Internal drive type spherical power buoy

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of marine environment monitoring and water surface detection equipment, and provides an internally-driven spherical power buoy which comprises a buoy body and a power device, the whole buoy body is spherical or ellipsoidal, and a closed containing cavity is formed in the buoy body; the power device is located in the containing cavity and comprises a frame, a power source assembly, a control mechanism and two friction power mechanisms, the control mechanism is electrically connected with the power source assembly and the friction power mechanisms, and the frame has a first direction, a second direction and a third direction which are perpendicular in pairs; the power device abuts against the two opposite inner walls of the containing cavity through the two friction power mechanisms and can drive the buoy body to roll in the first direction through rolling friction between the power device and the containing cavity. Friction force between the friction power mechanism and the inner wall of the containing cavity drives the buoy to overcome water resistance to achieve longitudinal rolling, physical isolation of a power system and the marine environment can be achieved through the inner drive type structure, and the autonomous navigation capacity is given to equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of marine environmental monitoring and surface exploration equipment, and in particular to an internally driven spherical powered buoy with anti-grounding and regional stationary capabilities. It is especially suitable for monitoring the flow field environment, continuously acquiring data, and autonomous cruising and stationary maintenance in complex waters such as nearshore, shoals and islands. Background Technology

[0002] Marine environmental monitoring covers a vast area from the deep sea to the nearshore. The nearshore and island / reef waters, as transitional zones between land and the deep sea, exhibit highly complex and dynamically changing hydrological environments. While traditional marine monitoring equipment (such as large anchored buoys) is functionally complete, its bulky size and deep draft make it highly susceptible to grounding or stranding in shallow waters. Therefore, for the rapidly changing and difficult-to-detect nearshore environment, deploying miniaturized, lightweight, and low-cost buoys in high-density clusters has become an ideal solution for acquiring high spatiotemporal resolution monitoring data.

[0003] However, in the pursuit of miniaturization, existing microbuoys often drift without power, making them highly susceptible to grounding. Once deployed, they are completely driven by the currents, primarily by wind, waves, and ocean currents. This operating mode results in highly dispersed monitoring data in time and space, making it difficult to achieve continuous, fixed-point observations in a given area. Furthermore, they are easily pushed ashore and run aground by near-shore tides, increasing the risk of equipment damage and loss. To prevent grounding, operators often need to navigate vessels into rough seas for manual intervention, deployment, and retrieval, significantly increasing operational costs and personnel safety risks.

[0004] To address the issues of traditional buoys being prone to stranding and lacking maneuverability, it is necessary to develop an internally driven spherical powered buoy that combines environmental adaptability with autonomous maneuverability. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on this, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an internally driven spherical powered buoy, which aims to solve the technical problems of traditional buoys being prone to running aground and lacking maneuverability in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted in this application is as follows:

[0007] This application provides an internally driven spherical powered buoy, comprising: The buoy body is spherical or ellipsoidal in shape, and its interior has a closed cavity; and, The power unit is located inside the receiving cavity. The power unit includes a frame and a power supply component, a control mechanism, and two friction power mechanisms mounted on the frame. The control mechanism is electrically connected to the power supply component and the friction power mechanisms respectively. The frame has two perpendicular directions: a first direction, a second direction, and a third direction. The two friction power mechanisms are located on opposite sides of the frame in the first direction. The power unit abuts against the opposite inner walls of the receiving cavity through the two friction power mechanisms and can drive the buoy body to roll around the first direction through the rolling friction between them.

[0008] Optionally, the power unit also includes a steering power mechanism, which includes a steering drive and a flywheel. The steering drive is electrically connected to the power supply assembly, and the flywheel is connected to the output end of the steering drive and is located below the frame in the third direction. The flywheel generates a reaction force on the buoy body through rotation, causing the buoy body to turn in place.

[0009] Optionally, the friction power mechanism includes a geared motor and a friction wheel. The two geared motors are fixedly installed on opposite sides of the frame in the first direction. The output end of the geared motor is connected to the friction wheel. The outer circumferential surface of the friction wheel abuts against the inner wall of the receiving cavity. During rotation, rolling friction is generated with the inner wall of the receiving cavity, which drives the buoy body to roll around the first direction.

[0010] Optionally, the geared motor is fixedly mounted on the frame at an angle to the outward, and the output end of the geared motor is connected to the friction wheel by an L-shaped orthogonal transmission.

[0011] Optionally, the control mechanism includes a main control board and a positioning module, a communication module, a magnetometer, a monitoring sensor module, and a positioning antenna, all electrically connected to the main control board. The main control board is electrically connected to the power supply assembly and the friction power mechanism, respectively. The positioning module is electrically connected to the positioning antenna and is used to locate the latitude and longitude coordinates of the internally driven spherical powered buoy. The positioning antenna is close to the highest point of the housing cavity in the third direction and is used to receive satellite navigation signals. The communication module is used to connect to external electronic terminal signals. The magnetometer is used to obtain the current heading angle of the internally driven spherical powered buoy. The monitoring sensor module is used to collect environmental data.

[0012] Optionally, the frame includes a power supply compartment, a middle platform, and a high-level platform along a third direction from bottom to top. The power supply compartment is connected below the middle platform and is located at the bottom of the receiving cavity, for placing the power supply component. The middle platform is located at the bottom or middle of the receiving cavity. The main control board, positioning module, communication module, magnetometer, and monitoring sensor module are disposed on the middle platform, and the positioning antenna is disposed on the high-level platform.

[0013] Optionally, the outer surface of the buoy body has multiple raised structures evenly distributed.

[0014] Optionally, the buoy body includes an upper main body with an upper cavity and a lower main body with a lower cavity. The upper main body and the lower main body are detachably connected. After the upper main body and the lower main body are connected, the upper cavity and the lower cavity together form a receiving cavity, and the center of gravity of the power unit is located in the lower cavity.

[0015] Optionally, the edge of the upper or lower main body is provided with a positioning connector for positioning, limiting and guiding the connection between the upper and lower main body.

[0016] Optionally, the buoy body also includes a seal made of organic material, located at the connection between the upper body and the lower body.

[0017] Optionally, if one point of the frame is taken as the leading edge of the direction, the navigation direction of the internally driven spherical powered buoy is calculated as follows: Let the latitude of the initial position A of the internally driven spherical powered buoy be X. A Longitude Y A The latitude of target location B is X. B Longitude Y B Given an initial heading angle of β, calculate the differences in longitude and latitude between the target position and the initial position as follows: Latitude difference ΔLat=X B - X A , Longitude difference ΔLon = Y B - Y A , Latitude correction for longitude difference: ΔLon' = ΔLon cos(Lat) B ), The fundamental reference angle α is calculated to be arctan(|ΔLon'| / |ΔLat|). According to the fourth quadrant rule, the target azimuth angle θ = 360° - α. Clockwise yaw angle e(t) = θ - β, The buoy body is rotated clockwise by an angle e(t) by a power unit to reach the navigation direction angle θ, and then sails in the direction of angle θ.

[0018] The beneficial effects of the internally driven spherical dynamic buoy provided by this invention are: Firstly, the internally driven spherical powered buoy of this application adopts a closed configuration that integrates the main power unit inside the buoy body, replacing the traditional external exposed propulsion unit. This physically isolates the power unit from the external environment, avoiding foreign object entanglement and corrosion of internal electronic components by the harsh external environment. Secondly, the friction between the frictional power mechanism and the inner wall of the cavity drives the buoy to overcome water resistance and roll around the first direction, so as to move forward or backward along the second direction. This internal drive structure can achieve physical isolation between the power system and the marine environment, while giving the equipment autonomous navigation capability. Thirdly, the power supply components and friction power mechanism are located in the lower half of the housing. Through scientific center of gravity distribution, the center of gravity of the power unit is kept at the bottom of the housing, giving the internally driven spherical power buoy a self-recovering anti-overturning ability similar to a roly-poly toy, which can prevent it from capsizing under wave impact as much as possible. Moreover, the overall spherical or ellipsoidal shape of the buoy body makes it easy to roll, which helps to prevent grounding and enhances water surface stability. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an internally driven spherical powered buoy provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the lower main body of an internally driven spherical powered buoy; Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the power unit in an internally driven spherical powered buoy; Figure 4 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the geared motor or the second geared motor in the power unit; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the navigation mission of an internally driven spherical powered buoy in a specific embodiment.

[0021] The following are the labeling elements in the figure: 1. Internally driven spherical powered buoy; 10. Buoy body; 11. Lower main body; 12. Positioning connector; 13. Protruding structure; 20. Power unit; 21. Frame; 211. Power compartment; 212. Middle platform; 213. Upper platform; 22. Power assembly; 24. Friction power mechanism; 241. Gear motor; 242. Friction wheel; 231. Main control board; 232. Positioning module; 233. Communication module; 234. Positioning antenna; 25. Steering power mechanism; 251. Steering drive; 252. Flywheel. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0023] Throughout this specification, references to "an embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of this application. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in some embodiments" appear in various places throughout the specification, and not all refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, in one or more embodiments, particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner.

[0024] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0025] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

[0026] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0027] Please refer to Figures 1 to 4 The internally driven spherical dynamic buoy 1 in the embodiments of the present invention will now be described.

[0028] The internally driven spherical powered buoy 1 provided in this application embodiment includes a buoy body 10 and a power unit 20. The buoy body 10 is generally spherical or ellipsoidal, and the interior of the buoy body 10 has a closed receiving cavity.

[0029] The power unit 20 is located within the receiving cavity. The power unit 20 includes a frame 21 and a power supply assembly 22, a control mechanism, and two friction power mechanisms 24 mounted on the frame 21. The control mechanism is electrically connected to the power supply assembly 22 and the friction power mechanisms 24, respectively, and is used to control the friction power mechanisms 24 and adjust and configure their operating parameters. The frame 21 has two perpendicular directions: a first direction X, a second direction Y, and a third direction Z. The two friction power mechanisms 24 are located on opposite sides of the frame 21 in the first direction X. The power unit 20 abuts against the opposite inner walls of the receiving cavity through the two friction power mechanisms 24, and can drive the buoy body 10 to roll around the first direction X through the rolling friction between them.

[0030] The advantages of the internally driven spherical powered buoy 1 compared to traditional buoys are as follows: Firstly, the internally driven spherical powered buoy 1 of this application adopts a closed configuration to integrate the main power unit 20 inside the buoy body 10, replacing the traditional external exposed propulsion unit. This physically isolates the power unit 20 from the external environment, avoiding foreign object entanglement and corrosion of internal electronic components by the harsh external environment.

[0031] Secondly, the control mechanism sends motion commands to the friction power mechanism 24. The internal friction power mechanism 24 acts as the active component, rubbing forward or backward on the inner wall of the accommodating cavity, causing the center of gravity of the entire buoy system to deviate from the central axis, generating an eccentric torque. Under the action of gravity, the external buoy body 10 will roll on the water surface in order to find a new equilibrium point, driving the internally driven spherical powered buoy 1 to overcome water resistance and roll around the first direction X, realizing forward or backward movement along the second direction Y. This internally driven structure can achieve physical isolation between the power system and the marine environment, while giving the internally driven spherical powered buoy 1 the ability to navigate autonomously.

[0032] In addition, the power supply assembly 22 and the friction power mechanism 24 are located in the lower half of the housing cavity. Through scientific distribution, the center of gravity of the power unit 20 is kept at the bottom of the housing cavity, giving the internally driven spherical power buoy 1 a self-recovering anti-overturning ability similar to a roly-poly toy, which can prevent it from overturning under wave impact as much as possible. Moreover, the overall spherical or ellipsoidal configuration of the buoy body 10 makes it easy to roll, which helps to prevent it from running aground and enhances the stability of the water surface.

[0033] It should be noted that in this application, "directly lower half", "directly below", and "directly bottom" refer to the portion located at the lower half or bottom of the receiving cavity along the vertical central axis of the receiving cavity.

[0034] The buoy body 10 can be a detachable connection structure or an integral structure.

[0035] In some embodiments, the buoy body 10 has a detachable connection structure, which facilitates the inspection and maintenance of the internal power unit 20. Optionally, the buoy body 10 includes an upper main body portion with an upper cavity and a lower main body portion 11 with a lower cavity. The upper main body portion and the lower main body portion 11 are detachably connected. After the upper main body portion and the lower main body portion 11 are connected, the upper cavity and the lower cavity together form a receiving cavity, and the center of gravity of the power unit 20 is located in the lower cavity.

[0036] Understandably, when the upper and lower main body parts 11 are symmetrical structures, the upper and lower cavities are symmetrical, and the connection point between the upper and lower main body parts 11 is located at the equator of the buoy body 10. When the upper and lower main body parts 11 are asymmetrical, i.e., when the height of the upper main body part is greater than or less than the height of the lower main body part 11, the ratio of the accommodating space of the upper and lower cavities is roughly equivalent to the ratio of the heights of the upper and lower main body parts 11, and the connection point between the upper and lower main body parts 11 is located above or below the equator of the buoy body 10.

[0037] The connection between the upper body and the lower body 11 can be welding, bonding, fastening, screwing, or other convenient connection methods.

[0038] In some embodiments, a positioning connector 12 is provided at the edge of the upper or lower main body portion 11 for positioning, limiting, and guiding the connection between the upper and lower main body portions 11, reducing the risk of the upper and lower main body portions 11 disengaging during rolling. Optionally, the positioning connector 12 is an arc-shaped panel whose arc surface matches the arc curvature of the inner wall of the receiving cavity.

[0039] It should be noted that due to the rolling of the buoy body 10, the upper main body 11 may be located on the left or right side, and the lower main body 11 may be located on the opposite side of the upper main body 11. Both situations are normal. In this case, the power supply assembly 22 and the friction power mechanism 24 are still located in the lower half of the receiving cavity, and the center of gravity of the power unit 20 remains at the bottom of the buoy body 10. The terms "upper main body" and "lower main body" are mainly used to illustrate that the buoy body 10 includes two detachably connected parts, and do not limit the orientation of these two parts.

[0040] In some embodiments, the buoy body 10 also includes a sealing element made of organic material, disposed at the connection between the upper body and the lower body 11. This sealing element can be wound in one or more turns, and mechanical compression is used to fill the gap at the connection to achieve a seal, increasing the tightness of the connection and preventing liquid from seeping in and damaging internal components. This flangeless sealing method makes the overall insertion, disassembly, and maintenance of the internal power unit 20 more convenient, and the low specific gravity of the sealing element ensures that the center of gravity of the overall internally driven spherical powered buoy 1 is directly below.

[0041] Alternatively, the seal can be waterproof tape and / or rubber ring, such as J200 cloth tape, butyl rubber sealing ring, etc.

[0042] In some embodiments, the outer surface of the buoy body 10 is uniformly distributed with a plurality of protrusions 13, which can increase the fluid contact area between the outer surface of the buoy body 10 and the water surface to enhance the driving friction; the protrusions 13 are uniformly distributed to reduce the uneven distribution of gravity of the protrusions 13, which causes the center of gravity of the internally driven spherical power buoy 1 to shift.

[0043] The raised structure 13 includes at least one of the following: conical raised structure, cylindrical raised structure, pediment-shaped raised structure, and arc-shaped raised structure. It can be a raised structure with only one configuration or a combination of two or more configurations. The main feature is that the center of gravity of the raised structure 13 is evenly distributed, and it achieves the effect of increasing the fluid contact area between the outer surface of the buoy body 10 and the water surface.

[0044] In some embodiments, the frame 21 adopts a multi-layered structure, including a power supply compartment 211, a middle platform 212, and a high-level platform 213 from bottom to top along the third direction Z. The power supply compartment 211 is connected below the middle platform 212 and is located at the bottom of the receiving cavity, used to house the power supply component 22. The middle platform 212 is located at the bottom or middle of the receiving cavity, and the friction power mechanism 24 is disposed on the middle platform 212. The high-level platform 213 is used to install high-position devices. The multi-layered frame 21 improves the utilization rate of the limited internal space, facilitates heat dissipation of the devices, and can scientifically distribute the center of gravity. The power supply component 22 is placed in the bottom power supply compartment 211, which provides sufficient gravitational eccentric torque for the longitudinal rolling of the buoy body 10.

[0045] In some embodiments, the frame 21 is suspended in the cavity by abutting against the inner wall of the cavity via the friction power mechanism 24. During movement, only the friction power mechanism 24 in the power unit 20 is in frictional contact with the inner wall of the cavity, while other components are not in contact with the inner wall of the cavity. The power output force is concentrated on the contact area between the friction power mechanism 24 and the inner wall of the cavity, which can effectively avoid the additional rolling resistance caused by the other components scraping against the inner wall. At the same time, it eliminates the risk of the whole machine tipping over or falling due to collisions and jamming of non-contact parts and force deviation, ensuring the stability of the rolling posture of the buoy body 10 and smooth transmission.

[0046] In some embodiments, the control mechanism includes a main control board 231 and a positioning module 232, a communication module 233, a magnetometer, a monitoring sensor module, and a positioning antenna 234, all electrically connected to the main control board 231. The main control board 231 is electrically connected to the power supply assembly 22 and the friction power mechanism 24, respectively. The positioning module 232 is electrically connected to the positioning antenna 234 and is used to locate the latitude and longitude coordinates of the location of the internally driven spherical powered buoy 1. The highest point of the positioning antenna 234 in the third direction Z is used to receive satellite navigation signals. The communication module 233 is used to connect with external electronic terminal signals. The magnetometer is used to obtain the current heading angle of the internally driven spherical powered buoy 1. The monitoring sensor module is used to collect environmental data.

[0047] The main control board 231 serves as the core of the operation and control of the power unit 20. It receives the collected signals from the various sensing modules and positioning modules 232, and analyzes the operating data and attitude parameters. The drive unit and communication module 233 of the linkage friction power mechanism 24 issue control commands to realize motion regulation, logic judgment, fault identification, data packaging and whole machine collaborative management.

[0048] The positioning module 232 and the positioning antenna 234 work together to use a GPS module to receive satellite navigation signals in real time, calculate the latitude and longitude coordinates, altitude and movement trajectory of the internally driven spherical dynamic buoy 1, and achieve precise location locking and point tracking.

[0049] The communication module 233 can be any of a 4G module, a 5G module, or a higher-order mobile communication module to establish a wireless data link between the buoy and the cloud / remote monitoring terminal, remotely uploading location information, sensor monitoring data, and equipment operating status, while receiving control commands and debugging parameters issued from the remote end, realizing remote monitoring, remote control, and data transmission.

[0050] The magnetometer collects the geomagnetic azimuth, heading angle and deflection attitude of the internally driven spherical dynamic buoy 1 in real time, and identifies the true north direction and the orientation of the body; in conjunction with the positioning data, it corrects the heading deviation, provides a precise azimuth reference for the buoy's orientation, in-situ turning and attitude correction, and ensures that the turning and orientation actions are precise and controllable.

[0051] The monitoring and sensing module is used to collect equipment operating status parameters, environmental parameters and action feedback signals in real time, and transmit the collected analog / digital signals to the main control board 231 to realize operating condition monitoring, anomaly identification and data feedback.

[0052] To avoid electromagnetic interference from the steering power mechanism 25 and the friction power mechanism 24, the magnetometer and monitoring sensor module are generally installed far away from the steering power mechanism 25 and the friction power mechanism 24.

[0053] For example, in some embodiments, when the frame 21 adopts a multi-layer structure, the power supply component 22 constitutes one of the counterweight units to ensure that the center of gravity of the power unit 20 is low; the main control board 231 and the positioning module 232 are located on the middle platform 212; the communication module 233, magnetometer, monitoring sensor module and positioning antenna 234 are located on the upper platform 213 to facilitate signal reception.

[0054] In some embodiments, the friction power mechanism 24 includes a reduction motor 241 and a friction wheel 242. The two reduction motors 241 are respectively fixedly mounted on opposite sides of the frame 21 in the first direction X. The output end of the reduction motor 241 is connected to the friction wheel 242. The outer peripheral surface of the friction wheel 242 abuts against the inner wall of the receiving cavity, generating rolling friction with the inner wall of the receiving cavity during rotation, thus driving the buoy body 10 to roll around the first direction X. When the two friction wheels rotate, power is transmitted by the friction between the outer peripheral surface and the inner wall of the receiving cavity, driving the receiving cavity and the buoy body 10 to roll along the second direction Y.

[0055] During use, when the two friction wheels 242 rotate synchronously at the same speed and in the same direction, the two friction wheels 242 form a uniform and symmetrical friction driving force with the inner wall of the receiving cavity, driving the buoy body 10 to roll smoothly in the same longitudinal direction in the same direction. When the two friction wheels 242 adopt the differential speed same direction rotation mode, the friction wheel 242 on the side with faster speed drives the corresponding area to roll at a higher rate, causing the buoy body 10 to deflect to the side with slower speed, realizing adaptive fine-tuning steering. When only one of the friction wheels 242 is started to operate independently, a single-sided friction driving force is formed on one side, and there is no rolling traction on the other side. The driving side drives the buoy body 10 to move on one side, causing the buoy body 10 to deflect precisely to the side of the non-working friction wheel 242.

[0056] In this embodiment, a geared motor 241 is used to provide driving force for the friction wheel 242, which can convert the high speed of the motor into a low speed and a large torque output, realize the power reduction and torque increase transmission, and ensure smooth operation and accurate positioning.

[0057] In some embodiments, the geared motor 241 is an L-shaped orthogonal geared motor. The geared motor 241 is fixedly mounted on the frame 21 at an angle to the outwards. The output end of the geared motor 241 is connected to the friction wheel 242 by an L-shaped orthogonal transmission, forming an outward tilting "eight" shape. The two friction wheels 242 are located below the equator of the buoy body 10, and the contact position between the friction wheel 242 and the buoy body 10 is close to the center of gravity of the buoy. The friction driving torque and the overturning torque of the center of gravity cancel each other out, greatly reducing the risk of tipping, tilting, and deviating when the ball rolls, and ensuring stable operation. The input shaft and output shaft of the L-shaped orthogonal geared motor are arranged perpendicularly at 90°, which can realize vertical power transmission in a narrow space, resulting in a compact space, high transmission efficiency, and improved overall layout rationality.

[0058] However, experiments have shown that both differential rotation of the two friction wheels 242 in the same direction and operation of only one friction wheel 242 may result in slippage or uncontrollable motion. Therefore, in some preferred embodiments, a steering power mechanism 25 and a friction power mechanism 24 are used in conjunction. The steering power mechanism 25 controls the rotation direction of the internally driven spherical powered buoy 1 to select the navigation direction, while the friction power mechanism 24 controls the rolling of the internally driven spherical powered buoy 1 around the first direction X to achieve forward or backward movement along the second direction Y.

[0059] Therefore, in some embodiments, the power unit 20 further includes a steering power mechanism 25, which includes a steering drive 251 and a flywheel 252. The steering drive 251 is electrically connected to the power supply assembly 22, and the output shaft of the steering drive 251 is connected to the flywheel 252, located below the frame 21 in the third direction Z. The steering drive 251 is a motor or a device capable of providing rotational power to the flywheel 252. The flywheel 252 rotates at high speed under control and stores rotational inertia. According to the principle of action and reaction torque balance, while the flywheel 252 generates a positive rotational torque, it outputs a reverse reaction torque to the buoy body 10. The buoy uses the water support and its own buoyancy to counteract the overturning force. Without an external propulsion structure, it relies on this reaction torque to complete stationary turning on the water surface, attitude fine-tuning, and orientation correction.

[0060] In this embodiment of the application, the method for calculating the navigation direction of the internally driven spherical powered buoy 1 is as follows: Assuming one point of frame 21 is the directional front end, the latitude of the initial position A of the internally driven spherical powered buoy 1 is determined by the positioning module 232 as X. A Longitude Y A The remote terminal transmits the target location B to the communication module 233 and then to the main control board. The latitude of the target location B is X. B Longitude Y B The initial heading angle is β, as determined by the magnetometer. The differences in longitude and latitude between the target position and the initial position are calculated as follows: Latitude difference ΔLat=X B - X A , Longitude difference ΔLon = Y B - Y A , Latitude correction for longitude difference: ΔLon' = ΔLon cos(Lat) B ), The fundamental reference angle α is calculated to be arctan(|ΔLon'| / |ΔLat|). According to the fourth quadrant rule, the target azimuth angle θ = 360° - α. Clockwise yaw angle e(t) = θ - β, After completing the above calculations, the main control board 231 sends commands to the steering drive 251, the reduction motor 241, and the second reduction motor 242 to adjust the motion parameters, start the steering drive 251, and rotate the flywheel 252 to drive the internally driven spherical power buoy 1 to rotate clockwise by an angle e(t) to reach the navigation direction angle θ. Then, the reduction motor 241 and the second reduction motor 242 are started, and the buoy travels along the direction of angle θ.

[0061] The basic reference angle α in this embodiment refers to the angle between the north-direction axis and the target point, such as... Figure 5 As shown.

[0062] The following is a description of specific embodiments.

[0063] The internally driven spherical powered buoy 1 of this embodiment includes a buoy body 10 and a power unit 20.

[0064] The buoy body 10 includes a symmetrical upper body and a lower body 11. The upper body has an upper cavity, and the lower body 11 has a lower cavity. The upper body and the lower body 11 are detachably connected and the connection is sealed with waterproof tape. After the upper body and the lower body 11 are connected, the upper cavity and the lower cavity together form a receiving cavity, which forms a closed space along the central axis of the buoy body 10. The buoy body 10 is spherical in shape, and multiple conical protrusions 13 are evenly distributed on the outer surface of the buoy body 10.

[0065] The power unit 20 is movably disposed within the receiving cavity. The power unit 20 includes a frame 21, a power supply assembly 22, a control mechanism, two friction power mechanisms 24, and a steering power mechanism 25.

[0066] The frame 21 includes a power compartment 211, a middle platform 212 and a high platform 213 along the third direction Z from bottom to top, and the power component 22 is located in the power compartment 211.

[0067] The control mechanism includes a main control board 231 and a positioning module 232, a communication module 233, a magnetometer, a monitoring sensor module, and a positioning antenna 234, all of which are electrically connected to the main control board 231. The positioning module 232 is electrically connected to the positioning antenna 234. The main control board 231 and the positioning module 232 are located on the middle platform 212. The communication module 233, the magnetometer, the monitoring sensor module, and the positioning antenna 234 are located on the upper platform 213, close to the top of the cavity in the third direction Z.

[0068] The friction power mechanism 24 includes a reduction motor 241 and a friction wheel 242. The two reduction motors 241 are fixedly installed on opposite sides of the central platform 212 in the first direction X. Both reduction motors 241 are L-shaped orthogonal reduction motors. The output end of the reduction motor 241 and the friction wheel 242 form an outward tilt in a figure-eight shape. The outer circumferential surface of the friction wheel 243 and the outer circumferential surface of the second friction wheel 244 respectively abut against the inner walls of opposite sides of the receiving cavity, located below the equator of the buoy body 10.

[0069] The steering power mechanism 25 includes a steering drive 251 and a flywheel 252. The steering drive 251 is electrically connected to the power supply assembly 22. The output shaft of the steering drive 251 is connected to the flywheel 252. Both the steering drive 251 and the flywheel 252 are located in the power supply compartment 211, and the flywheel 252 is located between the steering drive 251 and the power supply assembly 22.

[0070] The application scenarios are as follows: To carry out autonomous navigation and fixed-point stationing missions in designated near-shore areas.

[0071] The initial conditions are set as follows: Starting point B of the internally driven spherical powered buoy, with coordinates 31.2400°N, 121.4700°E; target point A, with coordinates 31.2500°N, 121.4600°E. Figure 5 As shown, the internally driven spherical powered buoy is on standby at point B on the water surface, and the current initial heading angle measured by the magnetometer is 150°.

[0072] At the start of the mission, the shore-based control center transmits the coordinates of target point A via a 4G public network through a remote control device. Upon receiving the command, the 4G communication module 233 inside the internally driven spherical powered buoy 1 immediately initiates the navigation calculation program on the main control board 231. For detailed computational geometry principles, please refer to [link to documentation]. Figure 5 .

[0073] The calculation program takes the current coordinates of point B and the target coordinates of point A as input, and calculates the latitude difference between the target and the current point, ΔLat = +0.0100, and the longitude difference, ΔLon = -0.0100.

[0074] Combination Figure 5 Based on the coordinate system shown, the positive and negative values ​​of the latitude and longitude differences determine that the target is located in the northwest quadrant (fourth quadrant).

[0075] The calculation program performs a latitude correction on the longitude difference: ΔLon' = ΔLon cos(Lat) B Based on this, the fundamental reference angle α = arctan(|ΔLon'| / |ΔLat|) ≈ 40.5° was calculated.

[0076] Where ΔLon' is the equivalent longitude difference after latitude compensation; ΔLon is the original longitude difference between the target point and the current location; Lat B ΔLat is the latitude of the buoy's current location (i.e., starting point B); ΔLat is the latitude difference between the target point and the current location. According to the fourth quadrant rule, the target azimuth angle θ = 360° - α, resulting in a final expected target azimuth angle of 319.5°.

[0077] After obtaining the desired azimuth angle of 319.5° and the current heading angle β150°, the system calculates the required clockwise yaw e(t) to be 169.5°. The main control board 231 calls the built-in PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) heading controller for precise steering. After PID calculation, the main control board 231 outputs the corresponding PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) duty cycle signal to the steering driver 251. The steering driver 251 drives the flywheel 252 to accelerate to the left, generating a rightward reaction torque that causes the buoy body 10 to turn clockwise, ultimately causing the buoy body 10 to smoothly converge and stop at the new heading of 319.5°.

[0078] After the course is aligned, the main control board 231 drives the reduction motor 241 and the second reduction motor 242, causing the friction wheels 243 and 244 to roll on the inner wall of the receiving cavity. Utilizing the principle of center of gravity shift, the buoy body 10 is driven to overcome water resistance and move forward. The control system employs a replanning strategy with a 60-second cycle: after each cycle, the navigation program uses the latest position obtained by the GPS positioning module 232 as the starting point to re-execute the four-quadrant solution and PID course correction algorithm, continuously approaching the target point A.

[0079] When the GPS positioning module 232 detects that the distance between the current position of the internally driven spherical powered buoy 1 and the target point A is less than the preset tolerance threshold, the main control board 231 determines that the target area has been reached, and then cuts off the power of the reduction motor 241 and the second reduction motor 242, successfully completing the area fixed-point monitoring task.

[0080] The internally driven spherical powered buoy 1 of this application comprehensively improves the industry pain points of traditional micro monitoring equipment, such as insufficient mobility, cumbersome internal assembly, and low space utilization. It provides a stable, highly integrated, and easy-to-assemble and maintain mobile surface carrier platform for intelligent detection in complex waters.

[0081] 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 internally driven spherical powered buoy, characterized in that: include: The buoy body is generally spherical or ellipsoidal, and the interior of the buoy body has a closed receiving cavity; A power unit is located within the receiving cavity. The power unit includes a frame, a power supply assembly, a control mechanism, and two friction power mechanisms mounted on the frame. The control mechanism is electrically connected to the power supply assembly and the friction power mechanisms respectively. The frame has two perpendicular directions: a first direction, a second direction, and a third direction. The two friction power mechanisms are located on opposite sides of the frame in the first direction. The power unit abuts against the opposite inner walls of the receiving cavity through the two friction power mechanisms and can drive the buoy body to roll around the first direction through rolling friction between them.

2. The internally driven spherical dynamic buoy according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power unit also includes a steering power mechanism, which includes a steering drive and a flywheel. The steering drive is electrically connected to the power supply assembly, and the flywheel is connected to the output end of the steering drive and is located below the frame in the third direction. The flywheel is used to generate a reaction force on the buoy body through the rotation of the flywheel, so that the buoy body turns in place.

3. The internally driven spherical dynamic buoy according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The friction power mechanism includes a reduction motor and a friction wheel. The two reduction motors are respectively fixedly installed on opposite sides of the frame in the first direction. The output end of the reduction motor is connected to the friction wheel. The outer circumferential surface of the friction wheel abuts against the inner wall of the receiving cavity. During rotation, rolling friction is generated with the inner wall of the receiving cavity, which drives the buoy body to roll around the first direction.

4. The internally driven spherical dynamic buoy according to claim 3, characterized in that: The geared motor is fixedly installed on the frame at an angle to the outside, and the output end of the geared motor is connected to the friction wheel by an L-shaped orthogonal transmission.

5. The internally driven spherical dynamic buoy according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The control mechanism includes a main control board and a positioning module, a communication module, a magnetometer, a monitoring sensor module, and a positioning antenna, all electrically connected to the main control board. The main control board is electrically connected to the power supply assembly and the friction power mechanism, respectively. The positioning module is electrically connected to the positioning antenna and is used to locate the latitude and longitude coordinates of the internally driven spherical powered buoy. The positioning antenna is close to the highest point of the housing in the third direction and is used to receive satellite navigation signals. The communication module is used to connect to external electronic terminal signals. The magnetometer is used to obtain the current heading angle of the internally driven spherical powered buoy. The monitoring sensor module is used to collect environmental data.

6. The internally driven spherical dynamic buoy according to claim 5, characterized in that: The frame includes a power supply compartment, a middle platform, and a high-level platform along the third direction from bottom to top. The power supply compartment is connected below the middle platform and is located at the bottom of the receiving cavity, for placing the power supply component. The middle platform is located at the bottom or middle of the receiving cavity. The main control board, positioning module, communication module, magnetometer, and monitoring sensor module are disposed on the middle platform, and the positioning antenna is disposed on the high-level platform.

7. The internally driven spherical dynamic buoy according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer surface of the buoy body has multiple raised structures evenly distributed.

8. The internally driven spherical dynamic buoy according to claim 1, characterized in that: The buoy body includes an upper main body with an upper cavity and a lower main body with a lower cavity. The upper main body and the lower main body are detachably connected. After the upper main body and the lower main body are connected, the upper cavity and the lower cavity together constitute the receiving cavity. The center of gravity of the power device is located in the lower cavity.

9. The internally driven spherical dynamic buoy according to claim 8, characterized in that: The upper main body or the lower main body is provided with a positioning connector at its edge for positioning, limiting and guiding the connection between the upper main body and the lower main body; And / or, the buoy body further includes a seal made of organic material, disposed at the connection between the upper body and the lower body.

10. The internally driven spherical dynamic buoy according to claim 1, characterized in that: Assuming one point of the frame is taken as the directional leading edge, the navigation direction of the internally driven spherical powered buoy is calculated as follows: Let the latitude of the initial position A of the internally driven spherical powered buoy be X. A Longitude Y A The latitude of target location B is X. B Longitude Y B Given an initial heading angle of β, calculate the differences in longitude and latitude between the target position and the initial position as follows: Latitude difference ΔLat=X B - X A , Longitude difference ΔLon = Y B - Y A , Latitude correction for longitude difference: ΔLon' = ΔLon cos(Lat) B ), The fundamental reference angle α is calculated to be arctan(|ΔLon'| / |ΔLat|). According to the fourth quadrant rule, the target azimuth angle θ = 360° - α. Clockwise yaw angle e(t) = θ - β, The power unit causes the buoy body to rotate clockwise by an angle e(t) to reach the navigation direction angle θ, and then sails along the direction of angle θ.

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