Irregular rock crack width and depth intelligent measuring device in geological disaster investigation

Abstract

The application discloses an irregular rock crack width and depth intelligent measuring device in geological disaster investigation, which comprises a probe type mechanical arm and a measuring system integrated at the tail end of the mechanical arm; the mechanical arm is formed by connecting a plurality of joint modules in series, each joint module comprises a joint plate; a plurality of groups of multi-stage linear telescopic drives, one end of each group of multi-stage linear telescopic drives is fixedly connected to one joint plate, and the other end is hinged with another adjacent joint plate through a connecting rod; an active anti-blocking and protection assembly, which comprises a rotating ring rotatably sleeved outside each joint plate, a plurality of scraping teeth are fixedly arranged on the outer side of the rotating ring in the circumferential direction, and a cutter plate mechanism is hinged between two scraping teeth at the corresponding positions of two adjacent rotating rings.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of intelligent monitoring technology for geological disasters, specifically to an intelligent measurement device for the width and depth of irregular rock cracks in geological disaster investigation. Background Technology

[0002] In the exploration of geological disaster fissures, traditional measurement methods and procedures suffer from serious technical gaps and limitations, mainly manifested in the following ways:

[0003] 1. Existing technologies typically treat "entering the crack" and "acquiring data" as two independent or even contradictory steps. For example, when attempting to enter a crack using a flexible probe or simple articulated arm, the process is interrupted once an obstacle is encountered, and measurements cannot continue. Even if entry is successful, subsequent measurements (such as using a portable scanner or camera) are discrete, manual, heavily reliant on operator experience, inefficient, and cannot guarantee the spatial continuity and accuracy benchmark of the data.

[0004] 2. Existing methods cannot synchronously and accurately obtain the absolute spatial pose of the measurement sensor itself during the measurement process. For example, when an endoscope is inserted into a crack to shoot video, only a relative video stream can be obtained. It is impossible to know the precise position and pose of the camera in the global coordinate system corresponding to each frame of the image. Therefore, any subsequent attempt to estimate the three-dimensional size from the two-dimensional image becomes extremely inaccurate due to the lack of scale and pose reference, especially for the measurement error of depth and irregular width is huge.

[0005] 3. Existing measurement methods are entirely passive, lacking the ability to actively perceive and respond to environmental disturbances, resulting in extremely poor robustness in complex real-world environments.

[0006] Therefore, it is necessary to provide an intelligent measurement device for the width and depth of irregular rock cracks in geological disaster investigation to solve the problems mentioned in the background art. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: an intelligent measuring device for the width and depth of irregular rock cracks in geological disaster investigation, comprising a bearing platform, a control platform, a positioning platform, and an infiltrating robotic arm;

[0008] The robotic arm is composed of multiple joint modules connected in series. Each joint module includes a joint plate. A hinge rod and a hinge seat are fixedly provided on both sides of the axial direction of the joint plate. The joint plates of two adjacent joint modules are rotatably connected to the corresponding hinge seats through the hinge rods.

[0009] Multiple sets of multi-stage linear telescopic actuators, one end of each set of multi-stage linear telescopic actuators is fixedly connected to one of the joint plates, and the other end is hinged to another adjacent joint plate through a connecting rod;

[0010] An active anti-jamming obstacle clearing and protection component includes a rotating ring rotatably mounted on the outside of each joint plate. Multiple scraping teeth are fixedly arranged circumferentially on the outside of the rotating ring. A blade plate mechanism is hinged between two scraping teeth at corresponding positions of two adjacent rotating rings. All the blade plate mechanisms together form a retractable and deformable cage-like outer frame.

[0011] The robotic arm also integrates a measurement system, which includes:

[0012] The body shape sensing unit is used to obtain the three-dimensional spatial coordinates of the central axis of the robotic arm in real time;

[0013] An end probe, located at the foremost end of the robotic arm, is used to acquire three-dimensional data of the surface inside the crack;

[0014] The control and data processing unit is configured to: fuse the synchronous data of the body shape sensing unit and the end probe, reconstruct a three-dimensional cavity model inside the crack, and automatically extract the geometric parameters of the crack based on the model.

[0015] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the multi-stage linear telescopic actuator is a miniature multi-stage hydraulic cylinder or an electric push rod.

[0016] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, extension rings are fixedly provided on both sides of the joint plate along its axial direction, and a flexible sealing sleeve is fixedly connected between the extension rings of two adjacent joint plates, and the outer diameter of the extension ring is smaller than the outer diameter of the rotating ring.

[0017] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the joint plate is provided with an arc-shaped groove, and an arc-shaped hydraulic cavity is provided at one end of the arc-shaped groove;

[0018] An arc-shaped block is fixedly installed on the inner side of the rotating ring, and an arc-shaped hydraulic rod is fixedly installed on the arc-shaped block. The arc-shaped block is rotatably arranged along the arc-shaped groove, and the arc-shaped hydraulic rod is slidably arranged along the arc-shaped hydraulic cavity.

[0019] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the blade mechanism includes two first blades and a second blade slidably connected between the two first blades. A spherical rod is fixedly provided on the side of the first blade near the scraping teeth, and a spherical socket adapted to the spherical rod is provided on the scraping teeth.

[0020] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the first blade and the second blade is rhomboid, and the spherical rod can rotate arbitrarily along the spherical socket, allowing the first blade to rotate arbitrarily relative to the scraping teeth.

[0021] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the body shape sensing unit is a distributed optical fiber shape sensor.

[0022] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the end-effector probe integrates at least a binocular stereo vision camera and a structured light projector.

[0023] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, when the control and data processing unit performs data fusion, it uses the coordinates of the robot arm's central axis provided by the body shape sensing unit as a reference to convert the surface data acquired by the end probe to the global coordinate system.

[0024] A smart method for measuring the width and depth of irregular rock fissures in geological hazard investigation includes the following steps:

[0025] S1. Control the robotic arm to extend into the target crack, and use the cage-like exoskeleton for protection or active obstacle removal during movement;

[0026] S2. Simultaneously collect the body shape data of the robotic arm and the crack surface data obtained through the end probe;

[0027] S3. Using the shape data of the robotic arm as the motion reference, multiple frames of crack surface data are fused to reconstruct a three-dimensional model of the crack interior.

[0028] S4. Based on the three-dimensional model, calculate the width, depth, volume, and morphological parameters of the crack.

[0029] Compared with existing technologies, this invention provides an intelligent measurement device for the width and depth of irregular rock cracks in geological disaster investigation, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0030] 1. It realizes integrated intelligent operation of "movement-measurement": It seamlessly integrates active obstacle removal and protection, precise positioning and navigation and three-dimensional scanning measurement into a continuous automated process, which completely changes the traditional operation mode with many manual interventions and broken processes, and greatly improves measurement efficiency.

[0031] 2. An absolute measurement benchmark of "using the arm as a ruler" was established: By using high-precision robotic arm body shape data as the core motion benchmark, an absolute spatial coordinate reference system was provided for all surface measurement data, so that the final reconstructed 3D model has engineering-grade absolute dimensional accuracy, especially in the measurement of depth and absolute width.

[0032] 3. It endows the measurement system with "environmental interaction and adaptation" capabilities: The "protection / obstacle clearing" decision logic embedded in the method enables the measurement process to cope with complex unstructured environments, which not only improves the success rate of the task, but also enables the acquired data to cover more dangerous and complex crack areas, making the exploration scope more comprehensive. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the data measurement and processing flow of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the robotic arm in this invention;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the joint module in this invention;

[0036] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the joint plate in this invention;

[0037] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the active anti-jamming and obstacle-clearing protection component in this invention;

[0038] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the transfer ring in this invention;

[0039] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the blade mechanism in this invention;

[0040] In the figure: 1. Joint plate; 11. Hinge rod; 12. Hinge seat; 13. Extension ring; 14. Flexible sealing sleeve; 15. Arc groove; 16. Arc hydraulic chamber; 2. Multi-stage linear actuator; 3. Connecting rod; 4. Active anti-jamming obstacle clearing and protection component; 41. Rotary ring; 411. Scraper tooth; 412. Arc block; 413. Arc hydraulic rod; 42. Blade mechanism; 421. First blade; 422. Second blade; 423. Ball rod; 100. Robotic arm. Detailed Implementation

[0041] Please see Figures 1 to 7 In this embodiment of the invention, the intelligent measurement device for the width and depth of irregular rock cracks in geological disaster investigation mainly consists of a bearing platform, a control platform, a positioning platform (not shown in the figure), and a core probe-type robotic arm. The robotic arm is composed of multiple identical joint modules connected in series. The core of each joint module is a disc-shaped joint plate 1 made of high-strength aviation aluminum alloy. At the center of the front and rear ends of the joint plate 1 along the axial direction, an outwardly protruding hinge rod 11 and an inwardly recessed hinge seat 12 are integrally machined. The end of the hinge rod 11 is a ball head, and the hinge seat 12 has a matching ball socket, forming a ball-and-socket joint. During assembly, the hinge rod 11 of the next joint plate is inserted into the hinge seat 12 of the previous joint plate, thereby connecting multiple joint plates 1 in series to form a flexible "spine" that can bend in multiple directions in space. This ball-and-socket connection provides two degrees of freedom of rotation, enabling the robotic arm to flexibly adapt to the winding and complex path inside the crack. At the same time, the centrally symmetrical hinge design ensures the transmission efficiency of the driving force and the stability of the movement.

[0042] An extension ring 13 is coaxially fixedly installed at the edge of the articulation plate 1. A flexible sealing sleeve 14 is fixedly connected between the extension rings 13 of two adjacent articulation plates 1. The flexible sealing sleeve 14 is made of wear-resistant rubber, which effectively seals the movement gap between adjacent articulation plates 1, prevents rock powder, mud and debris from entering the interior, protects the precision hinge pair and actuator, and greatly improves the reliability and durability of the device in harsh geological environments.

[0043] To achieve active drive of the robotic arm, this embodiment employs a multi-stage linear telescopic actuator 2. Specifically, four miniature multi-stage hydraulic cylinders are uniformly fixed circumferentially on each joint plate 1 as the actuator 2. The cylinder body of each hydraulic cylinder is fixed to the back of the current joint plate 1, and the end of its final piston rod is hinged to the front of the second joint plate 1 via a connecting rod 3. By coordinating and proportionally controlling the extension and retraction of these four sets of hydraulic cylinders through a central controller, the required thrust vector can be precisely calculated, thereby driving the joint plates 1 to generate the expected deflection angle and direction, achieving the overall undulating movement of the robotic arm. This allows for a large driving stroke within the limited thickness of the joint plates, meeting the need for the robotic arm to make significant turns in cracks. The hydraulic drive provides a huge output force, ensuring the robotic arm has the ability to open up minor obstructions and provide stable support.

[0044] The core innovation of this device lies in its active anti-jamming and obstacle-clearing protection component 4. Each joint plate 1 has a freely rotatable alloy rotating ring 41 mounted on its outer side. The specific structure of the rotating ring drive mechanism is as follows: an arc-shaped groove 15 with its center coinciding with the center of the joint plate is machined on the extension ring 13. One end of the groove is connected to a sealed arc-shaped hydraulic cavity 16. On the inner side of the rotating ring 41, an arc-shaped block 412 is fixed, and an arc-shaped hydraulic rod 413 is connected to it. After assembly, the arc-shaped block 412 is embedded in the arc-shaped groove 15, and the arc-shaped hydraulic rod 413 extends into the arc-shaped hydraulic cavity 16. When hydraulic oil is injected into one end of the arc-shaped hydraulic cavity 16, it pushes the arc-shaped hydraulic rod 413 to move, thereby driving the arc-shaped block 412 and the entire rotating ring 41 to rotate along the trajectory of the arc-shaped groove 15. The hydraulic drive can provide a smooth and high-torque rotational motion, which can effectively drive the heavily loaded rotating ring 41 and the blade mechanism 42.

[0045] On the outer side of the rotating ring 41, a plurality of evenly distributed scraping teeth 411 are fixedly installed circumferentially. On two adjacent rotating rings 41, a blade plate mechanism 42 is hinged between two corresponding scraping teeth 411. Each blade plate mechanism 42 consists of two first blade plates 421 and one second blade plate 422. The two first blade plates 421 are respectively inserted into the sliding grooves of the second blade plate 422 to form a sliding connection, so that the length of the entire blade plate mechanism 42 can be extended and retracted. A ball-shaped rod 423 is fixed at the end of the first blade plate 421. The ball-shaped rod 423 falls into the ball-shaped socket processed at the scraping teeth 411 to form a spherical hinge. This allows the blade plate mechanism 42 to not only extend and retract freely to adapt to different curvatures when the robotic arm bends, but also to swing in all directions, ensuring that the entire cage-like outer frame can always fit together to form a protective structure without interference or jamming.

[0046] In particular, the cross-sections of the first blade 421 and the second blade 422 are both designed to be rhomboid. This special design makes the rhomboid cross-section have higher bending and torsional stiffness than the rectangular cross-section under the same weight, and can more effectively resist the lateral compression of the rock wall. At the same time, its sharp edges can better cut into and break loose rock blocks or soil when rotating.

[0047] When all the blade plate mechanisms 42 extend, they come together to form a robust cylindrical protective cage, i.e., a cage-like outer skeleton, which completely encloses the internal joint plates 1, hinge rods 11, hydraulic cylinders 2, and pipelines, providing the highest level of physical protection. When the sensor at the front end of the robotic arm detects that the path is blocked by gravel or mud, the control unit can instruct the rotating ring 41 to rotate synchronously in the same direction. The rotating scraper teeth 411 and the blade plate mechanisms 42 with sharp diamond-shaped edges act like a dynamic "obstacle clearing head," which can effectively break, stir, and clear obstacles, opening up a path for the robotic arm to continue moving forward. This fundamentally solves the risk of "jamming" that is most likely to occur in unknown cracks for flexible detection arms, realizing a leap from "passive adaptation" to "active opening up," and significantly improving the success rate of tasks and the safety of equipment.

[0048] The robotic arm integrates a high-precision measurement system. A distributed fiber optic shape sensor, not separately shown in the diagram, runs through all the joint plates 1. As the body shape sensing unit, it can calculate and output the three-dimensional spatial coordinate sequence of the entire robotic arm's central axis in real time with extremely high accuracy. An end effector (not shown in the diagram) is fixedly installed on the joint plate 1 at the far end of the robotic arm. It integrates a binocular stereo vision camera, a blue laser structured light projector, and a miniature IMU inertial measurement unit. The control and data processing unit is typically located in the rear support platform, synchronously receiving fiber optic shape data, end effector image data, and IMU data. Its data processing flow is as follows: First, the IMU data is used to analyze the image generated by the end effector camera due to motion. The system compensates for blurring, and then, using the aforementioned high-precision robotic arm centerline coordinates as a rigid spatial motion reference, combined with camera calibration parameters, it accurately transforms the 3D surface point cloud obtained from binocular vision and structured light calculations in each frame into a unified global coordinate system. Finally, through point cloud registration and fusion algorithms, it generates a continuous and complete 3D digital surface model inside the crack. Based on this model, the software can automatically analyze the width at any location, calculate the maximum depth, draw the width variation curve along the path, and estimate the cavity volume. In this way, it creatively transforms the robotic arm itself into a high-precision "mobile 3D coordinate measuring machine," realizing the internal 3D reconstruction at absolute scale, and greatly improving the accuracy and completeness of its measurement results.

[0049] A smart method for measuring the width and depth of irregular rock fissures in geological hazard investigation includes the following steps:

[0050] S1. Control the robotic arm to extend into the target crack, and use the cage-like exoskeleton for protection or active obstacle removal during movement;

[0051] Specifically, the control unit drives a multi-stage linear telescopic actuator according to a preset initial path or operator instructions, causing the robotic arm to make a meandering motion and gradually advance into the depths of the crack.

[0052] Protection Mode: During normal travel, the blade plate mechanism extends, and the cage-like outer frame acts as a robust outer shell, resisting rock wall scraping and falling debris, protecting the internal precision units. The flexible sealing sleeve works simultaneously to achieve dynamic sealing.

[0053] Obstacle Clearing Mode: When the end effector or force sensor detects an abnormal increase in resistance ahead, or when loose debris is visually detected, the method automatically triggers the obstacle clearing sub-process. The control unit instructs the rotating drive mechanism of several joints at the front to operate, causing the rotating rings to drive the blade plate mechanism to rotate at high speed. The rotating blade plate breaks and removes the obstacle, and after clearing the obstacle, the robotic arm continues to move forward.

[0054] S2. Simultaneously collect the body shape data of the robotic arm and the crack surface data obtained through the end probe;

[0055] Specifically, throughout the entire movement of the robotic arm, distributed fiber optic shape sensors continuously sample at a fixed frequency, calculating in real time the three-dimensional spatial coordinates (x, y, z) of a series of points on the central axis of the robotic arm at each moment. These coordinates constitute a precise curve describing the spatial shape of the robotic arm. Simultaneously, the binocular camera and structured light projector of the end effector synchronously capture images of the inner wall of the crack at a specific frame rate. Through stereo vision and structured light decoding algorithms, the three-dimensional point cloud corresponding to each frame of image is calculated with the end effector as the coordinate system. The control and data processing unit provides a global hardware trigger signal or a high-precision timestamp. When the fiber optic shape sensor and the end effector receive the same trigger signal, they begin to collect a frame of data, ensuring that the two sets of data are strictly aligned in time, providing a physical basis for subsequent accurate data fusion.

[0056] S3. Using the shape data of the robotic arm as the motion reference, multiple frames of crack surface data are fused to reconstruct a three-dimensional model of the crack interior.

[0057] S4. Based on the three-dimensional model, calculate the width, depth, volume, and morphological parameters of the crack.

[0058] Width Calculation: On the 3D model, a series of normal profiles perpendicular to the direction of the crack are generated along the general direction of the crack specified by the user or automatically identified by the algorithm. On each profile, the algorithm automatically searches for the nearest point on both sides of the model surface, and the distance between them is the crack width of that profile. By traversing all profiles, a "crack width distribution curve along the direction" can be generated, and the maximum, minimum and average widths can be calculated.

[0059] Depth calculation: Define the opening plane of the crack (usually fitted by the initial measured point cloud), calculate the vertical distance from all vertices on the surface of the 3D model to the opening plane, and the maximum value is the "maximum visible depth". At the same time, depth contour maps can be drawn.

[0060] Volume and morphology calculation: Treat the cavity model inside the crack as a closed entity, directly calculate its volume, and analyze the model's overall orientation, tilt angle, tortuosity (the ratio of actual path length to straight distance), and other morphological parameters.

[0061] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An intelligent measuring device for the width and depth of irregular rock cracks in geological disaster investigation, comprising a support platform, a control platform, and a positioning platform, characterized in that, It also includes an invading robotic arm; The robotic arm is composed of multiple joint modules connected in series. Each joint module includes a joint plate (1). A hinge rod (11) and a hinge seat (12) are fixedly provided on both sides of the axial direction of the joint plate (1). The joint plates (1) in two adjacent joint modules are rotatably connected to the corresponding hinge seats (12) through the hinge rod (11). Multiple sets of multi-stage linear telescopic actuators (2), one end of each set of multi-stage linear telescopic actuators (2) is fixedly connected to one of the joint plates (1), and the other end is hinged to another adjacent joint plate (1) through a connecting rod (3); Active anti-jamming obstacle clearing and protection component (4) includes a rotating ring (41) rotatably mounted on the outside of each joint plate (1). Multiple scraping teeth (411) are fixedly arranged on the outside of the rotating ring (41) along the circumferential direction. A blade plate mechanism (42) is hinged between two scraping teeth (411) at corresponding positions of two adjacent rotating rings (41). All blade plate mechanisms (42) together form a retractable and deformable cage-like outer frame. The robotic arm also integrates a measurement system, which includes: The body shape sensing unit is used to obtain the three-dimensional spatial coordinates of the central axis of the robotic arm in real time; An end probe, located at the foremost end of the robotic arm, is used to acquire three-dimensional data of the surface inside the crack; The control and data processing unit is configured to: fuse the synchronous data of the body shape sensing unit and the end probe, reconstruct a three-dimensional cavity model inside the crack, and automatically extract the geometric parameters of the crack based on the model.

2. The intelligent measuring device for the width and depth of irregular rock cracks in geological disaster investigation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multi-stage linear telescopic actuator is a miniature multi-stage hydraulic cylinder or an electric push rod.

3. The intelligent measuring device for the width and depth of irregular rock cracks in geological disaster investigation according to claim 1, characterized in that, An extension ring (13) is fixedly provided on both sides of the joint plate (1) along the axial direction. A flexible sealing sleeve (14) is fixedly connected between the extension rings (13) of two adjacent joint plates (1), and the outer diameter of the extension ring (13) is smaller than the outer diameter of the rotating ring (41).

4. The intelligent measuring device for the width and depth of irregular rock cracks in geological disaster investigation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The joint plate (1) is provided with an arc-shaped groove (15), and an arc-shaped hydraulic cavity (16) is provided at one end of the arc-shaped groove (15); An arc-shaped block (412) is fixedly provided on the inner side of the rotating ring (41), and an arc-shaped hydraulic rod (413) is fixedly provided on the arc-shaped block (412). The arc-shaped block (412) is rotatably arranged along the arc-shaped groove (15), and the arc-shaped hydraulic rod (413) is sealed and slidably arranged along the arc-shaped hydraulic cavity (16).

5. The intelligent measuring device for the width and depth of irregular rock cracks in geological disaster investigation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The blade mechanism (42) includes two first blades (421) and a second blade (422) slidably connected between the two first blades (421). A ball-shaped rod (423) is fixedly provided on the side of the first blade (421) near the scraper tooth (411). A ball-shaped socket adapted to the ball-shaped rod (423) is provided on the scraper tooth (411).

6. The intelligent measuring device for the width and depth of irregular rock cracks in geological disaster investigation according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first blade (421) and the second blade (422) have rhomboid cross-sectional shapes, and the spherical rod (423) can rotate arbitrarily along the spherical socket, allowing the first blade (421) to rotate arbitrarily relative to the scraping tooth (411).

7. The intelligent measuring device for the width and depth of irregular rock cracks in geological disaster investigation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The body shape sensing unit is a distributed fiber optic shape sensor.

8. The intelligent measuring device for the width and depth of irregular rock cracks in geological disaster investigation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The end-effector integrates at least a binocular stereo vision camera and a structured light projector.

9. The intelligent measuring device for the width and depth of irregular rock cracks in geological disaster investigation according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the control and data processing unit performs data fusion, it uses the coordinates of the robot arm's central axis provided by the body shape sensing unit as a reference to convert the surface data acquired by the end probe to the global coordinate system.

10. An intelligent method for measuring the width and depth of irregular rock fissures in geological disaster investigation, comprising using the intelligent measuring device for measuring the width and depth of irregular rock fissures in geological disaster investigation as described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Control the robotic arm to extend into the target crack, and use the cage-like exoskeleton for protection or active obstacle removal during movement; S2. Simultaneously collect the body shape data of the robotic arm and the crack surface data obtained through the end probe; S3. Using the shape data of the robotic arm as the motion reference, multiple frames of crack surface data are fused to reconstruct a three-dimensional model of the crack interior. S4. Based on the three-dimensional model, calculate the width, depth, volume, and morphological parameters of the crack.

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