Intelligent arm body adjusting system suitable for height of 12-26 m

Abstract

The invention discloses an intelligent arm body adjusting system suitable for the height of 12-26 m. The intelligent arm body adjusting system comprises a multi-section telescopic arm module, a posture sensing module, a visual positioning module, a tail end execution module, a central control module, a communication relay module, an environment sensing module and a safe retraction unit. According to the system, multi-source sensing data are fused through the central control module, precise stretching and retracting of the arm body and stable posture are achieved, the tail end integrates the functions of coke shoveling, polishing and dust collection, and self-adaptive load compensation and dual-mode communication redundancy are achieved. And when communication is interrupted, the attitude is unstable or the electric quantity is insufficient, safe retraction is automatically triggered, so that the safety, the precision and the efficiency of operation in the ultra-high-altitude narrow furnace chamber are guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aerial work equipment technology, and in particular to an intelligent boom adjustment system suitable for heights of 12-26 meters. Background Technology

[0002] During the operation and maintenance of industrial incinerators, the inner walls and top of the furnace often accumulate large amounts of ash and coke due to high-temperature combustion, severely affecting thermal efficiency and potentially posing safety hazards. Therefore, regular ash and coke removal operations are necessary. However, existing incinerator structures generally have characteristics such as small inlet diameter and high internal space (up to 20 meters or more), making it difficult for personnel to enter. Traditional cleaning tools or fixed equipment cannot effectively cover the entire work area, especially lacking feasible automated cleaning methods in the 12-26 meter height range. Although some ash-cleaning robots exist on the market, their robotic arms have limited length and insufficient degrees of freedom, making it difficult to deploy and accurately locate high targets under narrow entry conditions. At the same time, most systems lack multi-sensor fusion and intelligent vision recognition capabilities, failing to achieve automatic identification and path planning of coke positions, resulting in low efficiency or even inability to complete processes such as ash cleaning, coke scraping, grinding, and dust collection. Furthermore, for the collaborative control of multi-segment extendable robotic arms of tens of meters in length, existing technologies generally suffer from problems such as slow response, uncoordinated movements, and poor positioning accuracy, making it difficult to meet the high reliability requirements of complex furnace environments. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an arm adjustment system suitable for working heights of 12–26 meters, with intelligent sensing and multi-degree-of-freedom precise control capabilities, to solve the automation problem of high-level ash removal and coke removal inside the incinerator. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide an intelligent arm adjustment system suitable for heights of 12-26 meters, which solves the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0004] This invention is implemented as follows: an intelligent boom adjustment system suitable for heights of 12-26 meters, comprising a multi-section telescopic boom module, an attitude sensing module, a visual positioning module, an end effector module, a central control module, a communication relay module, an environmental sensing module, and a safety retraction unit; the multi-section telescopic boom module, attitude sensing module, visual positioning module, end effector module, and environmental sensing module send real-time working signals to the central control module for processing; the central control module transmits the processed control commands to the multi-section telescopic boom module and the end effector module for coordinated execution of actions, and simultaneously uploads key status data to a remote monitoring terminal via the communication relay module; the central control module also transmits processed abnormal signals to the safety retraction unit.

[0005] Furthermore, an intelligent boom adjustment system suitable for heights of 12-26 meters also includes: an adaptive load compensation unit, which generates a load feedback signal based on the current operation type of the end effector module and sends it to the central control module, thereby dynamically adjusting the driving torque and extension speed of each segment of the multi-section telescopic boom module.

[0006] Furthermore, the multi-section telescopic boom module includes a first boom unit, a second boom unit, a third boom unit, and a final boom unit. Each of the first boom unit, the second boom unit, the third boom unit, and the final boom unit is equipped with an independent servo driver. Each servo driver receives segmented telescopic commands issued by the central control module to achieve synchronous or asynchronous extension and retraction.

[0007] Furthermore, the end-effector module includes a coke-scraping unit, a grinding unit, and a dust-collecting unit. Each of the coke-scraping unit, grinding unit, and dust-collecting unit is equipped with a pressure feedback sensor. The pressure signals output by these sensors are analyzed by the central control module and used to adjust the working intensity and operating sequence of each unit.

[0008] Furthermore, the central control module processes signals in the following order: environmental perception module, attitude perception module, visual positioning module, multi-section telescopic arm module, and end effector module, to ensure that structural stability and positioning accuracy are prioritized in high-risk environments.

[0009] Furthermore, the attitude perception module includes a tilt sensor, a gyroscope, and an accelerometer. The fused data is processed by the central control module to generate the arm's spatial attitude parameters. When the attitude deviation exceeds a preset threshold, the central control module triggers the safety retraction unit to start the emergency retraction procedure.

[0010] Furthermore, the communication relay module includes an optical fiber take-up and take-down unit and a wireless relay unit. The optical fiber take-up and take-down unit releases or retrieves high-temperature resistant optical fiber synchronously with the multi-section telescopic arm module. The wireless relay unit is deployed in the middle of the arm body and is used to automatically switch to an anti-interference wireless link when the optical fiber is interrupted, so as to ensure the continuity of control signals.

[0011] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention provides an intelligent arm adjustment system suitable for heights of 12-26 meters. Through a multi-section telescopic arm module in conjunction with a central control module, it achieves precise extension and stable operation at ultra-high altitudes. A visual positioning module and a posture perception module work together to complete the three-dimensional recognition of coke blocks inside the incinerator and the correction of the arm's posture. An end-effector module integrates coke shoveling, grinding, and dust collection processes to achieve fully automated ash and coke removal. A safety retraction unit automatically triggers retraction when power is insufficient, posture is unstable, or communication is interrupted, preventing equipment jamming or falling. The communication relay module adopts a dual-mode redundant design of fiber optic and wireless to ensure reliable transmission of control signals within a 20-meter-deep furnace cavity. An adaptive load compensation unit dynamically adjusts the arm's driving torque according to the workload, effectively overcoming the deflection and vibration problems caused by the long arm extension, significantly improving the robot's safety, accuracy, and efficiency in narrow entrances and ultra-high-space incinerators. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an intelligent arm adjustment system applicable to heights of 12-26 meters according to the present invention;

[0013] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the interaction between the adaptive load compensation unit and the system of an intelligent arm adjustment system applicable to heights of 12-26 meters according to the present invention.

[0014] Figure 3 This is a structural block diagram of a multi-section telescopic boom module of an intelligent boom adjustment system suitable for heights of 12-26 meters according to the present invention;

[0015] Figure 4 This is a structural block diagram of the end effector module of an intelligent arm adjustment system suitable for heights of 12-26 meters according to the present invention;

[0016] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the signal priority processing of the central control module of an intelligent arm adjustment system applicable to heights of 12-26 meters according to the present invention.

[0017] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the composition and function of the posture sensing module of an intelligent arm adjustment system suitable for heights of 12-26 meters according to the present invention.

[0018] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing the composition and function of a communication relay module for an intelligent arm adjustment system suitable for heights of 12-26 meters according to the present invention.

[0019] The attached figures are labeled as follows:

[0020] 1. Multi-section telescopic boom module; 2. Attitude sensing module; 3. Visual positioning module; 4. End effector module; 5. Central control module; 6. Communication relay module; 7. Environmental sensing module; 8. Safety retraction unit; 9. Adaptive load compensation unit; 10. First boom unit; 11. Second boom unit; 12. Third boom unit; 13. End boom unit; 14. Coke removal unit; 15. Grinding unit; 16. Dust extraction unit; 17. Fiber optic cable deployment and retraction unit; 18. Wireless relay unit. Detailed Implementation

[0021] This invention provides an intelligent arm adjustment system suitable for heights of 12-26 meters, and its specific implementation method is combined with... Figure 1-7 The structure shown will be described in detail. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the system consists of a multi-section telescopic boom module 1, an attitude perception module 2, a vision positioning module 3, an end effector module 4, a central control module 5, a communication relay module 6, an environmental perception module 7, a safety retraction unit 8, and an adaptive load compensation unit 9. The modules interact with each other via wired or wireless means, and the central control module 5 coordinates the operation logic and action commands.

[0022] In practical applications, such as for coke removal operations inside municipal solid waste incinerators, the furnace height is typically between 12 and 26 meters. The entrance is narrow, and the interior is characterized by high temperatures, high dust levels, and strong corrosion, making manual entry difficult. In this case, this system is deployed on a base outside the furnace opening. Through a multi-section telescopic arm module 1, the end effector module 4 is sent into a designated position inside the furnace to complete integrated operations including automatic identification, coke removal, residue grinding, and simultaneous dust collection. The entire process eliminates the need for personnel to enter the hazardous area, significantly improving operational safety and efficiency.

[0023] The multi-section telescopic boom module 1, as the core mechanical structure of the system, is composed of a first boom unit 10, a second boom unit 11, a third boom unit 12, and a final boom unit 13 nested sequentially. Each boom unit is equipped with an independent servo driver (not shown separately in the figure, but integrated within each boom unit), which can receive segmented telescopic commands from the central control module 5. During extension, the central control module 5 can choose to extend synchronously (i.e., all boom units extend simultaneously at the same ratio) or asynchronously (e.g., first fully extend the first boom unit 10, and then sequentially extend the subsequent segments) according to task requirements to adapt to furnace environments with different depths and obstacle distributions. A graded slow retraction strategy can also be adopted during retraction to avoid vibration or collision caused by high-speed retraction. Each boom unit is made of high-strength lightweight alloy material and coated with a high-temperature resistant and oxidation-resistant coating, enabling long-term stable operation in environments above 200°C.

[0024] The attitude sensing module 2 is installed at key nodes of the multi-section telescopic boom module 1, particularly concentrated at the base of the first boom unit 10, the middle of the third boom unit 12, and the end of the final boom unit 13. It includes three types of sensing elements: tilt sensors, gyroscopes, and accelerometers. These sensors collect real-time data on the boom's pitch, yaw, roll, and linear acceleration in three-dimensional space and transmit the raw signals to the central control module 5. The central control module 5 incorporates an attitude fusion algorithm (such as Kalman filtering or complementary filtering) to process the multi-source sensor data and generate high-precision spatial attitude parameters for the boom. When the attitude deviation of a certain boom unit is detected (such as excessive deflection due to thermal deformation or uneven load) exceeding the preset safety threshold (e.g., pitch angle deviation greater than ±5° or lateral displacement exceeding 30mm), the central control module 5 immediately sends an abnormal signal to the safety retraction unit 8 to trigger the emergency retraction procedure: all servo drives switch to braking mode, and the multi-section telescopic boom module 1 retracts to the initial position step by step at the maximum safe speed to prevent the equipment from jamming, overturning or falling.

[0025] The vision positioning module 3 is integrated at the front end of the last arm unit 13, near the end effector module 4, and includes a high-resolution industrial camera, an infrared thermal imager, and a structured light projection device. Before operation, the vision positioning module 3 first scans the furnace environment to obtain a 3D point cloud model of the coke, and matches and positions it with a pre-stored furnace CAD model to accurately identify the position, volume, hardness distribution, and adhesion angle of the coke. This 3D information is processed by the central control module 5 to generate end effector path planning instructions, guiding the coke removal unit 14 to contact the coke surface at the optimal cutting angle. During operation, the vision positioning module 3 continuously tracks the coke removal progress and dynamically adjusts the activation timing and range of action of the grinding unit 15 and the dust collection unit 16 to ensure no omissions and no secondary dust generation.

[0026] The end-efficiency module 4 consists of three parts: a coke-scraping unit 14, a grinding unit 15, and a dust-collecting unit 16. These three parts are arranged in a ring at the end of the final arm unit 13 and can be started / stopped independently or operate collaboratively. The coke-scraping unit 14 uses a hydraulically driven rotary scraper structure and is equipped with a pressure feedback sensor. The grinding unit 15 uses a high-speed electric spindle to drive a diamond grinding disc and also integrates a pressure feedback sensor. The dust-collecting unit 16 is connected to a high-temperature resistant hose via a negative pressure fan to continuously extract dust generated during operation. The pressure feedback sensors of each unit transmit real-time contact force signals (unit: N) back to the central control module 5. The central control module 5 analyzes the pressure data according to the preset operation type (such as "hard coke removal," "thin-layer grinding," or "fine cleaning") and dynamically adjusts the output power and timing of each unit. For example, when removing high-hardness coke blocks, if the pressure feedback shows a sudden increase in resistance, the central control module 5 will reduce the feed speed of the coke-scraping unit 14 and simultaneously increase the rotation speed of the grinding unit 15 to assist in crushing; at the same time, the dust-collecting unit 16 will be activated to prevent dust diffusion from affecting visual positioning accuracy.

[0027] The central control module 5, acting as the system's "brain," employs an industrial-grade embedded controller with a built-in multi-tasking real-time operating system. It features signal acquisition, data fusion, path planning, fault diagnosis, and command issuance capabilities. Its signal processing priority strictly follows a predefined order: Environmental Sensing Module 7 > Attitude Sensing Module 2 > Visual Positioning Module 3 > Multi-section Telescopic Arm Module 1 > End-effector Module 4. This means that if the Environmental Sensing Module 7 detects a sudden rise in furnace temperature (e.g., exceeding 300°C), excessive toxic gas concentration, or a sharp decrease in visibility, the central control module 5 will immediately interrupt its current task, prioritizing system safety, even if the end-effector Module 4 is in operation. This priority mechanism ensures that structural stability and positioning accuracy are always at the highest level of protection in high-risk environments.

[0028] The environmental sensing module 7 is distributed on the outer surface of the multi-section telescopic boom module 1 and around the end effector module 4. It includes a temperature sensor, a gas concentration detector, a smoke detector, and a laser dust meter, which are used to monitor the furnace operating conditions in real time. All environmental data are uploaded to the central control module 5 at a frequency of 10Hz. Once any parameter exceeds the safety threshold, the system enters an early warning state; if the situation continues to deteriorate, the safety retraction unit 8 is triggered to perform forced retraction.

[0029] The communication relay module 6 is a key component ensuring signal continuity within a cavity exceeding 20 meters in depth. It consists of an optical fiber take-up and release unit 17 and a wireless relay unit 18. The optical fiber take-up and release unit 17 is installed inside the base and releases high-temperature resistant armored optical fiber (temperature resistance ≥300℃) synchronously with the extension of the multi-section telescopic arm module 1. One end of this fiber connects to the central control module 5, and the other end connects to the end-effector module 4 and various sensing modules, used for transmitting high-definition video, control commands, and high-bandwidth sensor data. The wireless relay unit 18 is deployed in the middle of the third arm unit 12, employing 2.4GHz / 5.8GHz dual-band anti-interference wireless communication technology. Normally, it is in standby mode; when communication is interrupted due to fiber optic entanglement, breakage, or high-temperature melting, the wireless relay unit 18 automatically activates, establishing a frequency-hopping wireless link from the end-effector to the base, ensuring no loss of control signals. Actual measurements show that, in a fully extended state of 26 meters, dual-mode redundant communication can maintain a link reliability of over 99.9%.

[0030] The adaptive load compensation unit 9 is electrically connected to the end effector module 4 and generates a load feedback signal based on the current job type (preset by the operator or automatically identified by the central control module 5). For example, when the system switches to "coke scraping mode," the adaptive load compensation unit 9 anticipates a large reaction force and sends a high load warning signal to the central control module 5. Based on this, the central control module 5 increases the upper limit of the output torque of each servo driver from the first arm unit 10 to the third arm unit 12 and reduces the extension speed (e.g., from 0.5 m / s to 0.2 m / s) to suppress elastic deformation and resonance caused by the long arm's overhang. In "dust suction mode," where the load is lighter, the system can appropriately increase the extension speed to improve efficiency. This dynamic compensation mechanism effectively solves the problem of positioning inaccuracies caused by excessive deflection in traditional long-arm robots operating at heights.

[0031] The safety retraction unit 8 is an independent hardware safety module, hardwired to the central control module 5, and possesses independent power supply and logic judgment capabilities. In addition to receiving abnormal signals from the central control module 5, it also integrates a power monitoring circuit. When the system battery's remaining power is below 15%, even without other faults, the safety retraction unit 8 will actively initiate the retraction procedure to ensure the device safely returns before power failure. During the retraction process, all modules enter a low-power mode, retaining only necessary communication and drive functions.

[0032] In summary, in practical implementation, this invention achieves fully automated, high-precision, and high-safety operation in complex furnace environments within ultra-high spaces of 12-26 meters through hierarchical driving of the multi-section telescopic boom module 1, priority scheduling of the central control module 5, dual-mode redundancy of the communication relay module 6, dynamic adjustment of the adaptive load compensation unit 9, and multiple protections of the safety retraction unit 8. The entire system has been field-tested at a large-scale waste incineration plant: it successfully completed the task of removing hard coke blocks with a diameter of 1.2 meters in a 24-meter-deep furnace cavity, taking 28 minutes in total, with a positioning error of less than ±10mm, and no jamming or communication interruption events occurred, verifying the engineering feasibility and technological advancement of this invention.

[0033] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An intelligent arm adjustment system suitable for heights of 12-26 meters, characterized in that, include: The system comprises a multi-section telescopic boom module (1), an attitude perception module (2), a visual positioning module (3), an end effector module (4), a central control module (5), a communication relay module (6), an environmental perception module (7), and a safety retraction unit (8). The multi-section telescopic boom module (1), attitude perception module (2), visual positioning module (3), end effector module (4), and environmental perception module (7) send real-time working signals to the central control module (5) for processing. The central control module (5) transmits the processed control commands to the multi-section telescopic boom module (1) and the end effector module (4) to perform actions in coordination. At the same time, it uploads key status data to the remote monitoring terminal through the communication relay module (6). The central control module (5) also transmits the processed abnormal signals to the safety retraction unit (8).

2. The intelligent arm adjustment system suitable for heights of 12-26 meters according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes an adaptive load compensation unit (9), which generates a load feedback signal based on the current operation type of the end execution module (4) and sends it to the central control module (5). The central control module (5) dynamically adjusts the driving torque and extension speed of each segment of the multi-section telescopic boom module (1) accordingly.

3. The intelligent arm adjustment system suitable for heights of 12-26 meters according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multi-section telescopic boom module (1) includes a first boom unit (10), a second boom unit (11), a third boom unit (12), and a last boom unit (13). Each of the first boom unit (10), the second boom unit (11), the third boom unit (12), and the last boom unit (13) is equipped with an independent servo driver. Each servo driver receives segmented telescopic commands issued by the central control module (5) to realize synchronous or asynchronous extension and retraction.

4. The intelligent arm adjustment system suitable for heights of 12-26 meters according to claim 1, characterized in that: The end-effector module (4) includes a coke-scraping unit (14), a grinding unit (15), and a dust-collecting unit (16). Each of the coke-scraping unit (14), the grinding unit (15), and the dust-collecting unit (16) is equipped with a pressure feedback sensor. The pressure signal output by the sensor is analyzed by the central control module (5) and used to adjust the working intensity and running sequence of each unit.

5. The intelligent arm adjustment system suitable for heights of 12-26 meters according to claim 1, characterized in that: The priority order of the signals processed by the central control module (5) is as follows: environmental perception module (7), attitude perception module (2), visual positioning module (3), multi-section telescopic arm module (1) and end effector module (4).

6. The intelligent arm adjustment system suitable for heights of 12-26 meters according to claim 1, characterized in that: The attitude perception module (2) includes a tilt sensor, a gyroscope and an accelerometer. The fused data is processed by the central control module (5) to generate the arm body spatial attitude parameters. When the attitude deviation exceeds the preset threshold, the central control module (5) triggers the safety retraction unit (8) to start the emergency retraction program.

7. The intelligent arm adjustment system suitable for heights of 12-26 meters according to claim 1, characterized in that: The communication relay module (6) includes an optical fiber take-up and release unit (17) and a wireless relay unit (18). The optical fiber take-up and release unit (17) releases or retrieves high-temperature resistant optical fiber synchronously with the multi-section telescopic arm module (1). The wireless relay unit (18) is deployed in the middle of the arm body and is used to automatically switch to an anti-interference wireless link when the optical fiber is interrupted.

8. The intelligent arm adjustment system suitable for heights of 12-26 meters according to claim 1, characterized in that: The safety retraction unit (8) is connected to the central control module (5) via a hard wire and integrates a power monitoring circuit. When the remaining power of the system battery is lower than the set threshold, the safety retraction unit (8) starts the retraction program.

Images