Garbage boat

Abstract

A garbage boat comprises a boat body and a mechanical arm connected to the boat body, the mechanical arm comprises a connecting part, a driving part and a folding part, the connecting part is configured to be connected with the boat body and the driving part, and the folding part comprises a first quadrilateral folding structure composed of a plurality of connecting rods; the driving part is configured to control mutual rotation among the multiple connecting rods so that the first quadrilateral folding structure can be in an unfolded state or a folded state. The mechanical arm of the garbage boat can be controlled to be switched between the unfolded state and the folded state, and therefore the garbage boat is suitable for various water surface environments and meets the sweeping requirement. And moreover, state switching of the mechanical arm can be achieved without complex driving nodes, the complexity and manufacturing cost of equipment are reduced, and practicability is high.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of this disclosure relate to a garbage ship. Background Technology

[0002] Waterborne garbage boats are mainly used to clean up garbage on the water surface, such as plastic products, waste wood, buoys and other lightweight waste. Compared with manual cleaning, using unmanned intelligent garbage boats can reduce manpower, material resources and time costs, making the cleaning process more efficient, economical and safe.

[0003] Garbage ships are often equipped with robotic arms to collect garbage. However, existing garbage ship robotic arms have problems such as limited sweeping width adjustment and complex structure. Summary of the Invention

[0004] At least one embodiment of this disclosure provides a garbage ship, including a hull and a robotic arm connected to the hull. The robotic arm includes a connecting part, a driving part, and a folding part. The connecting part is configured to connect the hull and the driving part. The folding part includes a first quadrilateral folding structure composed of a plurality of links. The driving part is configured to control the relative rotation between the plurality of links to cause the first quadrilateral folding structure to be in an unfolded state or a folded state.

[0005] For example, in at least one embodiment of the garbage ship disclosed herein, when the first quadrilateral folding structure is in the folded state, the folded portion retracts to the side of the hull; when the first quadrilateral folding structure is in the unfolded state, the folded portion extends away from the hull.

[0006] For example, in at least one embodiment of the garbage ship provided in this disclosure, the plurality of links of the first quadrilateral folding structure include a first link, a second link, a third link and a fourth link that are hinged in sequence. The first link is opposite to the third link and the length of the first link is not equal to the length of the third link. The second link is opposite to the fourth link and the length of the second link is not equal to the length of the fourth link.

[0007] For example, in at least one embodiment of the garbage ship provided by this disclosure, the folding part further includes a fifth link and a sixth link, the driving part includes a main structure and a controlled telescopic structure, the fifth link is fixedly connected to the second link and located on the same straight line, and the first end of the fifth link is located at the hinge point of the first link and the second link, and the second end of the fifth link is hinged to the telescopic end of the telescopic structure; the sixth link is fixedly connected to the first link and located on the same straight line, and the first end of the sixth link is located at the hinge point of the first link and the fourth link, and the second end of the sixth link is hinged to the main structure of the telescopic structure.

[0008] For example, in at least one embodiment of the garbage ship provided in this disclosure, the folding part further includes a second quadrilateral folding structure connected to the first quadrilateral folding structure. The second quadrilateral folding structure includes a seventh link, an eighth link, a ninth link, and a tenth link that are hinged in sequence. The seventh link is opposite to the ninth link, and the length of the seventh link is equal to the length of the ninth link. The eighth link is opposite to the tenth link, and the length of the eighth link is equal to the length of the tenth link.

[0009] For example, in at least one embodiment of the garbage ship disclosed herein, the second link includes a connecting portion remote from the fifth link, the connecting portion being reused as the seventh link, the seventh link being hinged to the tenth link at a first hinge point, the second link being hinged to the third link at a second hinge point, the first hinge point and the second hinge point being the same point, and the third link being fixedly connected to the tenth link and located on the same straight line.

[0010] For example, in at least one embodiment of the garbage ship provided in this disclosure, the folding part further includes an eleventh link, the first end of the eleventh link being connected to the end of the ninth link away from the first quadrilateral folding structure, and the eleventh link and the ninth link being located on the same straight line.

[0011] For example, in at least one embodiment of the garbage ship disclosed herein, the robotic arm further includes a roller disposed at the second end of the eleventh link.

[0012] For example, at least one embodiment of the present disclosure provides a garbage ship in which the hull includes a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket having a plurality of mounting holes spaced apart in the height direction of the hull, and the connecting portion being mounted to the mounting bracket through at least one of the plurality of mounting holes.

[0013] For example, in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, a garbage ship is provided in which the mounting bracket is connected to the mounting beam of the hull via a plurality of hinges.

[0014] For example, in at least one embodiment of the garbage ship disclosed herein, the plurality of connecting rods are hollow carbon fiber tubes.

[0015] For example, in at least one embodiment of the garbage ship provided in this disclosure, the folding portion further includes a plurality of reinforcing tubes, and the plurality of reinforcing tubes are located at least inside the hinge joints of the plurality of connecting rods.

[0016] For example, in at least one embodiment of the garbage ship provided in this disclosure, a duckbill pad is also provided at the hinge of the plurality of connecting rods. Each connecting rod is provided with two of the duckbill pads. The arc surface of the duckbill pad contacts the connecting rod, and the plane of the duckbill pad contacts the plane of the duckbill pad of another connecting rod.

[0017] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, a garbage ship is provided in which the robotic arm has two layers of folded portions arranged along the height direction of the hull, and the two layers of folded portions are connected by a connecting pipe.

[0018] For example, in at least one embodiment of the garbage ship disclosed herein, the multiple linkage structures of the folded layer near the water surface are fitted with a floating material tube.

[0019] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the folding portion of the garbage ship further includes a baffle plate disposed on a first side of the two layers of the folding portion, the first side facing the direction of travel of the garbage ship, and the baffle plate having a plurality of holes. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. Throughout the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements. It should be understood that the drawings are schematic, and elements are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0021] Figure 1 A top view of a garbage ship in an deployed state, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, is shown;

[0022] Figure 2 A top view of a garbage ship in a folded state, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, is shown;

[0023] Figure 3 A top view of a robotic arm provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0024] Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a robotic arm provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0025] Figure 5 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a robotic arm provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0026] Figure 6 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a hammerhead nut provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0027] Figure 7 A partial structural schematic diagram of a robotic arm provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0028] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a baffle provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0029] Figure 9 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a garbage ship provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0030] Figure 10 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a garbage ship provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0031] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the structure of the mounting bracket provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0032] Figure 12 A partial structural schematic diagram of a garbage ship provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0033] Figure 13 A schematic diagram of the structure of a hinge provided in at least one embodiment of this disclosure is shown; and

[0034] Figure 14 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a garbage ship provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this disclosure. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the described embodiments of this disclosure without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0036] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this disclosure shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used in this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms “an,” “a,” or “the,” and similar terms do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms “including,” “comprising,” or “containing,” and similar terms mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. The terms “connected,” “linked,” or similar terms are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. The terms “upper,” “lower,” “left,” and “right,” etc., are used only to indicate relative positional relationships, and these relative positional relationships may change accordingly when the absolute position of the described objects changes.

[0037] Currently, robotic arms used on garbage ships mainly include fixed robotic arms and moving structure robotic arms.

[0038] Fixed robotic arms have a simple structure, but their cleaning area is fixed and cannot be adjusted. Widening the robotic arm to increase the cleaning area presents challenges such as transportation difficulties (e.g., road width restrictions), thus limiting its practicality.

[0039] Motion-structured robotic arms, also known as robotic arms, can change their shape and width through motion mechanisms. However, robotic arms often rely on multiple drive nodes or complex joints to achieve large-angle, long-stroke folding, resulting in complex structures and heavy weight, which adversely affects the load capacity, movement posture, and energy consumption of garbage ships.

[0040] Therefore, existing unmanned intelligent garbage ship robotic arms have technical problems such as inconvenient cleaning width adjustment, complex structure, large weight, and high cost, which limit the operating efficiency and application scope of garbage ships.

[0041] At least one embodiment of this disclosure provides a garbage ship, including a hull and a robotic arm connected to the hull. The robotic arm includes a connecting part, a driving part, and a folding part. The connecting part is configured to connect the hull and the driving part. The folding part includes a first quadrilateral folding structure composed of multiple links. The driving part is configured to control the mutual rotation between the multiple links so that the first quadrilateral folding structure is in an unfolded state or a folded state.

[0042] The garbage ship provided in this embodiment can be implemented as an unmanned intelligent garbage ship, whose robotic arm can switch between an extended state and a folded state, thus adapting to various aquatic environments and cleaning needs. Furthermore, the folding section includes a first quadrilateral folding structure composed of multiple connecting rods, enabling the robotic arm to switch states without complex drive nodes, reducing the complexity and manufacturing cost of the equipment, and enhancing its practicality.

[0043] The garbage ship provided in this disclosure is illustrated below through several specific embodiments.

[0044] This disclosure provides at least one embodiment of a garbage ship, Figure 1 The image shows a top view of the garbage ship in its deployed state. Figure 2 The image shows a top view of the garbage ship in a folded state.

[0045] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the garbage ship includes a hull 10 and a robotic arm 20 connected to the hull 10. The robotic arm 20 includes a connecting part 30, a driving part 40, and a folding part 50. The connecting part 30 is configured to connect the hull 10 and the driving part 40. The folding part 50 includes a first quadrilateral folding structure 501 composed of multiple links. The driving part 40 is configured to control the relative rotation between the multiple links so that the first quadrilateral folding structure 501 is in an unfolded state or a folded state.

[0046] For example, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, two robotic arms 20 are provided, each connected to one side of the garbage ship hull 10. For example, the two robotic arms 20 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the axial direction X of the hull 10. The hull 10 has a front side (i.e., the side facing the direction of travel). Figure 1 and Figure 2 The upper and lower sides of the hull 10 are shown in the figure, and two robotic arms 20 are respectively connected to the left and right sides of the front side of the garbage ship hull 10.

[0047] For example, in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the hull 10 of the garbage ship also includes a garbage receiving section, such as a garbage cage, configured to collect garbage. In this case, the garbage is gathered to the center of the hull by the robotic arm 20 and enters the garbage receiving section inside the unmanned vessel, achieving automatic garbage cleaning and collection. The specific design of the garbage receiving section can be selected according to application requirements, and this disclosure does not limit this aspect.

[0048] For example, such as Figure 1As shown, when the first quadrilateral folding structure 501 of the folding part 50 is in the unfolded state, the folding part 50 of the robotic arm 20 extends away from the hull 10. At this time, the extension range of the folding part 50 is wider, and more surface debris can be gathered and collected by the robotic arm 20 in the unfolded state. For example, the distance A1 between the ends of the two robotic arms 20 away from the hull 10 can be more than ten meters, such as 12.5 meters or 15 meters, that is, the cleaning width of the two robotic arms 20 in the unfolded state reaches more than ten meters, which can achieve a wider cleaning range.

[0049] For example, such as Figure 2 As shown, when the first quadrilateral folding structure 501 is in the folded state, the folded portion 50 of the robotic arm 20 retracts to the side of the hull 10. At this time, surface debris can be gathered and collected by the folded robotic arm 20, for example, by the fixing plate 90 mentioned later. Furthermore, the overall area occupied by the garbage ship is smaller, making it easier for the garbage ship to dock and moor. For example, the distance A2 between the ends of the two robotic arms 20 away from the hull 10 can be several meters, such as 3 meters, 3.5 meters, or 4 meters, meaning the width occupied by the two robotic arms 20 in the folded state is several meters. Based on this, the robotic arm can switch between the unfolded and folded states, or between intermediate states, thus adapting to various surface environments and cleaning needs, improving the equipment's practicality.

[0050] For example, the drive unit 40 can adopt a two-position drive control mode, so that the robotic arm 20 only has an unfolded state and a folded state; when the robotic arm 20 is in the unfolded state, the folding part 50 of the robotic arm 20 is fully unfolded; when the robotic arm is in the folded state, the folding part 50 of the robotic arm 20 is fully retracted. The structural design and operating logic of this type of drive unit are simple. For example, contact feedback can be set only at the positions of folding and unfolding, that is, there are only two positions with feedback signals, thereby avoiding the need to set up a stroke feedback sensor. Such sensors are expensive, have high requirements for the application environment, and are not very stable. In contrast, the two-position drive control mode of the drive unit 40 has low requirements for the application environment, high equipment stability, reduces the manufacturing cost and production assembly difficulty of the robotic arm, and balances practicality and economy.

[0051] For example, the drive unit 40 can also adopt a steplessly adjustable drive control mode, with a stop-and-hold function at any position midway. Its extension and retraction stroke can be adjusted as needed and locked at a designated position, allowing the robotic arm to be in any state from fully folded to fully extended, thus maintaining a stable posture at any cleaning width according to operational needs. For instance, when a garbage ship passes through a narrowing area (e.g., when a garbage ship passes through a narrow section of water from a wide area), the robotic arm can be in an intermediate state between folded and extended, allowing the garbage ship to narrow its width to pass through the narrow water area while simultaneously collecting garbage. After the garbage ship passes through the narrowing area and enters a wide area, the robotic arm can be extended to allow garbage to enter the garbage receiving section. Therefore, the robotic arm can precisely control the cleaning width, adapting to various application scenarios.

[0052] The specific design of the drive unit can be selected according to application requirements, and the embodiments disclosed herein do not impose any restrictions on it.

[0053] Figure 3 A top view of a robotic arm 20 provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0054] like Figure 3 As shown, the first quadrilateral folding structure 501 has multiple connecting rods including a first connecting rod 51, a second connecting rod 52, a third connecting rod 53 and a fourth connecting rod 54 that are hinged in sequence. The first connecting rod 51 is opposite to the third connecting rod 53, and the second connecting rod 52 is opposite to the fourth connecting rod 54.

[0055] For example, the length of the first link 51 is not equal to the length of the third link 53, and the length of the second link 52 is not equal to the length of the fourth link 54; that is, the shape of the first quadrilateral folding structure 501 is an asymmetrical quadrilateral. For example, in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, in the unfolded state, the length of the first link 51, which is closer to the hull 10, is greater than the length of the third link 53, and in the unfolded state, the length of the second link 52, which is farther from the hull 10, is less than the length of the fourth link 54. For example, in some examples, the length of the first link 51 is approximately 0.33 meters, the length of the second link 52 is approximately 2.45 meters, the length of the third link 53 is approximately 0.30 meters, and the length of the fourth link 54 is approximately 2.55 meters. The above-mentioned shape design of the first quadrilateral folding structure 501 enables the robotic arm 20 to be better retracted to the side of the hull when in the folded state, conforming to the shape of the hull; conversely, if the first quadrilateral folding structure 501 is a parallelogram or other structure, the robotic arm 20 will still occupy a wide width on the side of the hull when in the folded state, and cannot be fully folded and retracted to the side of the hull.

[0056] For example, such as Figure 3As shown, the folding section 50 also includes a fifth link 55 and a sixth link 56, which can be connected to the driving section 40 and driven by the driving section 40 to realize the folded state and unfolded state of the first quadrilateral folding structure 501. For example, the driving section 40 can adopt a telescopic driving structure, which includes a main structure 41 and a controlled telescopic structure 42. Figure 3 The telescopic structure 42 retracts to be located inside the main structure 41, therefore Figure 3 (Not shown in the diagram), the fifth link 55 is fixedly connected to the second link 52 and located on the same straight line. For example, the fifth link 55 and the second link 52 can be connected as a single unit, thus using the same link to connect the fifth link 55 and the second link 52. The first end 55A of the fifth link 55 is located at the hinge point of the first link 51 and the second link 52, and the second end 55B of the fifth link 55 is hinged to the telescopic end of the telescopic structure. The sixth link 56 is fixedly connected to the first link 51 and located on the same straight line. For example, the sixth link 56 and the first link 51 can be connected as a single unit, thus using the same link to connect the sixth link 56 and the first link 51. The first end 56A of the sixth link 56 is located at the hinge point of the first link 51 and the fourth link 54, and the second end 56B of the sixth link 56 is hinged to the main structure 41 of the telescopic structure.

[0057] Therefore, when the telescopic structure 42 is extended in a controlled manner, the fifth link 55 is pushed to make the multiple links of the first quadrilateral folding structure 501 rotate accordingly, so that the first quadrilateral folding structure 501 is in a folded state; when the telescopic structure 42 is retracted in a controlled manner, the first link 51 is pulled to make the multiple links of the first quadrilateral folding structure 501 rotate accordingly, so that the first quadrilateral folding structure 501 is in an unfolded state.

[0058] For example, the drive unit 40 can be a waterproof electric push rod, cylinder, etc., and this embodiment does not limit this. The telescopic structure of the drive unit 40 is a telescopic component. The main structure of the drive unit 40 is used to accommodate the telescopic structure and control components for controlling the extension and retraction of the telescopic structure, etc. The end of the main structure away from the telescopic structure is fixedly connected to the hull 10.

[0059] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, when the telescopic structure 42 of the drive unit 40 is in the retracted state, the robotic arm 20 is located at... Figure 3In the unfolded state shown, the robotic arm 20 can be folded by controlling the extension structure 42 of the drive unit 40 to extend from the main structure 41. For example, when the extension structure 42 of the drive unit 40 extends from the main structure 41, the second end 55B of the fifth link 55 is pushed away from the hull 10 along the extension direction of the main structure 41; the fifth link 55 rotates around its first end 55A; since the fifth link 55 is fixedly connected to the second link 52 and is on the same straight line, the second link 52 rotates together with the fifth link 55 around its first end 55A; the third link 53 and the fourth link 54, which are hinged to the second link 52 in sequence, move with the movement of the second link 52; the first link 51 and the sixth link 56 do not move. Thus, under the control of the drive unit 40, multiple links rotate relative to each other, so that the first quadrilateral folding structure 501 is in a folded state.

[0060] For example, such as Figure 2 As shown, when the telescopic structure 42 of the drive unit 40 is in the extended state, the robotic arm 20 is located at... Figure 2 In the folded state shown, by controlling the telescopic structure 42 of the drive unit 40 to retract into the main structure 41, the robotic arm 20 can be unfolded. At this time, along the direction of the main structure 41, the second end 55B of the fifth link 55 is pulled towards the side closer to the hull 10. At this time, the relative movement of the second link 52, the third link 53, and the fourth link 54 is the reverse of that when the robotic arm 20 is retracted to the folded state, and will not be described again here; the first link 51 and the sixth link 56 do not move. Thus, under the control of the drive unit 40, the multiple links rotate relative to each other, so that the first quadrilateral folding structure 501 is in the unfolded state.

[0061] For example, in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 3 As shown, the folding section 50 also includes a second quadrilateral folding structure 502 connected to the first quadrilateral folding structure 501. The second quadrilateral folding structure can be in an unfolded or folded state along with the first quadrilateral folding structure 501, so as to extend the extension length of the robotic arm 20 in the unfolded state, thereby expanding the collection range of the garbage ship. The second quadrilateral folding structure includes a seventh link 57, an eighth link 58, a ninth link 59, and a tenth link 510 that are hinged in sequence; the seventh link 57 is opposite to the ninth link 59, and the eighth link 58 is opposite to the tenth link 510.

[0062] For example, the second quadrilateral folding structure 502 is a parallelogram in shape, with the length of the seventh link 57 equal to the length of the ninth link 59, and the length of the eighth link 58 equal to the length of the tenth link 510, so that the second quadrilateral folding structure 502 has a smaller volume in the folded state, thereby reducing the area occupied. (Refer to...) Figure 2.

[0063] For example, the second link 52 includes a connecting portion 52A away from the fifth link 55. The connecting portion 52A is reused as the seventh link 57. The seventh link 57 is hinged to the tenth link 510 at the first hinge point. The second link 52 is hinged to the third link 53 at the second hinge point. The first hinge point and the second hinge point are the same point 57A. The third link 53 is fixedly connected to the tenth link 510 and is located on the same straight line. Thus, when the first quadrilateral folding structure 501 is unfolded or folded in a controlled manner, the second quadrilateral folding structure 502 can also be unfolded or folded accordingly through the above connection, so that the robotic arm 20 is in an unfolded or folded state as a whole.

[0064] For example, when robotic arm 20 is located Figure 3 In the unfolded state shown, the first quadrilateral folding structure 501 drives the second quadrilateral folding structure 502 to move. During the movement, the third link 53 of the first quadrilateral folding structure 501 and the tenth link 510 of the second quadrilateral folding structure 502 are on the same straight line, and the second link 52 of the first quadrilateral folding structure 501 and the seventh link 57 of the second quadrilateral folding structure 502 are on the same straight line, so that the second quadrilateral folding structure 502 is in the folded state.

[0065] For example, when robotic arm 20 is located Figure 2 In the folded state shown, the first quadrilateral folding structure 501 drives the second quadrilateral folding structure 502 to move. During the movement, the mutual movement of the multiple links is the reverse of that described when the robotic arm 20 is retracted to the folded state, and will not be repeated here. Thus, the second quadrilateral folding structure 502 is in the unfolded state.

[0066] The second quadrilateral folding structure 502 of the robotic arm further increases the cleaning area of ​​the robotic arm. Moreover, the second quadrilateral folding structure 502 can realize the conversion between the folded state and the unfolded state under the drive of the first quadrilateral folding structure 501, without the need for a separate drive unit. Compared with mechanical structures with multiple drive joints, this robotic arm design is simple and lightweight, reducing the complexity of the equipment and the manufacturing cost.

[0067] For example, in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the folding portion 50 further includes an eleventh link 511, the first end of which is connected to the end of the ninth link 59 away from the first quadrilateral folding structure 501, and the eleventh link 511 and the ninth link 59 are located on the same straight line. The eleventh link 511 can further increase the unfolded length of the robotic arm 20 to expand the garbage collection range, and through the above connection design, the eleventh link 511 can follow the first quadrilateral folding structure 501 and the second quadrilateral folding structure 502 in an unfolded or folded state.

[0068] For example, when robotic arm 20 is located Figure 3 In the unfolded state shown, since the eleventh link 511 is connected to the ninth link 59 and is located on the same straight line, when the ninth link 59 moves, the eleventh link 511 is driven to move, so that the eleventh link 511 is in a folded state, that is, the eleventh link 511 is retracted to both sides of the hull 10.

[0069] For example, when robotic arm 20 is located Figure 2 In the folded state shown, since the eleventh link 511 is connected to the ninth link 59 and is located on the same straight line, when the ninth link 59 moves, the eleventh link 511 is driven to move so that the eleventh link 511 is in the unfolded state, that is, the eleventh link 511 extends away from the hull 10.

[0070] As can be seen, in the garbage ship provided in this embodiment, each robotic arm 20 is provided with only one drive unit 40, which can realize the unfolding and folding of the entire robotic arm 20. The transmission process is simple in structure and has high power transmission efficiency.

[0071] For example, in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 3 As shown, the robotic arm 20 also includes a roller 512 disposed at the second end of the eleventh link 511. When the robotic arm touches the shore, other boats or obstacles during operation, the roller 512 can convert the collision contact into rolling motion along the water surface, buffering the impact force and improving the service life of the equipment and operational safety.

[0072] For example, in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, multiple links are made of hollow carbon fiber tubes. Carbon fiber tubes possess both high strength and high toughness, enabling them to meet structural strength requirements with an extremely light weight. For instance, the weight of the entire robotic arm (one side) can be controlled to below 8 kg, significantly lighter than multi-drive robotic arms.

[0073] Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a robotic arm provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0074] For example, in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, in order to improve the strength of the multiple connecting rods and reduce the overall weight, the hollow carbon fiber tube can be a thin-walled carbon fiber tube. In this case, the folding portion 50 also includes multiple reinforcing tubes 503, so that the folding portion 50 adopts a combination of main rods and reinforcing rods. For example, as Figure 4 As shown, multiple reinforcing tubes 503 are located at least at the hinge points of multiple connecting rods and inside the connecting rods to improve the strength of key areas. In this way, the reinforcing tubes locally thicken the connecting rod walls and disperse local stress, strengthening the hinge points, reducing the risk of stress concentration, and improving the reliability of the structure.

[0075] Figure 5 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a robotic arm 20 provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0076] like Figure 5 As shown, in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the robotic arm 20 has two layers of folded portions 50 arranged along the height direction R3 of the hull 10, and the two layers of folded portions 50 are connected by a connecting pipe 513. For example, the connecting pipe 513 is arranged along the height direction of the hull 10 and connected to the two layers of folded portions 50. The design of the two-layer robotic arm frame further enhances the strength of the main structure and improves the reliability of the structure.

[0077] For example, the drive unit may be located only on a single layer of folded section along the height of the hull away from the water surface. Figure 9 The upper fold section is placed on top of the drive unit, thus keeping the drive unit as far away from the water surface as possible to minimize adverse environmental factors such as water immersion and reduce the risk of water damage to the drive unit. In this case, the drive unit can adopt a drive structure with a lower waterproof rating to reduce costs.

[0078] For example, the connecting tube 513 may also be made of hollow carbon fiber, and this embodiment of the present disclosure does not limit this. Multiple connecting rods are connected to the connecting tube 513 by fasteners 514. For example, the connecting tube 513 may be located at the hinge of multiple connecting rods; for example, the connecting tube 513 may also be located not only at the hinge of multiple connecting rods but also at a position away from the hinge to improve connection strength, and this embodiment of the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0079] For example, fastener 514 adopts a combination structure of screw 514A and hammer nut 514B. Figure 6 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a hammer nut provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 7 A partial structural schematic diagram of a robotic arm 20 provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0080] Combination Figure 4 Cross-sectional structural diagram and Figure 7 As shown in the structural diagram, at one end of the connecting tube 513, the connecting tube 513 is fixedly connected to a layer of folded portion 50. The screw 514A of the fastener 514 passes through the connecting rod perpendicular to the connecting rod and extends into the interior of the connecting tube 513. A hammer nut 514B of the fastener 514 is radially inserted into the connecting tube 513. The hammer nut 514B has internal threads machined on its inner side. The screw end of the screw 514A is screwed into these internal threads. Through the threaded engagement of the screw 514A and the hammer nut 514B, multiple connecting rods are securely connected to the connecting tube 513. At the other end of the connecting tube 513, the connecting tube 513 is fixedly connected to another layer of folded portion 50 in a similar manner, which will not be described further here.

[0081] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown, in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, a plurality of connecting rod structures of a layer of folded portion 50 near the water surface are covered with a float material tube 515. The float material tube 515 is, for example, a foam tube, which has good buoyancy and water resistance. After being fitted onto the outside of the carbon fiber tube, it can provide uniform buoyancy to the entire robotic arm, so that the robotic arm as a whole is in a zero-buoyancy state on the water surface. That is, the weight of the robotic arm and the buoyancy cancel each other out, and there is no downward torque due to the weight of the robotic arm. This avoids the weight of the robotic arm affecting the navigation attitude and turning flexibility of the hull, and ensures the operational stability of the garbage ship.

[0082] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown, in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the folding portion 50 further includes a baffle 516, which is disposed on a first side of the two-layer folding portion 50, the first side facing the direction of the garbage ship's movement, that is, the direction in which the garbage ship works (collects garbage). For example, the baffle 516 is fixedly connected to the connecting pipe 513, and the baffle 516 is also fixedly connected to a plurality of connecting rods on the first side of the folding portion 50.

[0083] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a baffle provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0084] For example, such as Figure 8 As shown, the baffle 516 has multiple holes 516A arranged in an array. The baffle can be, for example, a perforated PP plate or a mesh plate, etc., and this embodiment does not limit the type of hole. For example, the specific specifications of the baffle can be designed according to specific needs. For example, the thickness of the baffle is about 3 mm, the diameter of the holes 516A is about 5 mm, and the spacing between adjacent holes 516A is about 3 mm.

[0085] In the embodiments of this disclosure, the baffle, as a core component for waste guidance, can effectively block and gather waste scattered on the water surface. The perforated design on the baffle can reduce water flow resistance while intercepting waste, so that the waste ship does not need to overcome excessive water flow resistance during navigation, ensuring the navigation efficiency of the waste ship and reducing the impact damage of water flow on the robotic arm.

[0086] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown, on the side of the robotic arm 20 near the drive unit 40, the connecting part 30 of the robotic arm 20 includes a sliding plate 31. The sliding plate 31 is hinged to the fifth link 55 of the folding part 50 and to the sixth link 56 of the folding part 50.

[0087] For example, the sliding plate 31 is provided with a groove 32 and a first connecting pipe 33. The first connecting pipe 33 is arranged parallel to the sliding plate 31, and its side near the folding part 50 is fixedly connected to the sliding plate 31, while the other side is not connected to the sliding plate 31. There is a gap between the first connecting pipe 33 and the sliding plate 31. The groove 32 and the first connecting pipe 33 are configured to connect the hull 10 and the sliding plate 31, and when the robotic arm switches to the unfolded state or the folded state, the sliding plate 31 slides along the direction of the first connecting pipe 33.

[0088] For example, in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 7 As shown, duckbill washers 517 are also provided at the hinge joints of multiple connecting rods. Each connecting rod is provided with two duckbill washers 517. The arc surface of the duckbill washer 517 contacts the connecting rod, and the flat surface of the duckbill washer 517 contacts the flat surface of the duckbill washer 517 of another connecting rod.

[0089] Traditional linkage hinges use line contact, resulting in a small contact area and a tendency for rapid wear and insufficient structural strength. The duckbill pad design, however, transforms the line contact between the linkages into surface contact, increasing the contact area and improving the structural strength and stability of the hinge. Furthermore, it converts the line contact rotation at the linkage's rotation point into contact rotation between the cylindrical surfaces of the two duckbill pads, reducing frictional resistance and wear during rotation, improving the smoothness of the robotic arm's movement, and further enhancing the structural strength of the hinge.

[0090] Figure 9 and Figure 10 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a garbage ship according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 9 On the right side of the hull 10 (facing the working direction of the garbage ship), the robotic arm 20 is shown in its deployed state. Figure 10 The robotic arm 20, in a folded state, is shown on the right side of the hull 10 (facing the working direction of the garbage ship).

[0091] like Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the garbage ship further includes mounting brackets 60, which are disposed on both sides of the hull 10 for connecting the robotic arm 20 and the hull 10. In the figure, the first direction R1 is the forward direction of the garbage ship, the second direction R2 is the width direction of the garbage ship, and the third direction R3 is the height direction of the garbage ship, that is, the direction perpendicular to the water surface.

[0092] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the structure of the mounting bracket 60 provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 12 A partial structural schematic diagram of a garbage ship provided in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0093] like Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, the mounting bracket 60 includes a first mounting beam 61, a second connecting pipe 62, a second mounting beam 63, and a connecting assembly. The connecting assembly includes connectors 64A, 64B, and 64C. The first mounting beam 61 is arranged along the height direction of the hull 10 and perpendicular to the water surface; the second mounting beam 63 is perpendicular to the first mounting beam 61 and arranged along the water surface; the second connecting pipe 62 is perpendicular to the first mounting beam 61 and arranged along the water surface; the connecting assembly is fixedly installed on the first mounting beam 61 away from the hull and is arranged along the height direction of the first mounting beam 61. The first mounting beam 61 and the second connecting pipe 62 are configured to connect the mounting bracket 60 and the robotic arm 20. The first mounting beam 61 is also configured to connect the hull 10 and the mounting bracket 60. The second mounting beam 63 is configured to connect the mounting bracket 60 and the subsequently mentioned fixing plate 90; the connecting assembly is configured to connect the robotic arm 20 and the mounting bracket 60.

[0094] In the height direction of the hull 10, a plurality of mounting holes 61A are provided at intervals on the first mounting beam 61, and the robotic arm 20 is mounted on the mounting bracket 60 through at least one of the plurality of mounting holes 61A.

[0095] Depending on the actual operating conditions on the water surface, such as water level, the position of floating debris, and the height of obstacles, the connecting part can be installed at different mounting holes. This allows for flexible adjustment of the robotic arm's installation height, enabling it to adapt to different water surface operating scenarios and ensuring effective debris collection. For example, in high water level operations, the robotic arm can be installed at a lower hole on the mounting bracket, bringing the baffle closer to the water surface and preventing debris from flowing away from below. In low water level operations or scenarios with shallow water obstacles, the robotic arm can be installed at a higher hole to prevent collisions with underwater obstacles.

[0096] For example, a fastener (e.g., screw and nut, etc.) is provided to connect the sliding plate 31 of the robotic arm 20 and the first mounting beam 61 of the mounting bracket 60 through the groove 32 (not shown in the figure) of the sliding plate 31 of the robotic arm 20. Thus, under the drive of the drive unit 40, when the folding part 50 of the robotic arm 20 moves, the sliding plate 31 is driven to slide along the direction of the groove 32.

[0097] For example, such as Figure 11 As shown, the second connecting pipe 62 on the mounting bracket 60 is sleeved on the outside of the first connecting pipe 33 of the sliding plate 31. The number of second connecting pipes 62 is the same as the number of first connecting pipes 33, and they are sleeved one-to-one. So when the sliding plate 31 moves, the second connecting pipe 62 and the groove 32 synchronously guide the sliding direction of the sliding plate 31, reducing the risk of damage to the groove due to stress concentration and improving the reliability of the equipment.

[0098] like Figure 9 , Figure 10 as well as Figure 11 As shown, when in the deployed state, the sliding plate 31 of the robotic arm 20 slides along the groove 32 towards the hull 10, and part of the first connecting pipe 33 slides into the second connecting pipe 62. Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, when in the folded state, the sliding plate 31 of the robotic arm 20 slides along the groove 32 to a direction away from the hull 10, and part of the first connecting pipe 33 slides to the outside of the second connecting pipe 62.

[0099] For example, such as Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the main structure 41 of the drive unit 40 of the robotic arm 20 is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket 60, thereby fixing it to the hull 10. For example, as... Figure 11 As shown, the main structure 41 is fixedly connected to the first mounting beam 61 away from the hull 10 and is installed on the first mounting beam 61 at a position away from the water surface. For example, fasteners (e.g., screws and nuts) are passed through the second mounting beam 63, the main structure 41, the sixth connecting rod 56, and the connector 64A to fix the end of the main structure 41 between the second mounting beam 63 and the connector 64A, so that the main structure 41 of the drive unit is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket 60 and is arranged parallel to the mounting bracket 60. This embodiment of the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0100] For example, such as Figure 11 As shown, in the fold 50 of the robotic arm 20 near the water surface, fasteners (e.g., screws and nuts) are passed through connector 64B, sixth link 56 and connector 64C so that the sixth link 56 is hinged to the mounting bracket 60.

[0101] For example, such as Figure 11 As shown, the mounting bracket 60 is provided with multiple first mounting beams 61 in the vertical direction (that is, in the height direction of the hull 10). The mounting beams 70 of the hull 10 and the mounting bracket 60 are connected by the multiple first mounting beams 61, making the connection more stable and further improving the reliability of the equipment.

[0102] For example, such as Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the mounting bracket 60 is connected to the mounting beam 70 of the hull 10 via multiple hinges 80. Figure 13 A schematic diagram of the structure of a hinge 80 provided in at least one embodiment of this disclosure is shown. The hinge, for example, consists of a hinge shaft and two leaf blades, which are hinged together by a rotatable hinge shaft; the mounting beam has multiple mounting holes spaced apart along the height direction of the hull. For example, a reinforced hinge is used to improve the stability of the connection.

[0103] For example, one hinge leaf is fixedly connected to the mounting beam 70 on the hull 10, and the other leaf is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket 60. For example, using fasteners such as bolts and nuts, the mounting beam 70 and the mounting bracket 60 are fixedly connected through the holes in the hinge, the mounting beam, and the mounting bracket 60. When installing the mounting bracket onto the hull, the hinge can adjust the installation angle between the mounting bracket and the hull while ensuring the structural strength of the connection. This avoids installation mismatches caused by angular or positional errors between the mounting beam of the hull and the mounting beam of the mounting bracket, thus improving the practicality of the equipment.

[0104] For example, multiple hinges can be installed along the height of the hull to connect multiple holes in the hull mounting beam and multiple holes in the mounting bracket mounting beam, further improving the connection stability between the mounting bracket and the hull.

[0105] Figure 14 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a garbage ship according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 14 On the left side of the hull 10 (facing the working direction of the garbage ship), the robotic arm 20 is shown in its deployed state; Figure 14 The robotic arm 20, in a folded state, is shown on the right side of the hull 10 (facing the working direction of the garbage ship).

[0106] like Figure 14 As shown, the garbage ship also includes a fixing plate 90. The fixing plate 90 is disposed along the height direction of the hull 10 on the side of the mounting bracket 60 facing the direction of travel of the garbage ship, and is fixedly connected to the second mounting beam 63 of the mounting bracket 60. For example, the fixing plate 90 is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket 60 by fasteners, and the choice of fasteners is not limited in this embodiment.

[0107] For example, the fixed plate is located on the side of the sliding plate facing the direction of travel of the garbage ship. During the operation of the garbage ship, whether the robotic arm is in the extended or folded state, the fixed plate can intercept and gather the garbage, prevent the garbage from contacting the sliding plate, mounting brackets, etc., and prevent the garbage from getting stuck in the grooves of the sliding plate, thereby further improving the practicality and reliability of the equipment.

[0108] For example, the fixing plate can be made of PP baffle, and this embodiment of the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0109] In summary, in the garbage ship provided by at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the robotic arm can switch between an extended state and a folded state, thus adapting to various aquatic environments and cleaning needs. Furthermore, the folding section includes a quadrilateral folding structure composed of multiple links, enabling the robotic arm to switch states without complex drive nodes, reducing the complexity and manufacturing cost of the equipment, and enhancing its practicality.

[0110] In addition to the illustrative examples described above, the following points also need to be noted:

[0111] (1) The accompanying drawings of the embodiments of this disclosure only involve the structures involved in the embodiments of this disclosure. Other structures can be referred to the general design.

[0112] (2) For clarity, the thickness of layers or regions in the drawings used to describe embodiments of the present disclosure is enlarged or reduced, i.e., these drawings are not drawn to actual scale.

[0113] (3) Where there is no conflict, the embodiments of this disclosure and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other to obtain new embodiments.

[0114] The above are merely specific embodiments of this disclosure, but the scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited thereto. The scope of protection of this disclosure shall be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A garbage ship, comprising a hull and a robotic arm connected to the hull, wherein, The robotic arm includes a connecting part, a driving part, and a folding part. The connecting portion is configured to connect the hull and the drive unit. The folding portion includes a first quadrilateral folding structure composed of multiple connecting rods. The drive unit is configured to control the relative rotation between the multiple connecting rods to cause the first quadrilateral folding structure to be in an unfolded or folded state. The folded portion also includes a second quadrilateral folded structure connected to the first quadrilateral folded structure.

2. The garbage ship according to claim 1, wherein, When the first quadrilateral folding structure and the second quadrilateral folding structure are in the folded state, the folded portion retracts to the side of the hull; When the first quadrilateral folding structure and the second quadrilateral folding structure are in the unfolded state, the folded portion extends away from the hull.

3. The garbage ship according to claim 1, wherein, The first quadrilateral folding structure includes a first link, a second link, a third link, and a fourth link that are hinged sequentially. The first link is opposite to the third link, and the length of the first link is not equal to the length of the third link; the second link is opposite to the fourth link, and the length of the second link is not equal to the length of the fourth link.

4. The garbage ship according to claim 3, wherein, The folding section also includes a fifth link and a sixth link, and the driving section includes a main structure and a controlled telescopic structure. The fifth link is fixedly connected to the second link and located on the same straight line, and the first end of the fifth link is located at the hinge point of the first link and the second link, and the second end of the fifth link is hinged to the telescopic end of the telescopic structure; The sixth link is fixedly connected to the first link and located on the same straight line. The first end of the sixth link is located at the hinge point of the first link and the fourth link, and the second end of the sixth link is hinged to the main structure of the telescopic structure.

5. The garbage ship according to claim 4, wherein, The second quadrilateral folding structure includes a seventh link, an eighth link, a ninth link, and a tenth link that are hinged in sequence; The seventh link is opposite to the ninth link, and the length of the seventh link is equal to the length of the ninth link. The eighth link is opposite to the tenth link, and the length of the eighth link is equal to the length of the tenth link.

6. The garbage ship according to claim 5, wherein the second link includes a connecting portion away from the fifth link, the connecting portion being reused as the seventh link, the seventh link being hinged to the tenth link at a first hinge point, the second link being hinged to the third link at a second hinge point, the first hinge point and the second hinge point being the same point, and the third link being fixedly connected to the tenth link and located on the same straight line.

7. The garbage ship according to claim 6, wherein, The folding section also includes an eleventh link. The first end of the eleventh link is connected to the end of the ninth link that is away from the first quadrilateral folding structure, and the eleventh link and the ninth link are located on the same straight line.

8. The garbage ship according to claim 7, wherein, The robotic arm also includes a roller located at the second end of the eleventh link.

9. The garbage ship according to claim 1, wherein, The hull includes a mounting bracket, which has a plurality of mounting holes spaced apart in the height direction of the hull, and the connecting part is mounted to the mounting bracket through at least one of the plurality of mounting holes.

10. The garbage ship according to claim 9, wherein, The mounting bracket is connected to the mounting beam of the hull via multiple hinges.

11. The garbage ship according to claim 1, wherein, The multiple connecting rods are hollow carbon fiber tubes.

12. The garbage ship according to claim 1, wherein, The folded portion also includes a plurality of reinforcing tubes, and the plurality of reinforcing tubes are located at least inside the hinge joints of the plurality of connecting rods.

13. The garbage ship according to claim 1, wherein, At the hinge joints of the multiple connecting rods, duckbill washers are also provided. Each connecting rod is provided with two duckbill washers. The arc surface of the duckbill washer contacts the connecting rod, and the plane of the duckbill washer contacts the plane of the duckbill washer of another connecting rod.

14. The garbage ship according to claim 1, wherein, The robotic arm has two layers of folded sections arranged along the height direction of the hull, and the two layers of folded sections are connected by a connecting pipe.

15. The garbage ship according to claim 14, wherein, The multiple connecting rod structures of the folded section near the water surface are fitted with a floating material tube.

16. The garbage ship according to claim 1, wherein, The folding section also includes a baffle plate disposed on a first side of the two layers of the folding section, the first side facing the direction of travel of the garbage ship, and the baffle plate having multiple holes.

Images