the elastic element 125 can be significantly reduced while ensuring that the elastic element 125 has sufficient elastic deformation space to provide stable and flexible support force. At the same time, by setting one end of each elastic element 125 to extend towards the centerline and the other end to extend away from the centerline, the force on the detection component 124 when it swings around the first axis and around the second axis can be evenly distributed. When the detection component 124 rotates around either axis to adapt to the curvature of the curved surface, the proximal and distal ends of the elastic element 125 can simultaneously generate matching tensile or compressive deformation, so that the elastic force can be accurately decomposed into the auxiliary adjustment force in the corresponding swing direction and the normal support force perpendicular to the contact surface. This force distribution method can ensure that the detection component 124 can obtain stable and balanced elastic support when rotating in two orthogonal directions, ensuring constant contact pressure and significantly improving the accuracy of detection data.

[0057] Combination Figure 1In some preferred embodiments, the number of elastic elements 125 is 2-6, and the angle between each elastic element 125 and the center line of the first rotating element 122 is 30°-60°. Specifically, the number of elastic elements 125 is 4, and the four corner regions of the second rotating element 123 are provided with avoidance regions 1231. Each elastic element 125 passes through a corresponding avoidance region 1231, and the angle between each elastic element 125 and the center line of the first rotating element 122 is 45°.

[0058] Thus, on the one hand, limiting the number of elastic elements 125 to 2-6 avoids uneven force distribution caused by too few elements, and also avoids structural redundancy and increased costs caused by too many elements; preferably, 4 elastic elements 125 can be matched with the four corners of the second rotating element 123 to form a symmetrical cross distribution, so that the elastic force is evenly radiated and transmitted, enhancing the force balance of the bidirectional swing of the detection component 124 and ensuring a stable fitting posture; on the other hand, the angle between the center line of the elastic element 125 and the center line of the first rotating element 122 is limited to 30°-60°, precisely balancing the normal contact force. With tangential adjustment force; the preferred 45° included angle can make the two-way component force equal, achieving the optimal synergy between flexible fit and flexible adjustment, improving the accuracy and efficiency of posture adjustment, and solving the problem of unstable adaptation caused by the lack of quantification of traditional included angles; on the other hand, the four corners of the second rotating component 123 have avoidance areas 1231, so that the elastic component 125 can be connected through, which not only avoids spatial interference and reserves sufficient deformation space to ensure elastic stability, but also compacts the layout to compress the overall volume and enhances the adaptability of narrow spaces; at the same time, it does not affect the rotational connection strength and ensures structural rigidity.

[0059] Combination Figure 1 In some embodiments, the second rotating member 123 is a plate-shaped structure, and a plurality of clearance areas 1231 are provided in the circumferential area of ​​the second rotating member 123. The number of clearance areas 1231 is the same as the number of elastic members 125, and the middle part of the elastic member 125 passes through the clearance area 1231 and is inserted into the second rotating member 123.

[0060] Combination Figure 1 In some embodiments, the first axis and the second axis are coplanar; that is, the first axis and the second axis are perpendicular and intersecting, and their intersection point is the center point of the swing of the detection component 124 around the first axis and the swing of the second axis. The intersection point is located on the extension line of the center line of the first rotating member 122, and the detection area of ​​the detection component 124 is located in the extension direction of the center line of the first rotating member 122.

[0061] Thus, on the one hand, the first axis and the second axis are set in the same plane, so that the two orthogonal axes form a unique intersection point. All rotational movements of the detection component 124 around the two axes are carried out around this center point. This design solves the defects of the detection mechanism 12's dispersed rotation center and chaotic torque transmission, realizes precise constraint on rotational degrees of freedom, avoids disordered deflection of the detection component 124, ensures the controllability of posture adjustment, and ensures that the weld detection sensor 1241 is always aligned with the weld detection area. When the center point of the detection component 124 swinging around the first axis is inconsistent with the center point of the swinging around the second axis, the detection component 124 will deviate from the weld during the swinging process, resulting in detection failure and a decrease in detection accuracy. On the other hand, the coplanar design of the two axes strictly limits the swinging space of the detection component 124, greatly reduces the overall motion profile of the detection mechanism 12, and avoids interference between the detection component 124 and the curved workpiece or robot body 11 due to excessive swinging. It is especially suitable for weld detection operations in narrow curved spaces such as inside pipes and equipment cavities, effectively expanding the applicable scenarios of the robot.

[0062] Combination Figure 2 In some embodiments, the first rotating member 122 includes a rotating plate 1221 and two first side plates 1222; the rotating plate 1221 is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket 121; the two first side plates 1222 are disposed on the side of the rotating plate 1221 facing the second rotating member 123 and are spaced apart along the second direction; the second rotating member 123 is located between the two first side plates 1222 and is rotatably connected to the two first side plates 1222. Preferably, the second rotating member 123 is rotatably connected to the corresponding first side plate 1222 on both sides of the second direction via bearings.

[0063] Thus, by providing double-sided rotational support for the second rotating component 123 through the two first side plates 1222, the rotational stability of the second rotating component 123 relative to the rotating plate 1221 is greatly improved, avoiding offset and jamming when the detection component 124 and the second rotating component 123 rotate around the first axis, ensuring that the detection component 124 is always aligned with the detection area of ​​the curved workpiece; at the same time, by setting the second rotating component 123 between the two first side plates 1222, a compact stacked structure is formed between the second rotating component 123 and the rotating plate 1221. This stacked structure is simple and regular, occupies less space, and is conducive to the miniaturization design of the detection mechanism, thereby improving the adaptability of the detection mechanism to narrow curved space.

[0064] Combination Figure 2In some embodiments, the detection assembly 124 includes a weld seam detection sensor 1241, a connecting plate 1242, and two second side plates 1243. The weld seam detection sensor 1241 is electrically connected to the control box 115 of the robot body 11. The weld seam detection sensor 1241 is connected to the side of the connecting plate 1242 facing away from the second rotating member 123. The two second side plates 1243 are disposed on the side of the connecting plate 1242 facing the second rotating member 123 and are spaced apart along a third direction. The second rotating member 123 is located between the two second side plates 1243 and is rotatably connected to the two second side plates 1243. Exemplarily, the weld seam detection sensor 1241 can be an ultrasonic detection sensor or a magnetic flux leakage detection sensor.

[0065] Thus, by providing double-sided rotational support for the second rotating component 123 through the two second side plates 1243, the rotational stability of the detection component 124 relative to the second rotating component 123 is greatly improved, avoiding deviation or jamming when the detection component 124 rotates around the second axis, and ensuring that the weld detection sensor 1241 is always accurately aligned with the detection area; and by setting the second rotating component 123 between the two second side plates 1243, a compact stacked structure is formed between the connecting plate 1242 of the detection component 124, the second side plates 1243 and the second rotating component 123. This stacked structure is simple and regular, occupies less space, further contributing to the miniaturization design of the detection mechanism, thereby improving the adaptability of the detection mechanism to narrow curved space.

[0066] Combination Figure 2 In some embodiments, the detection mechanism 12 further includes a camera assembly 126, which is electrically connected to the control box 115 of the robot body 11. The camera assembly 126 and the detection assembly 124 are arranged at intervals along a first direction and are fixedly connected to the robot body 11 via a mounting bracket 121. The camera assembly 126 is used to monitor the detection status of the detection assembly 124 in real time. For example, the camera assembly 126 can be a camera.

[0067] Thus, the weld is directly inspected by the detection component 124, while the camera component 126 is arranged at intervals along the first direction and fixed by the mounting bracket 121, allowing real-time monitoring of the detection status of the detection component 124. This forms a redundant design combining weld inspection and inspection status monitoring, providing dual assurance for the inspection results. On the one hand, this redundant design can capture problems such as the attitude deviation of the detection component 124 and abnormal contact gap with the weld in real time, avoiding distortion of the inspection results caused by malfunction of the detection component 124 and timely compensating for any omissions that may occur in the inspection of a single detection component 124. On the other hand... On the one hand, the camera component 126 is electrically connected to the control box 115, which can feed the monitoring image back to the control terminal in real time, making it convenient for staff to check the effectiveness of the detection process simultaneously. When an abnormality occurs, the root cause of the problem can be quickly traced, further improving the credibility and traceability of the detection results. On the other hand, the camera component 126 is fixed to the robot body 11 through the mounting bracket 121, ensuring that the relative position with the detection component 124 is constant, ensuring a stable monitoring perspective, and avoiding the impact of its own position shift on the monitoring effect. This ensures that the dual guarantee function of the redundant design is stably implemented, effectively improving the reliability and accuracy of curved weld seam detection.

[0068] Specifically, the detection status of the detection component 124 includes the fit gap between the detection component 124 and the weld, the probe orientation angle, the cleanliness of the probe surface, and whether the posture is deviated.

[0069] Combination Figure 2 In some embodiments, the detection mechanism 12 further includes a linear lifting assembly 127. The mounting bracket 121 is connected to the robot body 11 via the linear lifting assembly 127, which drives the detection mechanism 12 to move along a first direction. For example, the linear lifting assembly 127 can be an electrically operated telescopic rod.

[0070] Thus, by adding a linear lifting component 127, the mounting bracket 121 is connected to the robot body 11 through it, which can drive the detection mechanism 12 to move along the first direction, thereby adjusting the height of the detection component 124. The linear lifting component 127 can compensate for the positional changes of the detection component 124 relative to the curved workpiece caused by the undulation of the curved surface in real time, ensuring that the detection component 124 and the curved workpiece are always in contact, avoiding the distortion of the detection signal caused by the positional fluctuation of the detection component 124 relative to the curved workpiece, thereby further improving the detection accuracy.

[0071] In some preferred embodiments, the linear lifting assembly 127 has a built-in pressure sensor to more accurately detect whether the detection assembly 124 of the detection mechanism 12 has moved into place. Specifically, the pressure sensor is located between the linear lifting assembly 127 and the mounting bracket 121 and is electrically connected to the control box 115 of the robot body 11 to provide real-time feedback on the contact pressure between the detection assembly 124 mounted on the mounting bracket 121 and the curved workpiece, thereby maintaining the contact pressure within the optimal detection range. This avoids both insufficient pressure leading to loose contact and excessive pressure causing damage to the detection assembly 124 or the surface of the curved workpiece.

[0072] Combination Figure 3 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the robot body 11 includes a frame 111, an adsorption component 112, a walking assembly 113, an energy storage component 114, and a control box 115. The frame 111 is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket 121. The adsorption component 112 is mounted on the side of the frame 111 facing the curved workpiece to form an adsorption force with the curved workpiece. The walking assembly 113 is mounted on the side of the frame 111 facing the curved workpiece to drive the frame 111 to walk along the surface of the curved workpiece. The energy storage component 114 is mounted on the frame 111 and electrically connected to the walking assembly 113. The control box 115 is mounted on the frame 111, and both the detection assembly 124 and the energy storage component 114 are electrically connected to the control box 115. Exemplarily, the adsorption component 112 can be a magnet (e.g., a permanent magnet or an electromagnet) or a vacuum suction cup.

[0073] Thus, through the integrated design of the frame 111, adsorption component 112, walking component 113, energy storage component 114, and control box 115 in the robot body 11, the components work together to provide a reliable guarantee for the stable detection of the detection component 124, effectively solving problems such as unstable equipment movement, insufficient battery life, and control disconnection in curved surface detection. On the one hand, the adsorption component 112 is installed on the side of the frame 111 facing the curved workpiece, which can form a stable adsorption force with the curved workpiece, ensuring that the frame 111 is firmly fixed on the curved surface (e.g., a vertical curved surface or an inverted curved surface), avoiding slippage and falling during the detection process, greatly improving operational safety and detection stability, and ensuring precise bonding and welding of the detection component 124. The weld seam provides basic support; on the other hand, the walking component 113 is adapted to the frame 111 and drives the frame 111 to walk along the curved surface. With the precise control of the walking trajectory by the control box 115, the detection component 124 can be driven to move continuously along the weld seam trajectory, realizing full-length, automated detection of curved weld seams, replacing the traditional manual movement detection method, and significantly improving detection efficiency. At the same time, the energy storage component 114 supplies power to the walking component 113, ensuring the continuous operation capability of the equipment and avoiding frequent power outages that affect the continuity of detection. The control box 115 coordinates and connects the detection component 124, the energy storage component 114, etc., to realize the coordinated control of detection, walking, and power supply, ensuring that the actions of each component are synchronized, and further improving the detection accuracy.

[0074] Combination Figure 3 In some preferred embodiments, the walking assembly 113 includes two sets of drive wheel assemblies 1132 and two sets of driven wheel assemblies 1131; the two sets of drive wheel assemblies 1132 are respectively mounted on opposite sides of the frame 111 in a third direction; the two sets of driven wheel assemblies 1131 are respectively mounted on opposite sides of the frame 111 in a third direction, and the drive wheel assemblies 1132 and driven wheel assemblies 1131 are arranged at intervals along a second direction.

[0075] In some specific embodiments, tracks are fitted between a set of drive wheel assemblies 1132 and a set of driven wheel assemblies 1131 on one side of the frame 111 in a third direction, and between a set of drive wheel assemblies 1132 and a set of driven wheel assemblies 1131 on the other side of the frame 111 in a third direction.

[0076] Combination Figure 4 In some specific embodiments, the driven wheel assembly 1131 is a universal wheel assembly, and the drive wheel assembly 1132 includes a drive wheel 11321 and a drive member 11322. The drive member 11322 is mounted on the frame 111 and connected to the drive wheel 11321. The drive member 11322 is used to drive the drive wheel 11321 to rotate. The two sets of drive members 11322 achieve steering action by driving the two drive wheels 11321 to rotate at different speeds. For example, the drive member 11322 can be a geared motor.

[0077] Combination Figure 3 In some embodiments, the robot body 11 also includes a weld seam tracking sensor 116, which is mounted on the side of the robot body 11 facing the curved workpiece and is electrically connected to the energy storage device 114 and the control box 115.

[0078] Thus, on the one hand, by adding a weld seam tracking sensor 116 to the robot body 11 and installing it on the side facing the curved workpiece, the weld seam position information can be collected in real time and fed back to the control box 115. The control box 115 drives the drive wheel assembly 1132 to adjust the path, ensuring that the detection assembly 124 is always aligned with the weld seam. On the other hand, the weld seam tracking sensor 116 is electrically connected to the energy storage device 114 and the control box 115 to achieve stable power supply and real-time signal transmission, ensuring tracking accuracy. At the same time, the position data collected by the sensor and the detection data of the detection assembly 124 complement each other. Through dual verification of positioning and detection, the problem of detection failure caused by position deviation in traditional detection is solved, and the reliability of detection results is improved. Furthermore, the weld seam tracking sensor 116 enables the robot to have autonomous seam finding capability, eliminating the need for manual pre-marking of weld seams. This solves the problem of low efficiency caused by manual marking in traditional detection, reducing the intensity of manual labor and improving the degree of automation in detection.

[0079] For example, the weld seam tracking sensor 116 can be a laser vision tracking sensor, an infrared vision tracking sensor, or an ultrasonic tracking sensor; among them, the laser vision tracking sensor, with its high-precision imaging advantage, is suitable for weld seam positioning in complex industrial environments such as strong light and dust, and can clearly identify the weld seam outline and output accurate coordinates; the infrared vision tracking sensor can be adapted to low temperature and low light conditions, is not affected by the reflection of the workpiece surface, and is suitable for weld seam tracking at night or in confined spaces; the ultrasonic tracking sensor is suitable for extreme environments such as high temperature and high radiation, and locates the weld seam position by sound wave reflection, which is suitable for detection scenarios that are not friendly to optical sensors.

[0080] It should be noted that the energy storage device 114 is electrically connected to the control box 115 and supplies power to the control box 115; the drive wheel assembly 1132, the weld seam tracking sensor 116, the weld seam detection sensor 1241, the camera assembly 126, and the linear lifting assembly 127 are all electrically connected to the energy storage device 114 and the control box 115 respectively. The energy storage device 114 provides working power to each component, and the control box 115 coordinates the operation of each component.

[0081] The working principle of the adaptive surface weld inspection robot described above is roughly as follows:

[0082] First, the robot system is started. The energy storage component 114 supplies power to each component. The adsorption component 112 generates an adsorption force to make the robot body 11 firmly adhere to the surface of the curved workpiece. At the same time, the control box 115 initializes the weld seam tracking sensor 116, the camera component 126 and the detection component 124 to ensure that each component is in a ready state.

[0083] Then, the weld seam tracking sensor 116 starts working, collecting the weld seam position and contour information on the curved workpiece in real time, and transmitting the positioning data to the control box 115 in real time. The control box 115 plans the walking path based on the data, and simultaneously controls the dual-degree-of-freedom attitude of the detection component 124 and the lifting action of the linear lifting component 127, so that the detection component 124 is initially aligned with and supports the weld seam area.

[0084] Next, the walking component 113 of the robot body 11 moves along the weld seam trajectory according to the planned path. During the movement, the weld seam tracking sensor 116 continuously updates the weld seam position data and dynamically corrects the walking trajectory and the posture of the detection component 124. The linear lifting component 127 compensates for the contact deviation caused by the surface undulation in real time. The pressure sensor synchronously feeds back the contact pressure signal. The control box 115 finely adjusts the linear lifting component 127 based on the signal to ensure that the contact pressure between the detection component 124 and the curved workpiece is maintained in the optimal range. At the same time, the camera component 126 synchronously monitors the detection status of the detection component 124 and feeds back the monitoring data to the control box 115 for comparison and verification with the data from the weld seam tracking sensor 116. If a deviation is found, the control box 115 immediately triggers a fine-tuning command to ensure that the detection component 124 is always in the optimal detection posture. The detection component 124 synchronously performs continuous detection of the weld seam quality and records the detection data.

[0085] Finally, after the entire weld seam is inspected, the robot stops according to the preset program. The control box 115 integrates the positioning information of the weld seam tracking sensor 116, the monitoring image of the camera component 126, and the detection data of the detection component 124 to form a complete inspection report. The staff can view the inspection results through the control terminal and trace the entire inspection process with the help of the three linked data to complete the assessment and verification of the weld seam quality.

[0086] It should be noted that the weld seam tracking sensor 116, the camera assembly 126 and the detection assembly 124 form a closed-loop collaborative mechanism for positioning, monitoring and detection. The direct synergistic effect of the three can significantly improve the accuracy, automation level and reliability of curved surface weld seam detection.

[0087] The weld seam tracking sensor 116 is installed close to the curved workpiece and can accurately collect the position and contour information of the weld seam in real time. Its positioning data directly provides the basis for the attitude adjustment of the detection component 124 through the control box 115. Based on the weld seam position signal of the tracking sensor, the control box 115 controls the two-degree-of-freedom attitude of the detection component 124 to ensure that the detection component 124 is always accurately aligned with the weld seam area, avoiding detection blind spots caused by positioning deviation from the source, and laying the foundation for the detection component 124 to complete weld quality inspection efficiently and accurately. The weld seam tracking sensor 116 and the camera component 126 form a dual verification collaboration of positioning and monitoring to ensure the detection effectiveness of the detection component 124.

[0088] The weld seam tracking sensor 116 provides the precise position coordinates of the weld seam, while the camera component 126 synchronously monitors the actual alignment status of the detection component 124, the contact gap with the weld seam, and the probe's working condition in real time. The data from both are synchronously fed back to the control box 115 for comparison and verification. If there is a deviation between the weld seam position located by the tracking sensor and the alignment position of the detection component 124 monitored by the camera component 126, or if the contact of the detection component 124 is abnormal, the control box 115 can immediately trigger an adjustment command to fine-tune the attitude of the detection component 124, thereby avoiding detection failure due to errors or malfunctions of a single component and ensuring that the detection component 124 is always in the optimal detection state.

[0089] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A weld inspection robot with adaptive curved surfaces, characterized in that, The weld inspection robot includes: The robot body is used to move on the surface of curved workpieces; The detection mechanism includes a mounting bracket, a first rotating component, a second rotating component, a detection component, and an elastic component. One side of the mounting bracket is fixedly connected to the robot body, and the other side is fixedly connected to the first rotating component. The detection component, the second rotating component, and the first rotating component are stacked sequentially along a first direction. The first rotating component is provided with a first axis extending along a second direction, and the first rotating component and the second rotating component are rotatably connected around the first axis. The second rotating component is provided with a second axis extending along a third direction, and the second rotating component is rotatably connected to the detection component around the second axis. The first axis and the second axis are coplanar. One end of the elastic element is connected to the first rotating element, and the other end passes through the second rotating element and is connected to the detection component. The generated elastic force drives the detection component to flexibly resist the curved workpiece. The number of elastic elements is multiple, and these multiple elastic elements are arranged circumferentially at intervals around the center line of the first rotating element. Each elastic element is inclined relative to the center line of the first rotating element, with one end extending towards the center line of the first rotating element and the other end extending away from the center line of the first rotating element; wherein... The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other.

2. The adaptive curved surface weld inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first rotating member includes: The rotating plate is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket. Two first side plates are disposed on the side of the rotating plate facing the second rotating member, and are spaced apart along the second direction; The second rotating member is located between the two first side plates and is rotatably connected to the two first side plates.

3. The adaptive curved surface weld inspection robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The detection component includes: The weld seam detection sensor is electrically connected to the control box of the robot body. A connecting plate, wherein the weld detection sensor is connected to the side of the connecting plate opposite to the second rotating component; Two second side plates are disposed on the side of the connecting plate facing the second rotating member and are spaced apart along the third direction. The second rotating member is located between the two second side plates and is rotatably connected to the two second side plates.

4. The adaptive curved surface weld inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection mechanism further includes a camera component electrically connected to the control box of the robot body. The camera component and the detection component are arranged at intervals along a first direction and are fixedly connected to the robot body through the mounting bracket. The camera component is used to monitor the detection status of the detection component in real time.

5. The adaptive curved surface weld inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection mechanism also includes a linear lifting assembly electrically connected to the control box of the robot body. The mounting bracket is connected to the robot body through the linear lifting assembly, and the linear lifting assembly is used to drive the detection mechanism to move along the first direction.

6. The adaptive surface weld inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robot body includes: The frame is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket; An adsorption element is installed on the side of the frame facing the curved workpiece to form an adsorption force with the curved workpiece; A walking assembly is mounted on the side of the frame facing the curved workpiece, for driving the frame to walk along the surface of the curved workpiece; An energy storage device is mounted on the frame and electrically connected to the walking assembly; The control box is mounted on the frame, and the detection components and energy storage components are electrically connected to the control box.

7. The adaptive surface weld inspection robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, The robot body also includes a weld seam tracking sensor, which is installed on the side of the robot body facing the curved workpiece and is electrically connected to the energy storage device and the control box.

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