Method for stabilizing attitude of truss robot

Abstract

A linear truss structure robot in the field of curtain wall glass high-altitude cleaning and inspection operation solves related problems caused by gravity center roll when the robot is suspended by installing a passive steerable supporting mechanism, or a suction cup, or a support and other assemblies and increasing the transverse stress width of a machine body. The stability and the reliability of the control of the operation robot are realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotics technology for curtain wall glass cleaning and curtain wall inspection; specifically, it relates to a high-altitude operation robot for curtain wall glass cleaning and curtain wall inspection. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, with the rapid development of technology, high-altitude cleaning and inspection operations of curtain wall glass are increasingly being automated using cleaning and inspection robots with different structures. Among them, the "I"-shaped truss structure robot, due to the suction cups adhering to the wall surface, is distributed at both ends of the "I"-shaped truss and the middle slide, and is installed in a straight line or nearly straight line. When the robot moves up and down, its posture is a vertical "I" shape adhering to the wall surface. When the force is relatively balanced, the robot's posture control is relatively stable. However, during lateral movement and directional rotation, when the robot body is horizontally "I"-shaped adhering to the wall surface, only the column leg suction cups are adhering to the wall surface. When the robot body is suspended in the air, due to its structure and center of gravity, the force surface of the suction cups is magnified on one side, and the robot body is prone to tilting downwards. This affects the parallelism between the robot body and the wall surface, as well as the parallelism between the brush wheel and other working modules and the wall surface. At the same time, it also hinders the angle of contact between the suction cups and the wall surface during movement, resulting in reduced robot motion stability and leading to related derivative risks. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the shortcomings of the prior art, this invention provides a method for stabilizing the posture of a gantry robot during movement. This method involves adding a passive, steerable support mechanism (an independent module) mounted on brush wheel brackets on both sides (or on robot legs or slides). By utilizing the support height and the robot legs extending and adhering to the wall, a consistent height is achieved, ensuring that the angle between the robot body and the wall remains stable and balanced. By increasing the width of the lateral force support for the robot, the control posture is optimized, resolving the posture tilting problem caused by the robot's center of gravity being suspended and its associated risks, thus improving the control stability and reliability of the robot. Furthermore, the independent module, due to its small size, light weight, simple and reliable structure, does not consume additional energy and offers flexible installation and adaptation, significantly improving the reliability and scene adaptability of the "I"-shaped gantry robot in applications.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the technical solution described below.

[0005] A method for stabilizing the posture of a gantry robot during movement is proposed. By adding passively rotatable support mechanisms (independent modules) on the left and right sides of the gantry robot, the contact width between the robot and the wall is increased, thereby achieving stable control of the robot's posture balance when suspended in the air. The module's fixed base and support arm are both provided with shaft holes, which are connected by screws passing through the shaft holes, and combined with springs and other components.

[0006] The mounting base is provided with mounting holes for assembly and connection with the robot body (such as a column leg, truss, or slide table) or its module accessories (such as a brush wheel or other working modules); the outer edge is provided with a stop (wedge notch) for the slider on the support arm to be engaged for position locking; and a tension spring hole is provided for mounting and fixing one end of the tension spring.

[0007] The support arm is composed of its body (including tension spring holes), rollers, top blocks, pull ropes, anchors, tension springs, compression springs, sliders, limit blocks, pressure blocks, and other components; the upper end of the support arm body is connected to the mounting base through a shaft hole (the center point of rotation when avoiding obstacles), and a tension spring hole is provided at its end for tension spring connection and installation; The support arm body is equipped with a slider, a limiting block, and a pressure block near the shaft hole. The other end (lower end) is equipped with rollers, a top block, anchors, and a pull rope. The slider is positioned within the space where the body, limiting block, and pressure block overlap. Its width is similar to the internal width of the limiting block, with a gap to facilitate sliding up and down within it. Only the upper and lower ends have the necessary space for movement. An internal spring at the bottom of the slider generates thrust, pushing the wedge-shaped upper end (near the shaft hole end) into the stop on the outer edge of the fixing seat, serving as a locking control to fix the position of the support arm when it is supported on the wall. The lower end of the slider is connected to the top block via a pull rope through the anchor hole. When the top block encounters an obstacle, it is driven to rotate under pressure, causing the pull rope to retract the slider to the limiting block to exit the stop, thus releasing the fixed and locked support arm and achieving rotation or locking control of the support mechanism. The lower end (near the wall) of its support arm body is equipped with rollers that contact the wall. When the robot moves forward (when the brush wheel module or other modules are installed), the support arm uses the rollers to contact the wall to achieve the functions of rolling and support. Between the limiting block and the roller of the support arm body, there are accessories such as a top block, anchor pins, and pull ropes. When the top block encounters external force (such as the resistance of obstacles in the scene), it rotates around its fixed axis near the center. When the position of the pull rope at the other end changes, it pulls the slider connected to it through the hole of the anchor pin, causing the slider to retract and exit the fixed seat stop. Then, through the resistance of the obstacle, it continues to push the entire support arm to complete the rotation, realizing obstacle avoidance when moving forward (or backward). At the same time, due to the flexibility of the pull rope, when the top block encounters an obstacle in either the front or back direction through the hole of the anchor pin, the resulting resistance can push the top block to drive the slider back, completing the locking control of the support arm's release and solving the problem of obstacle avoidance when the support arm encounters obstacles during movement. The independent module of the support mechanism consists of two parts: a fixed base and a support arm. They are connected in series by screws through shaft holes, and tension springs are connected to both ends. When there is no external force pushing or blocking the support arm, the tension of the tension springs will cause the support arm to return to the support position, and the slider will lock into the stop to lock the position.

[0008] The function of the support mechanism (independent module) can also be achieved by using sensors (such as a ranging module or a tactile switch) to replace the function of the top block contacting the obstacle, thereby sensing the obstacle. Alternatively, the spring can be eliminated, or a motor can be used to replace the power of the support mechanism's rotation and the slider's push (or a motor can be used to control the extension and retraction of the support arm) as alternative solutions to achieve the same function and implementation purpose.

[0009] A method for stabilizing the posture of a gantry robot during movement can also be achieved by increasing the number of suction cups on each leg and increasing the lateral force-bearing width by installing multiple suction cups laterally, thereby solving the lateral stability problem of the robot (as per the instruction manual). Figure 7 (As shown), to solve the problem of arbitrary tilting when the robot body is horizontally "I"-shaped and adsorbed to the wall; however, the method of increasing the lateral force-bearing width by using multiple suction cups has the drawbacks of increasing operating energy consumption and increasing the weight of the robot body, which brings inconvenience to high-altitude operation robots, and can be used as a backup solution.

[0010] A method for stabilizing the posture of a gantry robot during movement can also be used to increase the robot's lateral force-bearing width by installing support brackets on the column legs (or slides), thereby solving the problem of lateral force stability of the robot (as per the instruction manual). Figure 8 (As shown), this method can be used to address the tilting issue that occurs when the robot body is horizontally attached to a wall in a straight line. However, if the horizontal support used in this method is too short, the horizontal support will not be effective. If the horizontal support is too long, it will affect the robot's convenience and impose more stringent requirements on the implementation scenario. This method can be considered as a backup solution. Attached Figure Description

[0011] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the "I"-shaped truss structure robot described in this invention.

[0012] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the "I"-shaped truss structure robot of the present invention, which uses a brush wheel module to install a support mechanism.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a partially enlarged structural diagram of the brush wheel module after the support mechanism is installed.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of each component of the support mechanism (independent module) described in this invention.

[0015] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support arm slider of the present invention, which is locked into the stop of the fixed seat.

[0016] Figure 6Schematic diagram of the structure where the top block of the support mechanism described in the present invention is pressed and rotated, and the slider is retracted (releasing the lock) through the pulling rope.

[0017] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the "one"-shaped truss structure robot described in the present invention, using multiple suction cups installed horizontally on each leg to increase the force-bearing width.

[0018] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the "one"-shaped truss structure robot described in the present invention, increasing the force-bearing width by installing support brackets on the legs.

[0019] Markings in the attached drawings: "One"-shaped truss structure robot a, brush wheel bracket aa; Support mechanism b, fixed seat b1, screw b2, tension spring b3, shaft hole b4, mounting hole b5, rabbet b6, tension spring hole b7; Support arm c, support arm body c1, roller c2, top block c3, pulling rope c4, anchor c5, compression spring c6, slider c7, limit block c8, pressure block c9, tension spring hole c10, shaft hole c11; Suction cup d; bracket e. Detailed implementation manners

[0020] To facilitate the understanding of the technical features of the present invention, the present invention will be further described below with reference to the attached drawings and in combination with specific embodiments.

[0021] "One"-shaped truss structure robot a; Support mechanism b, fixed seat b1, screw b2, tension spring b3, shaft hole b4, mounting hole b5, rabbet b6, tension spring hole b7; Support arm c, support arm body c1, roller c2, top block c3, pulling rope c4, anchor c5, compression spring c6, slider c7, limit block c8, pressure block c9, tension spring hole c10, shaft hole c11; Suction cup d; bracket e.

[0022] Referring to the attached drawings, for the method of maintaining a stable posture during the movement of a truss robot a described in the present invention, by adding an independent module of a passive steerable support mechanism b, the balance control of the posture of the robot a is achieved. This module is composed of the shaft holes b4 and c11 of two parts, the fixed seat b1 and the support arm c, which are connected in series by a screw b2, and is combined with components such as a tension spring b3; it is installed on the working components (such as a brush wheel) of the robot a according to the scene or task requirements, or is installed and connected on the robot a body (such as positions of legs, or trusses, or slides, etc.).

[0023] The implementation manner described in the present invention is illustrated by taking the support mechanisms b installed at both ends of the brush wheel bracket aa of the robot as an example; After the fixed base b1 is installed and connected to the brush wheel bracket aa through the mounting hole b5, the fixed base b1 is assembled and connected to the shaft hole c11 on the support arm c through the shaft hole b4 and the screw b2. The outer edge of the fixed base b1 is close to the limiting block c8 and pressure block c9 installed on the support arm body c1. When the support arm c rotates in the direction of the shaft hole screw b2, and the slider c7 reaches the stop b6 position on the outer edge of the fixed base b1, the slider c7 inside is pushed out by the compression spring c6 and locked into the stop b6 on the outer edge of the fixed base b1, thus fixing the position of the support arm c and completing the locking. This ensures that the height of the support arm c against the wall is consistent with the height of the robot a's column leg suction cup d after it is attached to the wall, achieving the balance of the robot a. When the robot a moves forward, its support arm c uses the lower roller c2 to contact the wall, achieving rolling and support functions, maintaining the stable balance posture of the robot a during its forward movement. When an obstacle is encountered during forward movement, the top block c3 is first subjected to the pressure of the obstacle and rotates. The displacement of the other end during forward (or backward) rotation drives the pull rope c4, which, through the hole of the anchor c5, pulls the slider c7 downward, disengaging it from the stop b6 of the fixed seat b1. This releases the locked support arm c, and under the pressure of the subsequent obstruction, drives the entire support arm c to rotate, thus avoiding the obstacle. After passing the obstacle, once there are no obstacles and the pressure has disappeared, the support arm c rotates due to the tension generated by the tension spring b3. Upon returning to its original support position, the wedge-shaped end of the slider c7, under the thrust of the compression spring c6, engages with the stop b6 on the outer edge of the fixed seat b1, completing the locking of the support arm c. Simultaneously, as the slider c7 moves upward under the push of the compression spring c6, it also drives the pull rope c4 through the hole of the anchor c5 to pull the top block c3 back to its initial position, preparing for the next obstacle avoidance.

[0024] The above embodiments illustrate and describe the basic principles and main structural features of the present invention. Various changes and modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed.

Claims

1. A method for stabilizing the attitude of a gantry robot during movement, characterized in that: By adding independent modules of passively steerable support mechanisms, which are installed on the brackets on both sides of the robot's brush wheel (or on the robot's legs, slide, or other related modules), and by utilizing the consistency between the support height and the height of the robot's legs extending and adhering to the wall, the force-bearing width of the robot's contact with the wall is increased. Through the increase in the lateral force-bearing width, the angle between the robot body and the wall is kept stable and balanced at all times. This solves the problem of the robot's body tilting and the resulting risks caused by the force point being too narrow when the center of gravity is suspended in the air, and solves the stability and reliability of the operation robot control. The method for stabilizing the posture can also increase the width of the robot's support force by installing multiple suction cups laterally or installing support brackets, thereby increasing the width of the robot's lateral support force and optimizing the posture balance control.

2. The method for stabilizing the attitude of a gantry robot during movement according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support mechanism has a fixed base and a support arm with shaft holes, which are connected by screws passing through the shaft holes and combined with springs and other components. When the support arm encounters an obstacle, its top block rotates due to the pressure generated by the obstacle. At the same time, the slider is pulled by the pull rope and the locking of the stop is released to release the fixed support arm. Under the blocking force of the continued contact with the obstacle, the entire support arm rotates to avoid the obstacle. After passing the obstacle, the support arm rotates back to the center position due to the tension spring. When the stop retracts to the slider position, the spring in the support arm pushes the slider to lock into the stop and complete the locking, so that it is supported on the wall to form a force fulcrum and realize the support function.

3. A method for stabilizing the posture of a gantry robot during movement according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that... By increasing the width of the robot's contact with the wall laterally to improve the control method of center of gravity balance and posture stability, it is also possible to use motors as rotational power and slider thrust (or use motors to control the extension and retraction displacement of the support arm) and sensors (such as ranging modules, tactile switches, etc.) as obstacle perception methods to achieve all its support and obstacle avoidance functions and implementation objectives.

4. The method for stabilizing the attitude of a gantry robot during movement according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method for increasing the lateral force-bearing width of the robot is to install multiple suction cups (≥2 suction cups) laterally on the column legs and attach them to the wall. By installing the suction cups side by side or with increased spacing, the lateral force-bearing width of the robot body is increased after it is attached to the wall, thereby solving the problem of lateral posture stability of the robot.

5. The method for stabilizing the attitude of a gantry robot during movement according to claim 1, characterized in that: The robot utilizes a method of installing support brackets. By installing support brackets laterally on each column leg (or slide), the width of the robot's body subjected to lateral force after adhering to the wall is increased, thereby solving the stability of the robot's lateral posture.

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