Wall-climbing detection robot with modularized power magnetic attraction wheel sets

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of robots, in particular to a wall-climbing detection robot with modular power magnetic attraction wheel sets. The invention provides a wall-climbing detection robot with modular power magnetic attraction wheel sets. The wall-climbing detection robot comprises a main body and a walking mechanism. The main body is provided with a first connecting part and a second connecting part; the walking mechanism comprises a first walking assembly and a second walking assembly, and each of the first walking assembly and the second walking assembly comprises a driving motor, a first walking wheel, a second walking wheel, a bearing seat and a magnet. A swing connecting piece of the first walking assembly is hinged to the first connecting part, a swing connecting piece of the second walking assembly is hinged to the second connecting part, and the swing connecting piece is used for changing the angle of at least one of the first walking assembly and the second walking assembly relative to the body so that the contact area of the walking mechanism and the working face can be increased. And the adsorption distance between the magnet and the working surface is kept in a preset effective adsorption range. The situation that the wheel set is locally stressed unevenly or disengaged from the contact surface can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of robotics, and in particular to a wall-climbing inspection robot with a modular power magnetic chuck assembly. Background Technology

[0002] In industries such as petrochemicals, energy, pipelines, and shipbuilding, regular non-destructive testing of large facilities (such as storage tanks, pipelines, and ship hulls) is a crucial step in ensuring the safe operation of equipment and preventing accidents. These facilities are often characterized by their large size and complex structure, and their testing scenarios frequently involve working at heights, in confined spaces, or in hazardous environments such as flammable and explosive materials. Traditional manual testing methods face many bottlenecks: on the one hand, manual testing requires workers to climb to heights or enter dangerous areas, which is not only labor-intensive and inefficient but also poses extremely high safety hazards such as falls, poisoning, and explosions; on the other hand, the accuracy of manual testing is easily affected by human factors, making it difficult to achieve comprehensive and accurate testing of complex structures.

[0003] To address these issues, wall-climbing robots have emerged, capable of stable movement and inspection tasks on vertical surfaces, inverted surfaces, and other challenging conditions, making them an important technological tool in industrial inspection. Traditional robots, employing fixed adsorption structures, cannot adjust to the curvature of the wall, leading to adsorption failure. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides a wall-climbing inspection robot with a modular power magnetic chuck assembly to at least solve the above-mentioned technical problems existing in the prior art.

[0005] This disclosure provides a wall-climbing inspection robot with a modular power magnetic chuck wheel assembly, including:

[0006] The main body is provided with a first connecting part and a second connecting part; The walking mechanism includes a first walking component and a second walking component. Both the first walking component and the second walking component include a drive motor, a first walking wheel, a second walking wheel, a bearing seat, and a magnet. The motor shaft of the drive motor is fixedly connected to the first walking wheel. The first walking wheel and the second walking wheel are connected through a transmission shaft. The bearing seat is rotatably connected to the transmission shaft. The bearing seat is provided with a swing connector. The magnet is fixedly connected to the bearing seat. Wherein, the swing connector of the first walking component is hinged to the first connecting part, and the swing connector of the second walking component is hinged to the second connecting part. The swing connector is used to change the angle of at least one of the first walking component and the second walking component relative to the main body, so as to increase the contact area between the walking mechanism and the working surface, and keep the adsorption distance between the magnet and the working surface within a preset effective adsorption range.

[0007] Furthermore, it also includes thickness measuring mechanisms; The thickness measuring mechanism includes a fixing component, a moving component, a first swing component, a second swing component, and a thickness measuring component; The fixing member is connected to the main body, and the movable component is disposed on the fixing member; The first swing component is connected to the moving component and the second swing component respectively, so that the first swing component can drive the second swing component to swing relative to the main body around the first direction X; The second swing component is connected to the first swing component and the thickness measuring component respectively, so that the second swing component drives the thickness measuring component to swing relative to the main body around the second direction Y.

[0008] Furthermore, the moving component includes a guide rail and a slider, the guide rail is connected to the fixing member, the guide rail extends along the height direction Z of the main body, and the slider slides in cooperation with the guide rail; The first swing component is connected to the slider and is used to follow the slider up and down along the guide rail.

[0009] Furthermore, the first swing assembly includes a mounting frame and a first mounting plate and a second mounting plate spaced apart from each other along the first direction X. The first mounting plate and the second mounting plate are provided with a first rotation shaft, which extends along the first direction X. The second swing component is rotatably connected to the first rotating shaft so that the second swing component swings about the first direction X relative to the first rotating shaft.

[0010] Furthermore, the second swing assembly includes a side swing member and a front swing member, wherein the side swing member is rotatably connected to the first rotation axis; The side swing member is provided with a first rotating part and a second rotating part at both ends along the second direction Y; The front swing component includes a connecting frame and a first connecting plate and a second connecting plate spaced apart along the second direction Y on the connecting frame. The first connecting plate is rotatably connected to the first rotating part, and the second connecting plate is rotatably connected to the second rotating part. The thickness measuring component is located at the end of the second connecting plate away from the side swing member.

[0011] Furthermore, the thickness measuring assembly includes a connecting shaft, a thickness sensor, and a sensor cover; The thickness sensor is disposed between the connecting shaft and the sensor cover, and the connecting shaft is connected to the sensor cover; The end of the connecting shaft away from the sensor cover is fixedly connected to the connecting frame.

[0012] Furthermore, a first elastic element is provided between the mounting bracket and the side-swing component; And / or, a second elastic element is provided between the side swing member and the connecting frame.

[0013] Furthermore, it also includes a liquid bottle and a liquid pump, both of which are fixed to the fixing component. The input end of the liquid pump is connected to the liquid bottle through an inlet pipe, and the output end of the liquid pump is connected to an outlet pipe. The outlet pipe is positioned opposite to the detection surface of the thickness sensor. When the moving component moves the thickness measuring component close to the detection surface, the liquid pump automatically starts and delivers the coupling agent placed in the liquid bottle to the detection surface.

[0014] Furthermore, a motor connection flange is provided between the drive motor and the first traveling wheel, the motor shaft is fixedly connected to the first traveling wheel through the motor connection flange, and the drive motor is connected to the swing connector through the motor mounting base.

[0015] Furthermore, the bearing housing is provided with symmetrically arranged angular contact bearings and bearing gaskets disposed between the two angular contact bearings. The drive shaft passes through the angular contact bearings and rotates with the bearing housing. The axis of the angular contact bearings is collinear with the axis of the drive shaft.

[0016] The technical solution provided in this disclosure has the following advantages compared with the prior art: The wall-climbing inspection robot with modular power magnetic attraction wheel assembly disclosed herein includes a main body and a walking mechanism. The main body is provided with a first connecting part and a second connecting part. The walking mechanism includes a first walking component and a second walking component. Both the first and second walking components include a drive motor, a first walking wheel, a second walking wheel, a bearing seat, and a magnet. The motor shaft of the drive motor is fixedly connected to the first walking wheel. The first and second walking wheels are connected by a transmission shaft. The bearing seat is rotatably connected to the transmission shaft. The bearing seat is provided with a swing connector. The magnet is fixedly connected to the bearing seat. The swing connector of the first walking component is hinged to the first connecting part, and the swing connector of the second walking component is hinged to the second connecting part. The swing connector is used to change the angle of at least one of the first and second walking components relative to the main body, so as to increase the contact area between the walking mechanism and the working surface and keep the adsorption distance between the magnet and the working surface within a preset effective adsorption range.

[0017] The drive motor, wheels, bearing housings, magnets, and other components of the first or second walking assembly are integrated into one unit and hinged to the main body via a swing connector. During assembly, only the hinge connection needs to be completed, which can improve assembly efficiency.

[0018] This embodiment utilizes a hinged structure between the swing connector and the main body. The first and second walking components can flexibly adjust their angles relative to the main body according to the curvature of the working surface. This changes the contact between the first and second walking wheels and the working surface from traditional line contact to surface contact, increasing the contact area and preventing uneven force distribution or detachment from the contact surface caused by changes in wall curvature. This ensures the robot can maintain stable contact with surfaces with varying curvature. The magnet is fixedly connected to the bearing seat, and the adsorption surface maintains a preset relative position with the wheel surface. When the swing connector adjusts its angle, it simultaneously maintains the adsorption distance between the magnet and the working surface within a preset effective adsorption range. This embodiment avoids the problems of excessively large adsorption distances (attenuation of adsorption force) or excessively small adsorption distances (interference with walking) caused by changes in wall curvature in traditional magnetic robots. It ensures that the adsorption force remains stable within a safe range, meeting the anti-fall and anti-tipping requirements under extreme conditions such as vertical walls and inverted surfaces.

[0019] It should be understood that the description in this section is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Several embodiments of this disclosure are illustrated in the drawings by way of example and not limitation, in which: In the accompanying drawings, the same or corresponding reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a wall-climbing detection robot with a modular power magnetic chuck assembly provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a partial structure of a wall-climbing detection robot with a modular power magnetic chuck assembly provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Figure 3 This illustration shows a structural schematic diagram of the first or second walking component in a wall-climbing detection robot with a modular power magnetic chuck assembly provided in an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 4 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the thickness measuring mechanism in a wall-climbing inspection robot with a modular power magnetic chuck assembly provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0022] Explanation of the numbers in the diagram: 1. Main body; 2. Thickness measuring mechanism; 21. Fixing component; 22. Moving component; 221. Guide rail; 222. Slider; 23. First swing component; 231. Mounting bracket; 232. First mounting plate; 233. Second mounting plate; 234. First rotating shaft; 24. Second swing component; 241. Side swing component; 241a. First rotating part; 242. Front swing component; 242a. Connecting bracket; 242b. First connecting plate; 25. Thickness measuring component; 251. Connecting shaft; 252. Thickness sensor; 253. 26. Sensor cover; 27. First elastic element; 28. Second elastic element; 29. ​​Liquid bottle; 30. Liquid pump; 31. First walking assembly; 32. Second walking assembly; 321. Drive motor; 322. First walking wheel; 323. Second walking wheel; 324. Bearing housing; 325. Magnet; 326. Drive shaft; 327. Swing connector; 328. Motor connecting flange; 329. Motor mounting base; 330. Angular contact bearing; 331. Bearing washer; 332. Screw; 4. Omnidirectional hub assembly; 5. Control device. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the objectives, features, and advantages of this disclosure more apparent and understandable, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this disclosure, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this disclosure without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0024] Combination Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the wall-climbing detection robot with modular power magnetic wheel assembly provided in this disclosure includes a main body 1 and a walking mechanism; the main body 1 is provided with a first connecting part and a second connecting part; the walking mechanism includes a first walking component 31 and a second walking component 32, both the first walking component 31 and the second walking component 32 include a drive motor 321, a first walking wheel 322, a second walking wheel 323, a bearing seat 324 and a magnet 325, the motor shaft of the drive motor 321 is fixedly connected to the first walking wheel 322, and the first walking wheel 322 and the second walking wheel 323 are connected by a transmission shaft 326, and the bearing... The seat 324 is rotatably connected to the drive shaft 326. The bearing seat 324 is provided with a swing connector 327, and the magnet 325 is fixedly connected to the bearing seat 324. The swing connector 327 of the first walking assembly 31 is hinged to the first connecting part, and the swing connector 327 of the second walking assembly 32 is hinged to the second connecting part. The swing connector 327 is used to change the angle of at least one of the first walking assembly 31 and the second walking assembly 32 relative to the main body 1, so as to increase the contact area between the walking mechanism and the working surface, and keep the adsorption distance between the magnet 325 and the working surface within a preset effective adsorption range.

[0025] Optionally, the swing connector 327 may be plate-shaped or block-shaped, and the swing connector 327 is provided with mounting holes for hinge connection with the first connecting part or the second connecting part.

[0026] The drive motor 321, walking wheels, bearing housing 324, magnet 325 and other components of the first walking component 31 or the second walking component 32 are integrated into one body and are hinged to the main body 1 through the swing connector 327. Only the hinge connection needs to be completed during assembly, which can improve assembly efficiency.

[0027] This embodiment utilizes a hinged structure between the swing connector 327 and the main body 1. The first walking component 31 and the second walking component 32 can flexibly adjust their angles relative to the main body 1 according to the curvature of the working surface. This allows the first walking wheel 322 and the second walking wheel 323 to change from traditional line contact to surface contact with the working surface, increasing the contact area and preventing uneven force distribution or detachment from the contact surface due to changes in wall curvature. This ensures the robot can maintain stable contact with the wall surface despite its varying curvature. The magnet 325 is fixedly connected to the bearing seat 324, and the adsorption surface maintains a preset relative position with the wheel surface. When the swing connector 327 adjusts its angle, it simultaneously maintains the adsorption distance between the magnet 325 and the working surface within a preset effective adsorption range. This embodiment avoids the problems of excessively large adsorption distances (attenuation of adsorption force) or excessively small adsorption distances (interference with walking) caused by changes in wall curvature in traditional magnetic robots. It ensures that the adsorption force remains stable within a safe range, meeting the anti-fall and anti-tipping requirements under extreme conditions such as vertical walls and inverted surfaces.

[0028] It should be noted that the preset effective adsorption range refers to a specific distance interval between the magnet 325 and the working surface, which must simultaneously meet two core requirements: sufficient adsorption force and no interference with movement. This is a crucial distance range to ensure stable adsorption and normal movement of the robot under various working conditions. Sufficient adsorption force means that within this distance interval, the magnet 325 can generate sufficient magnetic attraction force to ensure that the robot does not slip or tip over in extreme conditions such as vertical walls, inverted surfaces, and walls with varying curvature, thus meeting the adsorption stability requirements. No interference with movement means that within this distance interval, the distance must be greater than the minimum safe gap between the magnet 325 and the working surface to prevent the magnet 325 from scraping the working surface and hindering movement, while being less than the grounding height of the wheels to ensure that the wheels are always in contact with the working surface and do not affect the flexibility of movement.

[0029] The wall-climbing inspection robot with modular power magnetic suction wheel assembly also includes a control device 5 and an omnidirectional wheel assembly, both of which are mounted on the main body 1. The omnidirectional wheel assembly 4 assists the walking mechanism in achieving omnidirectional movement, improving the robot's turning flexibility and posture adjustment capabilities on the work surface, and adapting to the movement requirements of complex inspection paths; the control device 5 is used to receive inspection signals, control the movement trajectory of the walking mechanism, the inspection actions of the thickness measuring mechanism, and the start and stop of the liquid pump, enabling the coordinated work of all mechanisms.

[0030] In this embodiment, both the first walking assembly 31 and the second walking assembly 32 are modular power magnetic wheel sets. The core functional components, including the drive motor 321, walking wheels (first walking wheel 322, second walking wheel 323), bearing seat 324, magnet 325, drive shaft 326, and swing connector 327, are integrated into a standardized, independently functioning module. During on-site assembly, only the swing connector 327 needs to be used to hinge the wheel set to the first and second connecting parts of the main body 1, eliminating the need to install individual components. This significantly shortens the overall robot assembly time, reduces assembly difficulty, and avoids assembly errors caused by the dispersed installation of multiple components. When the wheel set malfunctions (such as a damaged drive motor, worn walking wheels, or weakened magnet attraction), the entire modular wheel set can be directly removed and replaced from the main body without disassembling other robot structures, reducing maintenance downtime.

[0031] Optionally, the bearing housing 324 has a mounting hole, and a screw 332 is movably disposed in the mounting hole, with one end of the screw 332 fixed to the magnet 325. When the robot walks on the wall, if it encounters obstacles such as protrusions, welds, or impurities below the magnet 325, the obstacle will exert an upward pushing force on the magnet 325. Since the screw 332 can move flexibly within the mounting hole, this pushing force can drive the screw 332 to move the magnet 325 upward along the mounting hole, causing the magnet 325 to be passively "lifted" to avoid the obstacle. This prevents the obstacle from rigidly colliding with or getting stuck on the magnet 325, ensuring that the robot's walking process is continuous and smooth, and obstacle avoidance can be completed without additional control.

[0032] In some specific embodiments, the wall-climbing inspection robot with modular power magnetic chuck wheels also includes a thickness measuring mechanism 2; such as Figure 5 As shown, the thickness measuring mechanism 2 includes a fixing component 21, a moving component 22, a first swing component 23, a second swing component 24, and a thickness measuring component 25; the fixing component 21 can be plate-shaped or block-shaped. The fixing component 21 is connected to the main body 1. The thickness measuring mechanism 2 is modularly connected to the main body 1 through the fixing component 21, so that other parts of the robot do not need to be disassembled when disassembling or replacing it.

[0033] The moving component 22 is disposed on the fixing component 21; the first swing component 23 is connected to the moving component 22 and the second swing component 24 respectively, so that the first swing component 23 can drive the second swing component 24 to swing relative to the main body 1 around the first direction X; the second swing component 24 is connected to the first swing component 23 and the thickness measuring component 25 respectively, so that the second swing component 24 drives the thickness measuring component 25 to swing relative to the main body 1 around the second direction Y.

[0034] The moving component 22 drives the first swing component 23, the second swing component 24 and the thickness measuring component 25 to rise and fall along the height direction (Z direction) of the main body 1. It can accurately control the approach distance between the thickness measuring component 25 (the core of which is the thickness sensor 252) and the working surface, so as to avoid the thickness measuring component 25 colliding with the working surface due to excessive approach speed or affecting the detection efficiency due to excessively slow approach speed.

[0035] The first swing component 23 drives the second swing component 24 to swing around the X direction, and the second swing component 24 drives the thickness measuring component 25 to swing around the Y direction. The swing in the two directions forms an omnidirectional flexible adjustment, allowing the thickness measuring component 25 (with the thickness sensor 252 at its core) to adaptively conform to a working surface of arbitrary curvature. The swing adjustment in the two directions can compensate for minor posture deviations during robot movement, as well as errors such as roughness and tilt of the working surface, ensuring that the detection end face of the thickness sensor 252 always remains perpendicular to the working surface, avoiding distortion of detection data caused by deviation in the contact angle.

[0036] In some specific embodiments, the moving component 22 includes a guide rail 221 and a slider 222. The guide rail 221 is connected to the fixing member 21 and extends along the height direction Z of the main body 1. The slider 222 slides with the guide rail 221. The first swing component 23 is connected to the slider 222 and is used to follow the slider 222 as it moves up and down along the guide rail 221. The guide rail 221 is rigidly fixed along the height direction (Z direction) of the main body 1. The slider 222 forms a high-precision sliding fit with the guide rail 221, which makes the radial offset of the slider 222 small during the lifting process. This ensures that the first swing component 23 and the subsequently connected second swing component 24 and thickness measuring component 25 always move along the preset Z-direction trajectory without left-right or front-back offset. This avoids the situation where the thickness sensor 252 is misaligned with the working surface due to lifting offset, and provides a basic guarantee for the vertical fit between the thickness sensor 252 and the working surface, reducing detection errors from the source.

[0037] In some specific embodiments, the first swing assembly 23 includes a mounting frame 231 and a first mounting plate 232 and a second mounting plate 233 spaced apart along a first direction X. The first mounting plate 232 and the second mounting plate 233 are provided with a first rotating shaft 234, which is fixedly connected to the first mounting plate 232 and the second mounting plate 233 and extends along the first direction X. The second swing assembly 24 is rotatably connected to the first rotating shaft 234 so that the second swing assembly 24 can swing relative to the first rotating shaft 234 about the first direction X.

[0038] The first mounting plate 232 and the second mounting plate 233 are symmetrically arranged on the mounting frame 231 at intervals along the first direction X, forming a double-sided clamping support structure. The two ends of the first rotating shaft 234 are fixed to the first mounting plate 232 and the second mounting plate 233, so that the connection point of the second swing component 24 is subjected to uniform force.

[0039] The mounting frame 231 can be rigidly connected to the first mounting plate 232 and the second mounting plate 233. For example, the mounting frame 231 can be integrally formed with the first mounting plate 232 and the second mounting plate 233, or the mounting frame 231 can be fastened to the first mounting plate 232 and the second mounting plate 233 with bolts. This ensures high overall structural rigidity, effectively offsetting minor vibrations during robot movement and interference from airflow and pipe vibrations in the industrial environment. It also prevents the rotating shaft from loosening or the mounting plate from deforming due to vibration. Even under complex working conditions, it can maintain the stability of the swinging motion without problems such as jamming or attitude drift.

[0040] In the thickness measuring mechanism 2, the first swing component 23 is directly fixedly connected to the slider 222 of the moving component 22 through the mounting bracket 231. During assembly, only bolt tightening is required, without complicated calibration steps, which can improve assembly efficiency.

[0041] In some specific embodiments, the second swing assembly 24 includes a side swing member 241 and a front swing member 242. The side swing member 241 is rotatably connected to the first rotating shaft 234. The side swing member 241 has a first rotating part 241a and a second rotating part at both ends along the second direction Y. Optionally, the side swing member 241 is block-shaped or plate-shaped, and the side swing member 241 has a first rotating part 241a and a second rotating part at both ends along the second direction Y (length direction). The front swing member 242 includes a connecting frame 242a and a first connecting plate 242b and a second connecting plate spaced apart along the second direction Y from the connecting frame 242a. The first connecting plate 242b is rotatably connected to the first rotating part 241a, and the second connecting plate is rotatably connected to the second rotating part. The thickness measuring assembly 25 is disposed at the end of the second connecting plate away from the side swing member 241.

[0042] The side-swing component 241 is connected to the first swing assembly 23 via the first rotating shaft 234, enabling it to swing laterally around the first direction X, adapting to the left-right curvature changes of the working surface, such as the circumferential curved surface of a pipe. The front-swing component 242 is hinged to the first rotating part 241a and the second rotating part of the side-swing component 241 via the first connecting plate 242b and the second connecting plate, enabling it to swing forward around the second direction Y, adapting to the front-back curvature changes of the working surface, such as the axial curved surface of a pipe and the arc-shaped wall surface of a storage tank.

[0043] The bidirectional swinging mechanism works together to form an "omnidirectional flexible adjustment", enabling the thickness measuring component 25 to adapt to working surfaces with arbitrary composite curvature (such as complex curved surfaces of ship hulls and irregular tank walls). Compared with a unidirectional swinging structure, the range of curvature radii that can be adapted is expanded to 500mm-5000mm, covering the detection scenarios of most large facilities in the petrochemical and energy industries.

[0044] The bidirectional swing formed by the first swing component 23 and the second swing component 24 works together to achieve omnidirectional flexible adjustment, allowing the thickness measuring component 25 to adapt to working surfaces with arbitrary composite curvature. The bidirectional swing can automatically offset minor posture deviations during robot movement, such as body tilt, vibration, and contact errors caused by the roughness and unevenness of the working surface, ensuring that the detection end face of the thickness measuring component 25 always remains perpendicular to the working surface, thus avoiding distortion of detection data due to posture deviation.

[0045] The side swing member 241 has a first rotating part 241a and a second rotating part symmetrically arranged at both ends along the second direction Y. The front swing member 242 has a first connecting plate 242b and a second connecting plate spaced apart along the second direction Y, forming a double-sided clamping hinge structure. The hinge points are evenly stressed, and there is no skew or torsional deformation caused by unilateral stress. Both the side swing member 241 and the front swing member 242 adopt a modular design, and the structure of each component is simplified and tightly connected.

[0046] In some specific embodiments, the thickness measuring component 25 includes a connecting shaft 251, a thickness sensor 252, and a sensor cover 253; the thickness sensor 252 is disposed between the connecting shaft 251 and the sensor cover 253, and the connecting shaft 251 is connected to the sensor cover 253; one end of the connecting shaft 251 away from the sensor cover 253 is fixedly connected to the connecting bracket 242a.

[0047] The thickness sensor 252 is clamped between the connecting shaft 251 and the sensor cover 253. The connecting shaft 251 and the sensor cover 253 are connected by threads, snap-fit, or bolts to form a closed-loop limit, which restricts the axial displacement of the thickness sensor 252 and constrains the radial sway. Compared with the traditional single bolt fixing or bonding method, this structure can keep the sensor position stable under dynamic working conditions such as robot walking and swinging adjustment, and avoid detection deviation caused by sensor displacement.

[0048] The clamping surfaces of the connecting shaft 251 and the sensor cover 253 are designed to fit the shape of the sensor, so that the clamping force is evenly distributed on the sensor housing, avoiding excessive local pressure that could damage the internal components of the sensor and extending the service life of the sensor.

[0049] The end of the connecting shaft 251 furthest from the sensor cover 253 is fixedly connected to the connecting bracket 242a, and the axis of the connecting shaft 251 is perpendicular to the sensor detection end face, thus reducing the perpendicularity error of the sensor detection end face after assembly. This design ensures that when the sensor swings with the front swing member 242, the detection end face always remains coaxial with the swing trajectory, reducing the contact angle deviation with the working surface and avoiding uneven distribution of coupling agent and attenuation of detection signal due to positioning deviation.

[0050] In some specific embodiments, a first elastic element 26 is provided between the mounting bracket 231 and the side swing member 241. The first elastic element 26 can be a rectangular spring. When the side swing member 241 swings, the first elastic element 26 generates an elastic force, forming a stable preload force, which pushes the side swing member 241 to drive the subsequent front swing member 242 and thickness measuring component 25 to always be in contact with the working surface. When the curvature of the working surface changes, the elastic force of the first elastic element 26 can adaptively expand and contract with the swing angle, which avoids both insufficient pressure leading to loose contact (coupling agent loss) and excessive pressure damaging the sensor or scratching the working surface, ensuring that the contact pressure is always within the optimal detection range. When the robot moves to a planar area or leaves the curved surface, the rebound force of the first elastic element 26 can drive the side swing member 241 to automatically reset to the initial neutral position without the need for additional drive mechanism control. This ensures that when the robot switches between different curvature areas (such as transitioning from a pipe curved surface to a flange plane), the thickness measuring component 25 can quickly restore the reference posture, avoiding subsequent contact misalignment due to swing offset, and improving the continuity of the detection process.

[0051] In some specific embodiments, a second elastic element 27 is provided between the side swing member 241 and the connecting frame 242a. The second elastic element 27 can be a rectangular spring. The second elastic element 27 provides a stable preload between the side swing member 241 and the connecting frame 242a, pushing the front swing member 242 to drive the thickness measuring component 25 to adhere to the working surface in the Y direction. When the curvature of the working surface fluctuates in the front-to-back direction (such as the axial curvature of a pipe or the unevenness of the arc-shaped wall of a storage tank), the second elastic element 27 can adaptively extend and retract with the swing angle, adjusting the adhesion pressure in real time. This avoids insufficient pressure leading to excessive gap between the sensor and the working surface (coupler loss, detection signal attenuation), and also prevents pressure overload from damaging the sensor probe or scratching the working surface, ensuring that the Y-direction adhesion pressure is always within the optimal detection range. The second elastic element 27 works in conjunction with the first elastic element 26 (X-direction preload). The flexible Y-direction preload of the second elastic element 27 can compensate for the coordination deviation of the X-direction and Y-direction swings, making the thickness measuring component 25 subjected to balanced force during omnidirectional swing and resulting in a more stable adhesion posture. For example, in the inspection of complex curved surfaces (such as the complex curved surface of a ship's hull), the combined action of two elastic elements can achieve seamless coordination between X-axis lateral swing and Y-axis forward swing, reducing the deviation of the fitting angle and improving the fitting accuracy.

[0052] The second elastic element 27 can buffer the impact force when the front swing member 242 swings around the Y direction, avoiding hard contact between the side swing member 241 and the connecting frame 242a, making the swinging action smooth and without jerks. Especially when the robot moves quickly or the working surface suddenly protrudes, the second elastic element 27 can absorb the impact energy, preventing the thickness measuring component 25 from violently colliding with the working surface, protecting the internal crystal element and detection end face of the thickness sensor 252, and extending the service life of the thickness sensor 252. When the robot moves from the variable curvature area to the planar area, or when the detection gap is separated from the working surface, the rebound force of the second elastic element 27 can drive the front swing member 242 to quickly return to the initial neutral position without additional drive control. This ensures that when the robot switches between different curvatures and different areas (such as the transition between the curved surface of the pipe and the flat surface of the flange), the thickness measuring component 25 can immediately restore the reference posture, avoiding subsequent misalignment due to Y-direction swing offset, and improving the continuity of the detection process.

[0053] In some specific embodiments, the thickness measuring mechanism 2 further includes a liquid bottle 28 and a liquid pump 29. Both the liquid bottle 28 and the liquid pump 29 are fixed to the fixing member 21. The input end of the liquid pump 29 is connected to the liquid bottle 28 through a water inlet pipe, and the output end of the liquid pump 29 is connected to a water outlet pipe. The water outlet pipe is positioned opposite to the detection surface of the thickness sensor 252. When the moving component 22 moves the thickness measuring component 25 close to the detection surface, the liquid pump 29 automatically starts and delivers the coupling agent placed in the liquid bottle 28 to the detection surface. The liquid pump 29 is linked with the moving component 22 and can be triggered by a limit switch or a distance sensor. When the moving component 22 moves the thickness measuring component 25 close to the working surface, the liquid pump 29 automatically starts supplying liquid. After the detection is completed, it automatically stops when the moving component 22 resets. When the thickness measuring component 25 adjusts its angle to adapt to the variable curvature wall surface with the first swing component 23 and the second swing component 24 (X-direction / Y-direction), the water outlet pipe swings synchronously with the thickness sensor 252, always maintaining its relative position with the detection surface, ensuring that the coupling agent is accurately delivered to the fitting gap. The water outlet pipe is positioned opposite the detection surface of the thickness sensor 252. The coupling agent can be precisely dripped / sprayed onto the contact area between the detection surface and the working surface. The liquid supply of the liquid pump 29 can be precisely adjusted by the control module, and the liquid supply can be adaptively matched according to the detection speed and the roughness of the working surface to avoid waste of coupling agent.

[0054] In some specific embodiments, a motor connecting flange 328 is provided between the drive motor 321 and the first traveling wheel 322. The motor shaft is fixedly connected to the first traveling wheel 322 through the motor connecting flange 328, and the drive motor 321 is connected to the swing connector 327 through the motor mounting base 329. The motor connecting flange 328 acts as a rigid transition component, enabling the drive motor 321 shaft and the first traveling wheel 322 to be coaxially and fixedly connected, avoiding power attenuation or slippage caused by traditional flexible connections (such as belts and couplings). This improves power transmission efficiency, ensuring that the torque of the drive motor 321 is fully transmitted to the traveling wheel, allowing the robot to maintain a stable walking speed even under conditions with high resistance, such as vertical walls and curved surfaces with varying curvature. The fixed connection between the drive motor 321 and the swing connector 327 through the motor mounting base 329 effectively resists vibrations during robot movement and the reaction force of the working surface, preventing walking jams or posture deviations caused by structural loosening. Even in complex industrial environments, the structural stability of the walking components remains maintained.

[0055] In some specific embodiments, the bearing housing 324 is provided with symmetrically arranged angular contact bearings 330 and a bearing sleeve 331 disposed between the two angular contact bearings 330. The drive shaft 326 passes through the angular contact bearings 330 and rotates with the bearing housing 324. The axis of the angular contact bearings 330 is collinear with the axis of the drive shaft 326. The two angular contact bearings 330 are symmetrically arranged in the bearing housing 324, and the bearing axes are collinear with the axis of the drive shaft 326. With the positioning function of the intermediate bearing sleeve 331, the coaxiality error of the drive shaft 326 can be reduced. The combination of symmetrical bearings and bearing sleeve 331 forms a rigid support system inside the bearing housing 324, which improves the connection rigidity between the bearing housing 324 and the drive shaft 326. This effectively resists the vibration during robot movement and the reaction force of the working surface, and prevents the drive shaft 326 from shifting due to structural deformation. Even under rough wall conditions or sudden impact conditions, rotational stability can still be maintained.

[0056] In some specific embodiments, the bearing housing 324 is provided with a mounting hole extending along the height direction (Z) of the main body. The screw 332 is slidably inserted into the mounting hole. One end of the screw 332 is fixedly connected to the magnet 325. An elastic reset member is sleeved on the screw 332. The two ends of the elastic reset member abut against the bearing housing 324 and the magnet 325 respectively. The elastic reset member is used to provide a preload force to keep the magnet 325 at a preset adsorption distance. When the magnet 325 is pushed upward by an obstacle, the elastic reset member compresses and stores energy. After the obstacle is removed, the magnet 325 is driven to automatically reset to the preset position.

[0057] In some specific embodiments, a wear-resistant buffer layer is provided on the side of the magnet 325 facing the working surface. The thickness of the wear-resistant buffer layer is 0.5-2mm, and the hardness of the wear-resistant buffer layer is lower than the hardness of the working surface material. The wall of the mounting hole is provided with a lubricating coating, which is used to reduce the sliding friction coefficient between the screw 332 and the mounting hole.

[0058] In some specific embodiments, the swing connectors 327 of the first walking component 31 and the second walking component 32 are respectively equipped with angle sensors. The angle sensors are used to detect the swing angle of the walking component relative to the main body 1 in real time. The control device 5 is electrically connected to the angle sensor and the drive motor 321. The control device 5 adjusts the output speed of the two drive motors 321 in real time according to the swing angle, so that the walking speed of the first walking component 31 and the second walking component 32 is adapted to the curvature of the wall, and avoids wheel slippage or overload.

[0059] In some specific embodiments, the magnet 325 has a segmented structure, including at least two sub-magnets arranged at intervals along the axis of the traveling wheel. Each sub-magnet is connected to the bearing seat 324 by an independent screw 332. Each sub-magnet can be independently displaced along the corresponding mounting hole to adapt to the uneven working surface and ensure that at least one sub-magnet is always within the effective adsorption range.

[0060] In some specific embodiments, a pressure sensor is provided between the thickness sensor 252 of the thickness measuring component 25 and the second swing component 24. The pressure sensor is used to detect the contact pressure between the thickness sensor 252 and the working surface. The control device 5 is electrically connected to the pressure sensor and the moving component 22. When the contact pressure exceeds the preset threshold, the control device 5 controls the moving component 22 to drive the thickness measuring component 25 to make a fine adjustment and lift, so that the contact pressure is maintained in the optimal detection range of 0.1-0.5MPa.

[0061] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used to reorder, add, or delete steps. For example, the steps described in this invention disclosure can be executed in parallel, sequentially, or in different orders, as long as the desired result of the technical solution disclosed in this embodiment can be achieved, and this is not limited herein.

[0062] 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 disclosure, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0063] The above are merely specific embodiments of this disclosure, but the scope of protection of this disclosure 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 disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A wall-climbing inspection robot with a modular power magnetic suction wheel assembly, characterized in that, include: The main body (1) is provided with a first connecting part and a second connecting part; The walking mechanism includes a first walking component (31) and a second walking component (32). Both the first walking component (31) and the second walking component (32) include a drive motor (321), a first walking wheel (322), a second walking wheel (323), a bearing seat (324), and a magnet (325). The motor shaft of the drive motor (321) is fixedly connected to the first walking wheel (322). The first walking wheel (322) and the second walking wheel (323) are connected by a transmission shaft (326). The bearing seat (324) is rotatably connected to the transmission shaft (326). The bearing seat (324) is provided with a swing connector (327). The magnet (325) is fixedly connected to the bearing seat (324). Wherein, the swing connector (327) of the first walking component (31) is hinged to the first connecting part, and the swing connector (327) of the second walking component (32) is hinged to the second connecting part. The swing connector (327) is used to change the angle of at least one of the first walking component (31) and the second walking component (32) relative to the main body (1), so as to increase the contact area between the walking mechanism and the working surface, and keep the adsorption distance between the magnet (325) and the working surface within a preset effective adsorption range.

2. The wall-climbing inspection robot with modular power magnetic suction wheel assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a thickness measuring mechanism (2); The thickness measuring mechanism (2) includes a fixing component (21), a moving component (22), a first swing component (23), a second swing component (24), and a thickness measuring component (25); The fixing member (21) is connected to the main body (1), and the moving component (22) is disposed on the fixing member (21); The first swing component (23) is connected to the moving component (22) and the second swing component (24) respectively, so that the first swing component (23) can drive the second swing component (24) to swing relative to the main body (1) about a first direction (X); The second swing component (24) is connected to the first swing component (23) and the thickness measuring component (25) respectively, so that the second swing component (24) drives the thickness measuring component (25) to swing relative to the main body (1) around the second direction (Y).

3. The wall-climbing inspection robot with modular power magnetic suction wheel assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The moving component (22) includes a guide rail (221) and a slider (222). The guide rail (221) is connected to the fixing member (21). The guide rail (221) extends along the height direction (Z) of the main body (1). The slider (222) is slidably engaged with the guide rail (221). The first swing component (23) is connected to the slider (222) and is used to follow the slider (222) up and down along the guide rail (221).

4. The wall-climbing inspection robot with modular power magnetic suction wheel assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first swing assembly (23) includes a mounting frame (231) and a first mounting plate (232) and a second mounting plate (233) spaced apart from the mounting frame (231) along the first direction (X). The first mounting plate (232) and the second mounting plate (233) are provided with a first rotating shaft (234), which extends along the first direction (X). The second swing assembly (24) is rotatably connected to the first rotating shaft (234) so ​​that the second swing assembly (24) can swing about the first direction (X) relative to the first rotating shaft (234).

5. The wall-climbing inspection robot with modular power magnetic suction wheel assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second swing assembly (24) includes a side swing member (241) and a front swing member (242), wherein the side swing member (241) is rotatably connected to the first rotating shaft (234); The side swing member (241) has a first rotating part (241a) and a second rotating part at both ends along the second direction (Y); The front swing member (242) includes a connecting frame (242a) and a first connecting plate (242b) and a second connecting plate spaced apart from the connecting frame (242a) along the second direction (Y). The first connecting plate (242b) is rotatably connected to the first rotating part (241a), and the second connecting plate is rotatably connected to the second rotating part. The thickness measuring component (25) is located at the end of the second connecting plate away from the side swing member (241).

6. The wall-climbing inspection robot with modular power magnetic suction wheel assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The thickness measuring assembly (25) includes a connecting shaft (251), a thickness sensor (252), and a sensor cover (253); The thickness sensor (252) is disposed between the connecting shaft (251) and the sensor cover (253), and the connecting shaft (251) is connected to the sensor cover (253); The end of the connecting shaft (251) away from the sensor cover (253) is fixedly connected to the connecting frame (242a).

7. The wall-climbing inspection robot with modular power magnetic suction wheel assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, A first elastic element (26) is provided between the mounting bracket (231) and the side swing member (241); And / or, a second elastic element (27) is provided between the side swing member (241) and the connecting frame (242a).

8. The wall-climbing inspection robot with modular power magnetic wheel assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a liquid bottle (28) and a liquid pump (29), both of which are fixed to the fixing member (21). The input end of the liquid pump (29) is connected to the liquid bottle (28) through a water inlet pipe, and the output end of the liquid pump (29) is connected to the water outlet pipe. The water outlet pipe is set opposite to the detection surface of the thickness sensor (252). When the moving component (22) moves the thickness measuring component (25) close to the detection surface, the liquid pump (29) automatically starts and delivers the coupling agent placed in the liquid bottle (28) to the detection surface.

9. The wall-climbing inspection robot with modular power magnetic suction wheel assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, A motor connection flange (328) is provided between the drive motor (321) and the first walking wheel (322). The motor shaft is fixedly connected to the first walking wheel (322) through the motor connection flange (328). The drive motor (321) is connected to the swing connector (327) through the motor mounting base (329).

10. The wall-climbing inspection robot with modular power magnetic chuck wheels according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bearing housing (324) is provided with symmetrically arranged angular contact bearings (330) and bearing pads (331) disposed between the two angular contact bearings (330). The drive shaft (326) passes through the angular contact bearings (330) and rotates with the bearing housing (324). The axis of the angular contact bearings (330) is collinear with the axis of the drive shaft (326).

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