A fusion device first wall disassembly tool

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of fusion reactor maintenance and repair, and discloses a tool for disassembling and assembling the first wall of a fusion reactor. The tool includes a housing, on the top of which a tool-end quick-change assembly is fixedly mounted, and the tool-end quick-change assembly is fixedly mounted to a dual-arm actuator. This invention integrates mechanical transmission, pneumatic adsorption, visual positioning, and intelligent control functions to achieve multi-component collaborative operation, solving the operational challenges of disassembling and assembling the first wall in a vacuum chamber's enclosed environment, and significantly improving disassembly and assembly efficiency and positioning accuracy. Through the movement compensation of the elastic connecting rod, the shock absorption protection of the buffer spring, the status monitoring of the encoder, and the stable adsorption design of the suction cup, the risk of part wear and first wall detachment during operation is reduced. Simultaneously, the tool-end quick-change and modular structure design facilitates maintenance and adapts to the stringent requirements of fusion reactor maintenance and repair.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of fusion device inspection and maintenance, and in particular to a tool for disassembling and assembling the first wall of a fusion device. Background Technology

[0002] The first wall is a sheet or plate-shaped component made of high-purity tungsten or tungsten alloy through forging, rolling, stamping and other processes. It has excellent high temperature resistance, high melting point (about 2620℃), good thermal and electrical conductivity and low expansion coefficient. It also has strong thermal shock resistance and chemical stability, and is not easily oxidized and deformed in high temperature environments.

[0003] Traditional methods for disassembling and assembling the first wall have many limitations. On the one hand, the special environment of the vacuum chamber limits the feasibility of manual operation and requires mechanical equipment to complete the work. On the other hand, existing disassembly and assembly tools are difficult to meet the comprehensive requirements of simultaneous operation of multiple bolts, high-precision positioning and stable load adsorption. Problems such as bolt connection deviation, first wall detachment and substandard installation accuracy often occur, affecting maintenance efficiency and the safety of fusion reactor operation.

[0004] To address this issue, a tool for disassembling and assembling the first wall of a fusion device and its usage method are proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To overcome the above shortcomings, this invention provides a tool for disassembling and assembling the first wall of a fusion device. It aims to improve the feasibility of manual operation in the vacuum chamber due to its special environment, which limits the operation and requires mechanical equipment. On the other hand, existing disassembly and assembly tools are difficult to meet the comprehensive requirements of simultaneous operation of multiple bolts, high-precision positioning, and stable load adsorption. Problems such as bolt connection deviation, first wall detachment, and substandard installation accuracy often occur, affecting maintenance efficiency and the safety of fusion reactor operation.

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

[0007] A tool for disassembling and assembling the first wall of a fusion device includes: a housing; a tool end quick-change assembly fixedly installed on the top of the housing, the tool end quick-change assembly being fixedly installed with a dual-arm actuator; a drive module fixedly installed on the bottom of the inner wall of the housing; four brushless DC motors fixedly installed on the surface of the inner wall of the housing; a reducer fixedly connected to the output end of each brushless DC motor; a coupling fixedly connected to the bottom of the reducer; a wrench body located at the bottom of the coupling; an elastic connecting rod located at the bottom of the wrench body; a wrench head fixedly connected to the bottom of the elastic connecting rod; two two-position three-way solenoid valves symmetrically installed inside the housing; a suction cup fixing plate fixedly installed inside the housing; four vacuum suction cups fixedly installed on the surface of the suction cup fixing plate; and the two-position three-way solenoid valves working in conjunction with the vacuum suction cups.

[0008] Through the above technical solutions, the DC brushless motor provides stable power for bolt assembly and disassembly. Combined with a reducer, the speed and torque can be precisely adjusted to meet the preload requirements of 6~12Nm for M6 bolts. The coupling ensures smooth power transmission, and the wrench body, flexible extension rod, and wrench head work together to ensure precise bolt assembly and disassembly. A two-position three-way solenoid valve controls the suction and depressurization of the vacuum suction cups. The four vacuum suction cups can firmly adhere to the 1.03kg first wall, preventing displacement of the first wall during assembly and disassembly. The quick-change assembly at the tool end facilitates rapid docking of the tool with the dual-arm actuator, while the housing provides protection and fixed support for all internal parts, ensuring stable operation of the tool in a vacuum chamber environment.

[0009] As a further description of the above technical solution: an encoder is fixedly installed on the top of the brushless DC motor, the encoder is electrically connected to the brushless DC motor, the coupling is slidably connected to the wrench body, and a buffer spring is sleeved on the surface of the wrench body. The top of the buffer spring contacts the coupling, and the bottom of the buffer spring contacts the wrench body.

[0010] Through the above technical solution, the encoder is electrically connected to the DC brushless motor, which can monitor the motor's operating status in real time, providing data support for torque adjustment and stall detection, and ensuring the accuracy of bolt disassembly and assembly; the coupling is slidably connected to the wrench body, and with the buffer spring sleeved on the surface, it can buffer longitudinal impact force during disassembly and assembly, reduce wear on parts, and at the same time adapt to the small displacement compensation during bolt disassembly and assembly, improve the stability of docking and disassembly, and ensure the continuity of power transmission during operation.

[0011] As a further description of the above technical solution: the surface of the wrench body is movably connected to the housing through a bearing and a retaining ring, and a wide-angle camera and a light source are fixedly installed at the bottom of the housing.

[0012] Through the above technical solution, the wrench body is movably connected to the housing through bearings and a retaining ring, which reduces the frictional resistance when the wrench body rotates, making the bolt disassembly and assembly smoother and improving work efficiency; the wide-angle camera and light source fixed at the bottom of the housing can capture the working area in real time, providing clear visual assistance for the docking of the wrench and the bolt hole, helping the operator to accurately judge the docking status and ensuring the accuracy of disassembly and assembly operations.

[0013] As a further description of the above technical solution: a coupling seal is installed on the outer side of the coupling, and the outer side of the coupling seal is fixedly connected to the bottom of the inner wall of the housing.

[0014] Through the above technical solution, the coupling seal on the outside of the coupling is fixedly connected to the bottom of the inner wall of the housing, which can effectively prevent dust and impurities in the vacuum chamber from entering the coupling, avoid foreign objects from affecting the rotational accuracy and service life of the coupling, and at the same time play a sealing and protective role, ensuring the cleanliness and stable operation of the transmission components inside the tool, and adapting to the special working environment requirements of the vacuum chamber.

[0015] As a further description of the above technical solution: two electric push rods are symmetrically installed on the surface of the inner wall of the housing, and the output end of the electric push rods is fixedly connected to the suction cup fixing plate.

[0016] Through the above technical solution, two electric push rods symmetrically installed on the inner wall of the housing have their output ends fixedly connected to the suction cup fixing plate, which can precisely control the lifting stroke of the suction cup fixing plate to achieve precise adhesion and separation between the vacuum suction cup and the first wall; the stable driving characteristics of the electric push rods can ensure uniform pressure when the suction cup adsorbs the first wall, avoiding damage or detachment of the first wall due to uneven adsorption force, and improving the stability and safety of the first wall disassembly and assembly process.

[0017] As a further description of the above technical solution: two linear bearings are symmetrically installed on the surface of the suction cup fixing plate, and a guide rod is slidably connected inside the linear bearing. The bottom of the guide rod is fixedly connected to the bottom of the inner wall of the housing, and a limit plate is fixedly connected to the top of the guide rod. The limit plate is fixedly installed with the reducer and is fixedly installed on the surface of the inner wall of the housing.

[0018] Through the above technical solution, the linear bearing on the surface of the suction cup fixing plate slides with the guide rod, providing precise guidance for the lifting and lowering movement of the suction cup fixing plate, avoiding deviation during the movement, and ensuring that the vacuum suction cup can accurately align with the adsorption position of the first wall; the limiting plate at the top of the guide rod can limit the maximum lifting stroke of the suction cup fixing plate, preventing excessive movement from damaging parts. At the same time, the limiting plate is fixedly installed with the reducer, further enhancing the connection stability of the internal structure of the tool and improving the overall operating accuracy.

[0019] A method for using a tool for disassembling and assembling the first wall of a fusion device includes the following steps:

[0020] S1. The dual-arm actuator, carrying the disassembly and assembly tools, enters the fusion reactor vacuum chamber. Using the binocular stereo matching algorithm in the dual-arm actuator, a disparity map and 3D point cloud data are generated. The position of the fixing bolts on the first wall is detected by the PointPillars target detection algorithm framework, generating 3D candidate boxes. The precise position information of the four M6 bolts in the robotic arm coordinate system is calculated, guiding the robotic arm to move the tools to the target first wall.

[0021] S2. Under the monitoring of the host computer control software, the wide-angle camera at the tool end transmits real-time work images to assist in adjusting the tool's posture. The DC brushless motor is controlled to operate at low current, low torque, and low speed, allowing the wrench heads to slide into the M6 ​​screw holes along the chamfered edge of the flexible connecting rod within the x and y plane range of motion, completing the precise docking of the four wrench heads with their corresponding bolts. If deviations occur during docking, the position of the robotic arm is adjusted through visual feedback until all dockings are completed.

[0022] S3. After docking, activate the electric push rod to move the suction cup fixing plate downwards, allowing the four vacuum suction cups to adhere to the surface of the first wall. Activate the two-position three-way solenoid valve to extract the gas from the sealed volume between the suction cups and the first wall using the vacuum source, creating a pressure difference. Utilize the suction force (if the suction force of a single suction cup meets the requirements, any two suction cups can stably adhere to the 1.03kg first wall) to firmly hold the first wall in place, preventing it from detaching during disassembly.

[0023] S4. Issue a bolt removal command in the host computer control software. Four brushless DC motors start simultaneously, transmitting torque through reducers and couplings to rotate the wrench head and loosen the bolts. During disassembly, the encoder monitors the motor's operating status in real time. If a motor stalls, the system automatically cuts off power and enters standby mode, issuing a stall warning. The operator then troubleshoots the problem based on the warning before continuing the operation.

[0024] S5. After all bolts are removed, the dual-arm actuator moves the tool and the old first wall, which is held in place by suction, to above the service bag on the conveyor arm. The two-position three-way solenoid valve is depressurized, the vacuum suction cup stops adsorption, and the old first wall falls into the service bag, completing the removal and storage of the old first wall.

[0025] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0026] This invention integrates mechanical transmission, pneumatic adsorption, visual positioning, and intelligent control functions to achieve multi-component collaborative operation, solving the operational challenges of disassembling and assembling the first wall in a vacuum chamber's enclosed environment, and significantly improving disassembly and assembly efficiency and positioning accuracy. Through the activity compensation of the elastic connecting rod, the shock absorption protection of the buffer spring, the status monitoring of the encoder, and the stable adsorption design of the suction cup, the risk of part wear and first wall detachment during operation is reduced. At the same time, the quick-change tool end and modular structure design facilitate maintenance and meet the stringent requirements of fusion reactor inspection and maintenance. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the shell structure of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the driving module of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the electric actuator structure of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the suction cup fixing plate of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the main body of the wrench structure of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the wide-angle camera structure of the present invention.

[0033] Legend:

[0034] 1. Housing; 2. Quick-change tool end assembly; 3. Drive module; 4. DC brushless motor; 5. Reducer; 6. Coupling; 7. Wrench body; 8. Flexible extension rod; 9. Wrench head; 10. Two-position three-way solenoid valve; 11. Suction cup fixing plate; 12. Vacuum suction cup; 13. Encoder; 14. Buffer spring; 15. Wide-angle camera; 16. Light source; 17. Coupling seal; 18. Electric push rod; 19. Linear bearing; 20. Guide rod; 21. Limiting plate. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] Reference Figures 1-6 An embodiment of the present invention provides a tool for disassembling and assembling the first wall of a fusion device, comprising: a housing 1, a tool end quick-change assembly 2 fixedly installed on the top of the housing 1, the tool end quick-change assembly 2 being fixedly installed with a double-arm actuator, a drive module 3 fixedly installed on the bottom of the inner wall of the housing 1, four DC brushless motors 4 fixedly installed on the surface of the inner wall of the housing 1, a reducer 5 fixedly connected to the output end of the DC brushless motor 4, a coupling 6 fixedly connected to the bottom of the reducer 5, a wrench body 7 provided at the bottom of the coupling 6, an elastic connecting rod 8 provided at the bottom of the wrench body 7, a wrench head 9 fixedly connected to the bottom of the elastic connecting rod 8, two two-position three-way solenoid valves 10 symmetrically installed inside the housing 1, a suction cup fixing plate 11 fixedly installed inside the housing 1, four vacuum suction cups 12 fixedly installed on the surface of the suction cup fixing plate 11, and the two-position three-way solenoid valves 10 and the vacuum suction cups 12 working together.

[0037] Reference Figures 1-6An encoder 13 is fixedly installed on the top of the brushless DC motor 4. The encoder 13 is electrically connected to the brushless DC motor 4. The coupling 6 is slidably connected to the wrench body 7. A buffer spring 14 is sleeved on the surface of the wrench body 7. The top of the buffer spring 14 contacts the coupling 6, and the bottom of the buffer spring 14 contacts the wrench body 7. The surface of the wrench body 7 is movably connected to the housing 1 through a bearing and a retaining ring. A wide-angle camera 15 and a light source 16 are fixedly installed on the bottom of the housing 1. A coupling seal 17 is installed on the outside of the coupling 6. The outside of the coupling seal 17 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the inner wall of the housing 1. Two electric push rods 18 are symmetrically installed on the surface of the inner wall of the housing 1. The output end of the electric push rod 18 is fixedly connected to the suction cup fixing plate 11.

[0038] Reference Figures 1-6 Two linear bearings 19 are symmetrically mounted on the surface of the suction cup fixing plate 11. A guide rod 20 is slidably connected inside the linear bearing 19. The bottom of the guide rod 20 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the inner wall of the housing 1. A limit plate 21 is fixedly connected to the top of the guide rod 20. The limit plate 21 is fixedly installed with the reducer 5. The limit plate 21 is fixedly installed on the surface of the inner wall of the housing 1.

[0039] A method for using a tool for disassembling and assembling the first wall of a fusion device includes the following steps:

[0040] S1. The dual-arm actuator, carrying the disassembly and assembly tools, enters the fusion reactor vacuum chamber. Using the binocular stereo matching algorithm in the dual-arm actuator, a disparity map and 3D point cloud data are generated. The position of the fixing bolts on the first wall is detected by the PointPillars target detection algorithm framework, generating 3D candidate boxes. The precise position information of the four M6 bolts in the robotic arm coordinate system is calculated, guiding the robotic arm to move the tools to the target first wall.

[0041] S2. Under the monitoring of the host computer control software, the wide-angle camera 15 at the tool end transmits the working image back in real time to assist in adjusting the tool's posture. The DC brushless motor 4 is controlled to run at low current, low torque, and low speed, allowing the wrench heads 9 to slide into the screw holes along the chamfered edge of the M6 ​​screw holes within the x and y plane range of the elastic connecting rod 8, completing the precise docking of the four wrench heads 9 with the corresponding bolts. If a deviation occurs during the docking process, the position of the robotic arm is adjusted through visual feedback until all dockings are completed.

[0042] S3. After docking is completed, the electric push rod 18 is activated, pushing the suction cup fixing plate 11 downwards so that the four vacuum suction cups 12 are in contact with the surface of the first wall. The two-position three-way solenoid valve 10 is activated to extract the gas in the sealed volume between the suction cups and the first wall through the vacuum source, forming a pressure difference. The suction force (the suction force of a single suction cup is sufficient, and any two suction cups can stably adsorb 1.03kg of the first wall) is used to firmly hold the first wall in place, preventing the first wall from falling off during disassembly.

[0043] S4. A bolt removal command is issued in the host computer control software. Four brushless DC motors 4 start simultaneously, transmitting torque through reducers 5 and couplings 6, causing the wrench head 9 to rotate and loosen the bolts. During the removal process, encoder 13 monitors the motor's operating status in real time. If a motor stalls, the system automatically cuts off power and enters standby mode, simultaneously issuing a stall warning. The operator then troubleshoots the problem based on the prompts before continuing the operation.

[0044] S5. After all bolts are removed, the double-arm actuator moves the tool and the old first wall that is fixed by suction to the top of the conveyor arm service bag. The two-position three-way solenoid valve 10 is depressurized, the vacuum suction cup 12 stops suction, and the old first wall falls into the service bag, completing the removal and storage of the old first wall.

[0045] Working principle: The tool end quick-change component 2 is fixedly mounted on the dual-arm actuator robotic arm. A visual monitoring module consisting of a 3D camera and a wide-angle camera 15, combined with a binocular stereo matching algorithm and a PointPillars target detection algorithm, determines the precise position of the first wall fixing bolt. The drive module 3 controls the operation of four DC brushless motors 4. The speed and torque are adjusted by the reducer 5, and the power is smoothly transmitted by the coupling 6, driving the wrench body 7, the elastic extension rod 8, and the wrench head 9 to achieve precise alignment with the bolt. Simultaneously, the encoder 13 monitors the motor operating status in real time, coordinating with the buffer... The spring 14 buffers the impact force during operation; during the bolt disassembly and assembly, the two-position three-way solenoid valve 10 controls the adsorption and depressurization of the vacuum suction cup 12, and the electric push rod 18 drives the suction cup fixing plate 11 to rise and fall, so that the vacuum suction cup 12 firmly adsorbs the 1.03kg first wall. The linear bearing 19 and the guide rod 20 provide precise guidance for the suction cup fixing plate 11. The housing 1 and various fixing and sealing components ensure that the tool operates stably in the vacuum chamber environment, and finally realize the synchronous disassembly and assembly of the four M6 bolts and the precise replacement of the first wall, meeting the installation accuracy of ±0.5mm and the bolt preload requirements of 6~12Nm.

[0046] Finally, it should be noted that the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. 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 tool for disassembling and assembling the first wall of a fusion device, comprising: The housing (1) is characterized in that: a tool end quick-change assembly (2) is fixedly installed on the top of the housing (1), the tool end quick-change assembly (2) is fixedly installed with a double-arm actuator, a drive module (3) is fixedly installed on the bottom of the inner wall of the housing (1), four DC brushless motors (4) are fixedly installed on the surface of the inner wall of the housing (1), a reducer (5) is fixedly connected to the output end of the DC brushless motor (4), a coupling (6) is fixedly connected to the bottom of the reducer (5), a wrench body (7) is provided at the bottom of the coupling (6), an elastic connecting rod (8) is provided at the bottom of the wrench body (7), a wrench head (9) is fixedly connected to the bottom of the elastic connecting rod (8), two two-position three-way solenoid valves (10) are symmetrically installed inside the housing (1), a suction cup fixing plate (11) is fixedly installed inside the housing (1), four vacuum suction cups (12) are fixedly installed on the surface of the suction cup fixing plate (11), and the two-position three-way solenoid valves (10) are used in conjunction with the vacuum suction cups (12).

2. The tool for disassembling and assembling the first wall of a fusion device according to claim 1, characterized in that: An encoder (13) is fixedly installed on the top of the brushless DC motor (4). The encoder (13) is electrically connected to the brushless DC motor (4). The coupling (6) is slidably connected to the wrench body (7). A buffer spring (14) is sleeved on the surface of the wrench body (7). The top of the buffer spring (14) contacts the coupling (6), and the bottom of the buffer spring (14) contacts the wrench body (7).

3. The tool for disassembling and assembling the first wall of a fusion device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The surface of the wrench body (7) is movably connected to the housing (1) through bearings and a retaining ring. A wide-angle camera (15) and a light source (16) are fixedly installed at the bottom of the housing (1).

4. The tool for disassembling and assembling the first wall of a fusion device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The coupling (6) is fitted with a coupling seal (17) on its outer side, and the outer side of the coupling seal (17) is fixedly connected to the bottom of the inner wall of the housing (1).

5. The tool for disassembling and assembling the first wall of a fusion device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Two electric push rods (18) are symmetrically installed on the inner wall surface of the housing (1), and the output end of the electric push rod (18) is fixedly connected to the suction cup fixing plate (11).

6. The tool for disassembling and assembling the first wall of a fusion device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Two linear bearings (19) are symmetrically mounted on the surface of the suction cup fixing plate (11).

7. The tool for disassembling and assembling the first wall of a fusion device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The linear bearing (19) is internally slidably connected to a guide rod (20), the bottom of which is fixedly connected to the bottom of the inner wall of the housing (1).

8. The tool for disassembling and assembling the first wall of a fusion device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The top of the guide rod (20) is fixedly connected to a limiting plate (21).

9. A tool for disassembling and assembling the first wall of a fusion device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The limiting plate (21) is fixedly installed with the reducer (5), and the limiting plate (21) is fixedly installed on the surface of the inner wall of the housing (1).

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