Shuttle detection robot in grain pile

Abstract

The invention discloses a shuttle detection robot in a grain pile, relates to the technical field of detection robots, and aims to solve the problems of low detection efficiency, difficulty in diving, poor precision and insufficient cable reliability in the prior art. The robot comprises a horizontal moving mechanism, a vertical lifting mechanism is slidably mounted on the horizontal moving mechanism, and a detection cabin is hung on the vertical lifting mechanism through a composite cable; the detection cabin comprises a main cabin body, a control chamber, an advancing chamber, a lower detection unit, a material taking head, a material distributing column, an annular detection unit and an annular electromagnet, the robot is positioned through the horizontal moving mechanism, the detection cabin is lowered through the vertical lifting mechanism, the lower detection unit and the material distributing column cooperatively reduce resistance, the material taking head guides grains to enter, and the annular detection unit performs multi-point detection. The composite cable guarantees stable signal and power supply, the robot is flexible in movement, smooth in diving, accurate in detection, free of material blocking residues and suitable for global detection of a large granary, and the grain storage management efficiency and safety are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of inspection robot technology, and more specifically, to an inspection robot that shuttles through grain piles. Background Technology

[0002] Grain storage is a crucial link in ensuring food security. Grain piles are susceptible to factors such as temperature, humidity, and ventilation during storage, leading to problems like overheating, mold, and pests. If these issues are not detected in time, they can cause a decline in grain quality, large-scale losses, and even safety hazards. Therefore, accurate and comprehensive monitoring of internal parameters of grain piles (temperature, humidity, mold levels, etc.) is a core requirement for grain storage management.

[0003] With the development of intelligent warehousing, some automated grain pile inspection equipment has emerged. These robots automatically inspect grain within the grain silo and send the data to a backend for analysis and storage, effectively improving the scientific and intelligent management of grain silos. However, existing inspection robots still have significant drawbacks: First, they face high diving resistance. Grain grains are densely packed inside the grain pile, especially when humidity is high, making them prone to clumping. Existing equipment often uses a rigid structure for diving, lacking effective drag reduction mechanisms, making it difficult to reach the bottom or core areas of the grain pile, and sometimes even causing jamming or damage. Second, their inspection accuracy is insufficient. Most equipment uses probe insertion, which is easily worn by grain grains and can only detect single-point data, failing to achieve multi-point detection around the grain grains, resulting in poor data comprehensiveness. Third, there are issues with material jamming and residue. After inspection, grain grains easily remain inside the equipment, breeding mold or pests, affecting subsequent inspection accuracy. Residual grain grains can also cause equipment malfunctions. Fourth, their mobility is insufficient. Existing equipment is mostly fixed-point inspection, making it difficult to achieve flexible horizontal and vertical movement across the entire grain pile, limiting the inspection coverage. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a robot for inspecting and moving through grain piles, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, an embodiment of the present invention provides the following technical solution: A shuttle inspection robot inside a grain pile includes a horizontal moving mechanism with a vertical lifting mechanism slidably mounted on it. A detection cabin is suspended from the vertical lifting mechanism via a composite cable. The detection cabin includes a main body with a control room fixedly mounted on its upper end and a forward chamber rotatably mounted on its lower end. An upper and lower mounting plate and an isolation plate are fixedly mounted inside the main body. A downward probe unit is fixedly mounted on the lower end of the mounting plate, and a ring-shaped detection unit is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the isolation plate. A detection probe on the ring-shaped detection unit penetrates the isolation plate and extends into the inner side of the forward chamber. A magnetic shield is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the isolation plate, and a ring-shaped electromagnet is fixedly mounted inside the magnetic shield. A material intake port is provided at the lower end of the forward chamber.

[0006] As a further improvement of the present invention, the horizontal moving mechanism includes a housing, a drive motor is fixedly installed at the outer end of the housing, and a ball screw is fixedly installed at the output end of the drive motor via a coupling. A pair of bearing seats are fixedly installed inside the housing, and the ball screw is rotatably mounted on the pair of bearing seats. A matching nut slider is threaded onto the ball screw. The vertical lifting mechanism is fixedly installed on the nut slider. A pair of guide rails are also fixedly installed inside the housing, and matching guide shoes are slidably mounted on the guide rails. The guide shoes are fixedly connected to the nut slider. Horizontal movement is achieved through the horizontal moving mechanism. Specifically, the drive motor drives the ball screw to rotate, which in turn translates into the horizontal movement of the nut slider. The nut slider drives the vertical lifting mechanism to move to the corresponding position, thereby enabling detection at different positions within the grain silo.

[0007] As a further improvement of the present invention, the composite cable includes an outer protective sleeve, the end of which away from the vertical lifting mechanism is fixedly connected to the control room via a connector, and an inner communication cable is provided inside the outer protective sleeve, and the inner communication cable is electrically connected to the control room.

[0008] As a further improvement of the present invention, the vertical lifting mechanism includes a fixed plate fixedly installed on the nut slider, a pair of mounting plates fixedly installed at the lower end of the fixed plate, a winding roller rotatably installed between the pair of mounting plates, a second drive motor fixedly installed at the outer end of one of the mounting plates, and the output end of the second drive motor fixedly connected to the winding roller, the composite cable is wound on the surface of the winding roller, and the second drive motor drives the winding roller to wind and unwind the composite cable.

[0009] As a further improvement of the present invention, the lowering unit includes a drive motor three fixedly installed at the lower end of the mounting plate. The output end of the drive motor three is fixedly connected to a rotating shaft. A bushing is fixedly installed at the lower end of the rotating shaft. The bushing is fixedly connected to the advancing chamber through multiple inclined synchronous rods. By starting the drive motor three, the advancing chamber is driven to rotate, and the lowered grain is separated by flow, which facilitates the overall lowering of the probe cabin to a certain depth.

[0010] As a further improvement of the present invention, a matching material receiving head is slidably installed inside the material receiving port, and the material receiving head is located inside the forward chamber under normal conditions.

[0011] As a further improvement of the present invention, the feeding head includes an annular sleeve, with anti-detachment rings fixedly installed at both the upper and lower ends of the annular sleeve. A material distribution ball head is fixedly installed at the bottom inner side of the annular sleeve, and multiple material channels distributed in an annular array are opened on the outer side of the annular sleeve. At least two limiting strips are fixedly installed to limit the up and down sliding at the feeding port. When the feeding head is on the upper side, it can seal the forward chamber. After descending, the material channels are exposed, thereby squeezing the grain into it and filling the forward chamber for detection.

[0012] As a further improvement of the present invention, a vertically arranged telescopic hole is provided at the center of the material distribution ball head, and a material distribution column is installed in the telescopic hole.

[0013] As a further improvement of the present invention, the material distribution column includes a cylindrical magnet slidably mounted on the upper side of the telescopic hole, a material distribution block slidably mounted on the lower side of the telescopic hole, a limiting ring fixedly mounted inside the telescopic hole that abuts against the material distribution block, a connecting rod fixedly connected between the cylindrical magnet and the material distribution block, and a compression spring fixedly mounted between the cylindrical magnet and the limiting ring. The annular electromagnet applies a first magnetic field to the material distribution column, causing the cylindrical magnet to move downward against the elastic force of the compression spring, thereby pushing the material distribution block to extend to the lower side to disperse the grain pile below and reduce resistance. At the same time, the compression spring stores energy, the annular electromagnet releases the first magnetic field, and under the action of the elastic potential energy of the compression spring, the material distribution block quickly resets and impacts the limiting ring, causing vibration at a certain frequency, and transmitting the vibration to the detection chamber and the surrounding grain, breaking the static friction and adhesion between grain grains. Especially for grain piles with high moisture content, it can effectively reduce grain agglomeration, improve grain flowability, and the vibration effect can also promote the rapid flow of grain during the recycling process to avoid material jamming and residue.

[0014] As a further improvement of the present invention, the outer surfaces of the control room and the forward chamber are both spherical, and multiple stabilizing winglets distributed in a ring array are fixedly installed on the outer surface of the main cabin. The overall shape of the detection cabin is spindle-shaped to facilitate movement within the grain pile, while the stabilizing winglets can improve the stability of the main cabin within the grain pile, prevent autonomous rotation, and facilitate better power transmission by the drive motor to drive the forward chamber to rotate.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of this invention are: (1) This solution can achieve flexible detection of the entire grain pile, significantly improving coverage and accuracy. Traditional manual detection and existing equipment have limited detection range and blind spots. However, this robot can move at any horizontal position and vertical depth in the grain warehouse through the coordination of horizontal movement mechanism and vertical lifting mechanism, realizing full-area detection of the grain pile without dead angles. The material picking head of the detection chamber guides the grain to actively enter the forward chamber. The probe of the ring detection unit is surrounded by grain, and the rotation of the forward chamber realizes multi-point detection. The comprehensiveness and accuracy of the data far exceed that of traditional single-point insertion detection, effectively avoiding detection omissions.

[0016] (2) This solution has efficient and low-drag diving capability and is suitable for complex grain pile environments. Existing equipment has high diving resistance and is prone to jamming, while the probe chamber of this robot adopts a spindle-shaped and spherical design, which, together with the stabilizing wing, maintains the attitude. The forward chamber rotates to separate grain particles, and the periodic vibration of the distribution column breaks up the grain particle agglomeration. The triple drag reduction mechanism works together to significantly reduce diving resistance, and can smoothly penetrate deep into grain piles with high humidity and high viscosity. The linkage design of the distribution column and the picking head not only ensures smooth diving but also avoids grain particle damage and reduces disturbance to the grain pile structure.

[0017] (3) This solution is easy to operate, leaves no residue, and has low maintenance costs. Traditional testing is labor-intensive and complex to maintain, while this robot supports both automatic and manual modes. Operators do not need to enter the grain warehouse and can complete the full-area testing through an external terminal, which greatly reduces labor intensity and safety risks. After testing, the distributing column vibrates to assist in the discharge of grains, and the feeding head resets to close the feeding port, avoiding jamming and residue, reducing equipment failure and mold growth. The core components adopt a wear-resistant, dustproof, and moisture-proof design, with a long service life and no need for frequent maintenance, reducing long-term maintenance costs and providing a reliable guarantee for intelligent management of grain storage. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the horizontal moving mechanism of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the vertical lifting mechanism of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the composite cable of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the probe cabin of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a partial structural cross-sectional schematic diagram of the probe cabin of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the material handling head of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the probe unit of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the material distribution column part of the present invention.

[0019] Explanation of the labels in the diagram: 1. Horizontal moving mechanism; 11. Outer shell; 12. Drive motor one; 13. Ball screw; 14. Bearing housing; 15. Nut slider; 16. Guide rail; 17. Guide shoe; 2. Vertical lifting mechanism; 21. Fixing plate; 22. Mounting plate; 23. Drive motor two; 24. Winding roller; 3. Composite cable; 31. Outer protective sleeve; 32. Connector; 33. Internal communication cable; 4. Detection chamber; 41. Main chamber; 42. Control room; 43. Advance chamber; 44. Mounting plate; 45. Stabilizing wing; 46. Magnetic shield; 47. Isolation plate; 48. Ring electromagnet; 5. Material receiving head; 51. Ring sleeve; 52. Anti-detachment ring; 53. Material distribution ball head; 54. Material channel; 55. Limiting strip; 6. Material distribution column; 61. Cylindrical magnet; 62. Material distribution block; 63. Connecting rod; 64. Limiting ring; 65. Compression spring; 7. Lowering unit; 71. Drive motor three; 72. Rotating shaft; 73. Bushing; 74. Synchronizing rod; 8. Ring detection unit. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The technical solution 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. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] Example 1: Please see Figures 1-6A shuttle inspection robot for grain piles includes a horizontal moving mechanism 1, a vertical lifting mechanism 2 slidably mounted on the horizontal moving mechanism 1, and a detection chamber 4 suspended by the vertical lifting mechanism 2 via a composite cable 3. The detection chamber 4 includes a main chamber 41, a control room 42 fixedly mounted on the upper end of the main chamber 41, and a forward chamber 43 rotatably mounted on the lower end of the main chamber 41. An installation plate 44 and an isolation plate 47 are fixedly mounted vertically inside the main chamber 41. A downward probe unit 7 is fixedly mounted on the lower end of the installation plate 44, and a ring-shaped detection unit 8 is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the isolation plate 47. The detection probe on the ring-shaped detection unit 8 penetrates the isolation plate 47 and extends to the inside of the forward chamber 43. A magnetic shielding cover 46 is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the isolation plate 47, and a ring-shaped electromagnet 48 is fixedly mounted inside the magnetic shielding cover 46. A material intake port is opened at the lower end of the forward chamber 43.

[0022] The annular detection unit 8, fixed at the upper end of the isolation plate 47, has a detection probe made of copper alloy. It incorporates grain parameter sensors such as moisture, temperature, humidity, and mold level sensors. The probe surface is treated with anti-corrosion coating, allowing it to accurately penetrate grains to collect data. The probe extends through the isolation plate 47 to the inside of the forward chamber 43, ensuring full contact with the grains entering the chamber. The magnetic shielding cover 46, fixed at the upper end of the isolation plate 47, is made of permalloy, possessing excellent magnetic shielding performance. It prevents the magnetic field of the annular electromagnet 48 from interfering with the detection accuracy of the annular detection unit 8. The annular electromagnet 48 inside the magnetic shielding cover 46 has an electrical pure iron core with high-strength enameled wire wound around it. When energized, it can generate two working modes: a weak magnetic field and a strong magnetic field, respectively adapted to the vibration resistance reduction of the material distribution column 6 and the lifting and lowering action of the material picking head 5.

[0023] The outer surfaces of the control room 42 and the forward chamber 43 are both spherical. Multiple stabilizing vanes 45 arranged in a ring array are fixedly installed on the outer surface of the main body 41. The overall shape of the detection chamber 4 is spindle-shaped to facilitate movement within the grain pile. The stabilizing vanes 45 can improve the stability of the main body 41 within the grain pile, prevent autonomous rotation, and facilitate better power transmission from the drive motor 71 to drive the forward chamber 43 to rotate.

[0024] The control room 42 at the upper end of the main body 41 is a sealed structure made of ABS engineering plastic. It integrates a PLC controller, data storage module, and wireless communication module, and has dustproof and moisture-proof functions to protect electronic components from dust and moisture inside the grain pile. The forward chamber 43, which is rotatably connected to the lower end of the main body 41, is made of aluminum alloy and has a spherical outer surface to reduce the resistance of the grain pile during submersion. The edge of the feed inlet at its lower end is rounded to avoid scratching the feed head 5.

[0025] The horizontal moving mechanism 1 includes a housing 11. A drive motor 12 is fixedly installed at the outer end of the housing 11. A ball screw 13 is fixedly installed at the output end of the drive motor 12 via a coupling. A pair of bearing seats 14 are fixedly installed inside the housing 11, and the ball screw 13 is rotatably mounted on the pair of bearing seats 14. A matching nut slider 15 is threaded onto the ball screw 13. The vertical lifting mechanism 2 is fixedly installed on the nut slider 15. The horizontal moving mechanism 1 achieves horizontal movement. Specifically, the drive motor 12 drives the ball screw 13 to rotate, which in turn translates into the horizontal movement of the nut slider 15. The nut slider 15 drives the vertical lifting mechanism 2 to move to the corresponding position, thereby enabling detection at different positions within the grain silo.

[0026] A pair of guide rails 16 are also fixedly installed inside the outer casing 11. Matching guide shoes 17 are slidably installed on the guide rails 16, and the guide shoes 17 are fixedly connected to the nut slider 15.

[0027] The vertical lifting mechanism 2 includes a fixed plate 21 fixedly mounted on the nut slider 15. A pair of mounting plates 22 are fixedly mounted on the lower end of the fixed plate 21. A winding roller 24 is rotatably mounted between the pair of mounting plates 22. A second drive motor 23 is fixedly mounted on the outer end of one of the mounting plates 22, and the output end of the second drive motor 23 is fixedly connected to the winding roller 24. The composite cable 3 is wound on the surface of the winding roller 24. The second drive motor 23 drives the winding roller 24 to wind and unwind the composite cable 3.

[0028] The composite cable 3 includes an outer protective sleeve 31. The end of the outer protective sleeve 31 away from the vertical lifting mechanism 2 is fixedly connected to the control room 42 through a connector 32. An inner communication cable 33 is installed inside the outer protective sleeve 31, and the inner communication cable 33 is electrically connected to the control room 42. The outer protective sleeve 31 is made of polyurethane (PU) reinforced sheath material, which has excellent wear resistance, tensile strength and dust and moisture resistance. The surface is smooth, which can reduce the frictional resistance with grain pile particles, and at the same time resist the erosion of internal structure by dust and moisture in the grain silo, protecting the internal cable from damage. Steel wire ropes can be installed as needed to enhance the load-bearing effect. The end of the outer protective sleeve 31 furthest from the vertical lifting mechanism 2 is fixedly connected to the control room 42 via a connector 32. The connector 32 is made of brass and precision machined with an anti-corrosion treatment on the surface. It has a sealing ring and a snap-fit ​​structure inside, which not only achieves a firm connection between the outer protective sleeve and the control room, but also has an IP67 sealing performance to prevent dust and moisture from entering the control room 42 through the connection, thus ensuring the safe operation of electronic components. At the same time, the connector 32 has built-in conductive terminals to provide a stable electrical connection interface for the internal communication cable 33 and the power supply line. The internal communication cable 33 is a multi-core shielded cable with silver-plated copper core conductors, which have excellent conductivity and low signal attenuation. The outer layer is wrapped with an aluminum foil shielding layer and a braided shielding mesh. The double shielding design can effectively resist electromagnetic interference in the grain silo and electrostatic interference generated by grain friction, ensuring stable transmission of detection data and control signals. One end of the internal communication cable 33 is electrically connected to the PLC controller and data transmission module inside the control room 42, and the other end extends to the control terminal on the top of the grain silo, realizing real-time signal interaction between the detection chamber and the outside, and synchronously transmitting detection data, equipment status information and control commands.

[0029] The lowering unit 7 includes a drive motor 71 fixedly installed at the lower end of the mounting plate 44. The output end of the drive motor 71 is fixedly connected to a rotating shaft 72. A bushing 73 is fixedly installed at the lower end of the rotating shaft 72. The bushing 73 is fixedly connected to the forward chamber 43 through multiple inclined synchronous rods 74. By starting the drive motor 71, the forward chamber 43 is driven to rotate, which separates the lowered grain and facilitates the overall lowering of the probe cabin 4 to a certain depth.

[0030] A matching feed head 5 is slidably installed inside the feed inlet, and the feed head 5 is normally located inside the forward chamber 43.

[0031] Example 2: Please see Figures 7-9Based on Example 1, the feeding head 5 includes an annular sleeve 51. Anti-detachment rings 52 are fixedly installed at both the upper and lower ends of the annular sleeve 51. A distributing ball head 53 is fixedly installed at the bottom inner side of the annular sleeve 51. Multiple material channels 54 distributed in an annular array are opened on the outer side of the annular sleeve 51. At the same time, at least two limiting strips 55 are fixedly installed to limit the up and down sliding at the feeding port. When the feeding head 5 is on the upper side, it can seal the forward chamber 43. After descending, the material channels 54 are exposed, thereby squeezing the grain into them and filling the forward chamber 43 for detection.

[0032] A vertically arranged telescopic hole is provided at the center of the material distribution ball head 53, and a material distribution column 6 is installed in the telescopic hole.

[0033] The material distribution column 6 includes a cylindrical magnet 61 slidably mounted on the upper side of the telescopic hole, a material distribution block 62 slidably mounted on the lower side of the telescopic hole, a limiting ring 64 fixedly mounted inside the telescopic hole and abutting against the material distribution block 62, a connecting rod 63 fixedly connected between the cylindrical magnet 61 and the material distribution block 62, and a compression spring 65 fixedly mounted between the cylindrical magnet 61 and the limiting ring 64. An annular electromagnet 48 applies a first magnetic field to the material distribution column 6, causing the cylindrical magnet 61 to move downwards against the elastic force of the compression spring 65, thereby pushing the material distribution block 62 to extend downwards to distribute the grain pile below. The material distribution block 62 disperses and reduces resistance. At the same time, the compression spring 65 stores energy, and the annular electromagnet 48 removes the first magnetic field. Under the action of the elastic potential energy of the compression spring 65, the material distribution block 62 quickly resets and hits the limiting ring 64, causing vibration at a certain frequency. The vibration is transmitted to the detection chamber 4 and the surrounding grain, which breaks the static friction and adhesion between grains. Especially for grain piles with high moisture content, it can effectively reduce grain agglomeration and improve grain flowability. In addition, the vibration effect can also promote the rapid flow of grain during the recycling process to avoid material jamming and residue.

[0034] It should be noted that the core control unit of this robot is a PLC controller, integrated within the control room 42 of the detection chamber 4. It features dustproof, moisture-proof, and anti-interference design. Through shielded wires, it establishes electrical connections with drive motor 12, drive motor 23, drive motor 31, ring electromagnet 48, ring detection unit 8, and various sensors such as encoders and position sensors, achieving fully automated control and supporting two operating modes: Automatic mode: Operators preset the horizontal coordinates of the detection path and the diving depth through the control terminal outside the grain silo. The controller drives the horizontal moving mechanism 1 to move to the designated position according to the preset program, and then controls the vertical lifting mechanism 2 to lower the detection chamber 4. The process of diving, drag reduction, material retrieval, detection, data transmission and recovery is completed automatically without manual intervention. Manual mode: The actions of each mechanism can be controlled in real time through the control terminal, which can focus on the detection of abnormal areas of the grain pile and adapt to complex detection needs.

[0035] Control logic details: During horizontal movement, the controller adjusts the speed of the ball screw 13 via drive motor 12, and achieves precise positioning by combining the limit switches of guide rail 16 and guide shoe 17; during vertical lifting, drive motor 23 controls the winding speed of the winding roller 24 according to the depth data fed back by the encoder, to prevent the detection chamber 4 from lifting too quickly, which could cause disturbance to the grain pile or damage to the equipment; during the descent, the controller drives motor 3 71 to rotate the forward chamber 43 at a uniform speed, while simultaneously controlling the annular electromagnet 48 to periodically apply a weak magnetic field, causing the material distribution column 6 to vibrate at high frequency, thus disrupting the grain pile. The static friction and adhesion between grains; after reaching the preset depth, the controller controls the annular electromagnet 48 to apply a strong magnetic field, pushing the material head 5 down to expose the material channel 54. After the grains enter the forward chamber 43, the controller can keep the forward chamber rotating slowly, so that the probe of the annular detection unit 8 can perform multi-point detection to improve the comprehensiveness of the data; after the detection is completed, the controller controls the annular electromagnet 48 to remove the magnetic field, the material head 5 is reset, the drive motor 23 rotates in the opposite direction to rewind the cable and recover the detection chamber 4. At the same time, the material distribution column 6 vibrates to assist the grains to be discharged and avoid jamming.

[0036] The power supply adopts a collaborative mode of "built-in lithium battery + cable power supply": the detection cabin 4 has a built-in high-capacity lithium-ion battery pack installed in the control room 42. A single full charge can support continuous detection for 8-12 hours, meeting the daily detection needs; the composite cable 3 has a built-in power cord, which can charge the lithium battery simultaneously during the lifting process to avoid insufficient battery life; the power module has overvoltage, overcurrent and short circuit protection functions, and sends an early warning to the control terminal through the wireless communication module when the battery is low, reminding it to charge in time; the detection data is transmitted to the grain warehouse monitoring center in real time through the composite cable or the wireless communication module, which is convenient for staff to view in real time.

[0037] Working principle: The first step, horizontal positioning stage: The robot is installed on the guide rail frame on the top of the grain silo. The operator sets the horizontal coordinates of the detection area through the external control terminal. The controller starts the drive motor 12 of the horizontal movement mechanism 1. The motor output torque is transmitted to the ball screw 13 through the coupling. The rotation of the ball screw drives the nut slider 15 to move smoothly horizontally along the guide rail 16 and guide shoe 17. The nut slider drives the vertical lifting mechanism 2 to move synchronously until the preset detection position is reached. The drive motor 12 stops running, and the horizontal positioning is completed.

[0038] The second step, the vertical descent stage: After horizontal positioning is completed, the controller starts the drive motor 23 of the vertical lifting mechanism 2. The motor drives the winding roller 24 to rotate clockwise, slowly releasing the composite cable 3. The detection chamber 4 descends into the grain pile under the action of gravity. Since the outer surfaces of the main body 41, control room 42 and forward chamber 43 of the detection chamber 4 are all spherical or fusiform, and the stabilizing wing 45 on the outside of the main body can maintain a stable attitude, the descent resistance of the grain pile is effectively reduced. At the same time, the controller starts the drive motor 71 of the descent unit 7. The motor drives the rotating shaft 72, bushing 73 and synchronous rod 74 to rotate, which drives the forward chamber 43 to rotate synchronously. The rotating forward chamber separates the grain flow in front, further reducing the descent resistance, so that the detection chamber can smoothly enter the grain pile.

[0039] The third step, vibration and drag reduction stage: For areas with high humidity or grain agglomeration, the controller controls the annular electromagnet 48 inside the magnetic shield 46 to periodically apply a weak magnetic field, i.e., the first magnetic field. The magnetic field generates a repulsive force on the cylindrical magnet 61 of the material distribution column 6, pushing the cylindrical magnet to overcome the elastic force of the compression spring 65 and move downward. Through the connecting rod 63, it drives the material distribution block 62 to extend out of the material distribution ball head 53 to disperse the grain pile below. Then, the annular electromagnet 48 removes the weak magnetic field, the compression spring 65 releases its elastic potential energy, and pushes the material distribution block 62 to quickly reset and hit the limiting ring 64, generating high-frequency vibration. The vibration is transmitted to the detection chamber 4 and the surrounding grain, breaking the static friction and adhesion between the grains, improving the flowability of the grains, and preventing grain agglomeration that would hinder the descent. This process is repeated until the detection chamber descends to the preset depth. After the encoder feeds back the depth signal, the drive motor 23 stops running.

[0040] The fourth step is the material collection and detection stage: After reaching the preset detection depth, the controller controls the annular electromagnet 48 to apply a strong magnetic field, i.e., a second magnetic field. Under the action of the magnetic field force, the cylindrical magnet 61 continues to move downward, pushing the material distribution block 62 to extend completely, while simultaneously driving the material collection head 5 to slide downward along the material collection port. The limiting strip 55 limits the sliding trajectory, and the material channel 54 of the material collection head is exposed in the grain pile. Due to the improved grain flowability and the slow rotation of the forward chamber 43, the grain grains, under the action of rotational thrust and gravity, enter the inner side of the material collection head 5 through the material channel 54, gradually filling the forward chamber 43, so that the detection probe of the annular detection unit 8 is surrounded by grain grains. The sensor built into the probe collects parameters such as moisture, temperature, and mold degree of the grain grains in real time. The data is transmitted to the control terminal via a composite cable or wireless communication module. At the same time, the rotation of the forward chamber 43 causes the probe to contact grain grains at different positions, realizing multi-point detection and ensuring comprehensive and accurate data.

[0041] Step 5, Recycling and Resetting Stage: After the detection is completed, drive motor 23 is started to rotate in reverse, winding roller 24 winds up composite cable 3, driving detection chamber 4 to recycle upward. After reaching the top of the grain pile, the controller controls the annular electromagnet 48 to switch to an adsorption magnetic field. The cylindrical magnet 61 drives the material distribution block 62 and the material receiving head 5 to reset upward synchronously. The material receiving head closes the material receiving port. During the recycling process, the controller can trigger the annular electromagnet 48 again to periodically apply a weak magnetic field. The material distribution column 6 vibrates, promoting the discharge of residual grains in the forward chamber 43 under the action of gravity and vibration, avoiding material jamming. Finally, drive motor 12 is started, driving the vertical lifting mechanism 2 and detection chamber back to the initial position, or moving to the next detection area, completing one detection cycle.

[0042] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as exemplary and not restrictive.

[0043] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style of the specification is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other implementation methods that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A robot for shuttling and inspecting grain piles, characterized in that: The device includes a horizontal moving mechanism (1), on which a vertical lifting mechanism (2) is slidably mounted. The vertical lifting mechanism (2) suspends a detection chamber (4) via a composite cable (3). The detection chamber (4) includes a main body (41). A control room (42) is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the main body (41). A forward chamber (43) is rotatably mounted on the lower end of the main body (41). An installation plate (44) and an isolation plate (47) are fixedly mounted inside the main body (41). A downward probe unit (7) is fixedly mounted on the lower end of the installation plate (44). An annular detection unit (8) is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the isolation plate (47). The detection probe on the annular detection unit (8) penetrates the isolation plate (47) and extends to the inside of the forward chamber (43). A magnetic shield (46) is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the isolation plate (47). An annular electromagnet (48) is fixedly mounted inside the magnetic shield (46). A material intake port is opened at the lower end of the forward chamber (43).

2. The grain pile inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The horizontal moving mechanism (1) includes a housing (11), a drive motor (12) is fixedly installed at the outer end of the housing (11), a ball screw (13) is fixedly installed at the output end of the drive motor (12) through a coupling, a pair of bearing seats (14) are fixedly installed inside the housing (11), and the ball screw (13) is rotatably installed on the pair of bearing seats (14), a matching nut slider (15) is threaded on the ball screw (13), the vertical lifting mechanism (2) is fixedly installed on the nut slider (15), a pair of guide rails (16) are also fixedly installed inside the housing (11), a matching guide shoe (17) is slidably installed on the guide rails (16), and the guide shoe (17) is fixedly connected to the nut slider (15).

3. The grain pile inspection robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The composite cable (3) includes an outer protective sleeve (31). The outer protective sleeve (31) is fixedly connected to the control room (42) at one end away from the vertical lifting mechanism (2) via a connector (32). An inner communication cable (33) is provided inside the outer protective sleeve (31), and the inner communication cable (33) is electrically connected to the control room (42).

4. The grain pile inspection robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The vertical lifting mechanism (2) includes a fixed plate (21) fixedly installed on the nut slider (15). A pair of mounting plates (22) are fixedly installed at the lower end of the fixed plate (21). A winding roller (24) is rotatably installed between the pair of mounting plates (22). A second drive motor (23) is fixedly installed at the outer end of one of the mounting plates (22), and the output end of the second drive motor (23) is fixedly connected to the winding roller (24). The composite cable (3) is wound around the surface of the winding roller (24).

5. The grain pile inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lowering unit (7) includes a drive motor three (71) fixedly installed at the lower end of the mounting plate (44). The output end of the drive motor three (71) is fixedly connected to a rotating shaft (72). A bushing (73) is fixedly installed at the lower end of the rotating shaft (72). The bushing (73) is fixedly connected to the forward chamber (43) through multiple inclined synchronous rods (74).

6. The grain pile inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: A matching feed head (5) is slidably installed inside the feed inlet, and the feed head (5) is normally located inside the forward chamber (43).

7. A shuttle inspection robot inside a grain pile according to claim 6, characterized in that: The material receiving head (5) includes an annular sleeve (51), with anti-detachment rings (52) fixedly installed at both the upper and lower ends of the annular sleeve (51), a material distributing ball head (53) fixedly installed at the bottom inner side of the annular sleeve (51), and multiple material channels (54) arranged in annular array on the outer side of the annular sleeve (51). At the same time, at least two limiting strips (55) are fixedly installed to limit the vertical sliding at the material receiving port.

8. The grain pile inspection robot according to claim 7, characterized in that: A vertically arranged telescopic hole is provided at the center of the material distribution ball head (53), and a material distribution column (6) is installed in the telescopic hole.

9. A shuttle inspection robot inside a grain pile according to claim 8, characterized in that: The material distribution column (6) includes a cylindrical magnet (61) slidably mounted on the upper side of the telescopic hole, a material distribution block (62) slidably mounted on the lower side of the telescopic hole, a limiting ring (64) fixedly mounted inside the telescopic hole and abutting against the material distribution block (62), a connecting rod (63) fixedly connected between the cylindrical magnet (61) and the material distribution block (62), and a compression spring (65) fixedly mounted between the cylindrical magnet (61) and the limiting ring (64).

10. A shuttle inspection robot inside a grain pile according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer surfaces of the control room (42) and the forward compartment (43) are both spherical, and the outer surface of the main body (41) is fixedly equipped with multiple stabilizing fins (45) arranged in a ring array.

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