A dual-claw adaptive transmission tower climbing and inspection robot and its climbing method

Abstract

This application relates to the field of power special robot technology, specifically a dual-claw adaptive transmission tower climbing and inspection robot and its climbing method. The robot includes a body, grippers, a drive assembly, and a control system. The body adopts a three-section structure consisting of an upper arm, a lower arm, and a middle joint sleeve. The grippers are V-shaped clamping mechanisms with rubber pads, equipped with a stepper motor-driven slide and an angle steel top. The drive assembly uses multiple drive motors to achieve rotational limits at various parts. The control system relies on a vision camera and an embedded computing platform to recognize the environment and automatically switch between two climbing gaits: vaulting and inchworm-like. It can adapt to different specifications of transmission tower angle steel, achieving stable climbing and obstacle crossing. Automated inspections can be completed without human intervention, significantly improving inspection efficiency and safety, reducing inspection costs, and providing a reliable solution for transmission tower inspection in unstructured environments.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of power special robot technology, specifically a dual-claw adaptive transmission tower climbing and inspection robot and climbing method. Background Technology

[0002] Transmission towers, as the skeleton of overhead transmission lines, are an indispensable critical infrastructure of the power grid. Transmission towers generally adopt a lattice-type space truss structure, assembled from high-strength angle steel connected by bolts. Their surfaces are covered with numerous bolts, node plates, diagonal braces, and other protruding obstacles, exhibiting typical unstructured characteristics. With the expansion of the power system and its increasing aging, the regular inspection and maintenance of transmission towers has become a crucial link in ensuring the safe operation of the power grid.

[0003] Traditional manual inspection methods face significant challenges, including high risks associated with working at heights, high labor intensity, and low efficiency. While drone inspection technology has been widely adopted, it is limited by its inability to function properly in severe weather conditions such as strong winds, heavy rain, hail, and blizzards. Therefore, developing robots capable of stably climbing and performing inspection tasks on the angle steel structures of transmission towers has become a research hotspot in the industry.

[0004] Existing climbing robot technologies suffer from the following shortcomings: magnetic adsorption technology is only applicable to ferromagnetic surfaces and cannot be applied to non-ferromagnetic materials; negative pressure adsorption technology exhibits significantly reduced performance on rough or breathable surfaces; biomimetic dry adhesion technology is prone to failure on surfaces susceptible to dust and stains; existing gripping robots are mostly designed for specific specifications of rods, with a fixed gripping range, making it difficult to adapt to the varying specifications of angle steel used in transmission towers; wheeled and tracked robots have low obstacle-crossing performance and struggle to overcome protruding obstacles such as bolts and node plates; inchworm-like robots mostly employ linear swing mechanisms, resulting in limited movement and poor performance when facing foot spikes or performing transfer tasks.

[0005] In view of the above, in order to overcome the technical problem that the inspection robot mentioned above is difficult to achieve both stable clamping and flexible movement in the complex truss environment of high-voltage transmission towers, this invention designs a dual-claw adaptive transmission tower climbing inspection robot and climbing method. Summary of the Invention

[0006] A dual-claw adaptive transmission tower climbing and inspection robot includes a body, grippers, and a drive assembly, wherein:

[0007] The fuselage includes an upper arm, a lower arm, and an intermediate joint sleeve that rotates with both.

[0008] The gripper includes an upper mechanical gripper and a lower mechanical gripper, the upper mechanical gripper being disposed at one end of the upper arm and the lower mechanical gripper being disposed at one end of the lower arm;

[0009] The drive assembly includes multiple drive motors to achieve rotational limiting between the upper mechanical gripper and the upper arm, between the upper arm and the lower arm, and between the lower arm and the lower mechanical gripper.

[0010] Preferably, both the upper and lower mechanical grippers include a fixed frame, and the fixed frame is fixedly or detachably connected to the machine body. A V-shaped gripper is installed on the side of the fixed frame away from the machine body, and the inner side of the upper crossbar of the V-shaped gripper is hinged to the fixed frame. Electric push rods are symmetrically installed on both sides of the fixed frame. The fixed end of the electric push rod is hinged to the fixed frame, and the telescopic end of the electric push rod is hinged to the outer side of the upper crossbar of the V-shaped gripper.

[0011] Preferably, each of the guide rails inside the fixed frame is equipped with a sliding limit slide. One end of the slide is fixed with an angle steel top, and the other end of the slide is equipped with a stepper motor fixed to the fixed frame. The stepper motor drives the slide to move along the guide rail of the fixed frame.

[0012] Preferably, the inner sides of the V-shaped grippers are all bonded and fixed with rubber pads.

[0013] Preferably, an upper joint sleeve is installed at one end of the upper arm near the upper mechanical gripper, and the upper joint sleeve is connected to the upper arm via a bearing. An upper drive motor is fixedly installed inside the upper joint sleeve, and the output shaft of the upper drive motor is connected to the upper mechanical gripper.

[0014] Preferably, the end of the upper arm away from the upper mechanical gripper is fixed to the intermediate joint sleeve, and the end of the lower arm away from the lower mechanical gripper is rotatably engaged with the intermediate joint sleeve. An intermediate drive motor is fixedly installed inside the intermediate joint sleeve, and the output shaft of the intermediate drive motor is connected to the lower arm.

[0015] Preferably, a lower joint sleeve is installed at one end of the lower arm near the lower mechanical gripper, and the lower joint sleeve is connected to the lower arm via a bearing. A lower drive motor is fixedly installed inside the lower joint sleeve, and the output shaft of the lower drive motor is connected to the lower mechanical gripper.

[0016] Preferably, it also includes a control system, which comprises a main controller, a power supply system, a drive system, and a vision system, wherein:

[0017] The main controller automatically matches and controls the robot to perform either a vaulting gait or an inchworm gait based on the angle iron position information and obstacle conditions provided by the vision system.

[0018] The vision system includes a vision camera and an embedded computing platform.

[0019] Preferably, the rotation angle range of the intermediate drive motor is 200°, and the rotation angle range of the upper drive motor and the lower drive motor is 180°.

[0020] The climbing method of the dual-claw adaptive transmission tower climbing and inspection robot includes the following steps:

[0021] Step 1: Climbing Preparation: The vision system's camera collects information on the location, specifications, and surrounding obstacles of the transmission tower's angle steel, transmitting it to the embedded computing platform for analysis and processing to generate positioning data and obstacle recognition results. The main controller receives this data and completes a preliminary judgment. Simultaneously, the stepper motor drives the slide to move along the guide rail of the fixed frame, causing the top of the angle steel to abut against the right angle on the inner side of the angle steel. The electric actuator adjusts the opening and closing of the V-shaped gripper, so that the gripper clamps the flat section of the angle steel, forming a three-point stable clamping. Each drive motor returns to its initial angle, completing the climbing preparation.

[0022] Step 2, Gait Selection: Based on the obstacle recognition results transmitted by the embedded computing platform, the main controller determines whether there are protruding obstacles such as bolts or node plates in the current climbing area. If they exist, the tumbling gait is selected; otherwise, the inchworm gait is selected.

[0023] Step 3, Gait Execution: If executing a vaulting gait, complete the following movements in sequence:

[0024] a) The upper mechanical gripper maintains the clamping state, the lower drive motor is locked, the upper drive motor rotates, and all parts below the upper arm are lifted;

[0025] b) The intermediate drive motor rotates, causing the lower arm and lower mechanical gripper to lift upwards, crossing the vertical height of the obstacle;

[0026] c) Rotate the lower drive motor and adjust the orientation of the lower mechanical gripper to align it parallel to the angle steel section on the other side of the obstacle;

[0027] d) The lower mechanical gripper moves to the target position, the slide advances, and the electric actuator closes, completing the gripping of the lower gripper and realizing a single flip-over gait;

[0028] If you are to adopt the inchworm gait, perform the following movements in sequence:

[0029] a) The upper mechanical gripper holds the angle steel while the lower mechanical gripper releases it. The upper and lower drive motors adjust the angle.

[0030] b) The intermediate drive motor rotates, causing the lower arm and lower mechanical gripper to extend forward to the preset position;

[0031] c) The lower mechanical gripper closes to hold the object, while the upper mechanical gripper releases and lifts.

[0032] d) The upper drive motor and the lower drive motor are adjusted in coordination so that the upper mechanical gripper engages with the new clamping position and closes the clamp;

[0033] e) Each drive motor resets, completing one inchworm-like gait;

[0034] Step 4: Cyclic Climbing. Repeat steps 2 to 3. The main controller dynamically switches the climbing gait based on the real-time feedback from the vision system until the transmission tower inspection climbing operation is completed.

[0035] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0036] 1. This invention adopts a modular three-section body design: the robot adopts a three-section body composed of an upper arm, a lower arm and a middle joint sleeve, combined with aluminum alloy material, to ensure the lightweight and high strength of the body, while giving the robot multiple degrees of freedom and highly flexible movement capabilities to adapt to the complex and varied angle steel layout on the power transmission tower.

[0037] 2. Equipped with an adaptive V-shaped gripping mechanism: Each mechanical gripper incorporates an adaptive V-shaped gripping mechanism. Through the coordinated action of the slide module driven by the electric actuator and the top of the angle steel, it can adaptively grip angle steel of different specifications, significantly improving the robot's adaptability and the reliability of gripping operations in unstructured environments. Rubber pads embedded on the inner side of the grippers further increase the coefficient of friction, ensuring gripping stability.

[0038] 3. A vaulting gait was designed to address protruding obstacles such as bolts and node plates on transmission towers. This gait, through precise control of the robot's lifting and gripper rotation, allows the robot to easily traverse obstacles and even make minor adjustments to the angle steel direction, demonstrating excellent obstacle-crossing performance and ensuring the continuity and safety of the inspection path.

[0039] 4. Drawing inspiration from the inchworm's contraction and extension movement in nature, an inchworm-like gait was designed. This gait, through the body's periodic "extension-clamping-contraction-reset," enables stable, low-energy-consumption, and efficient continuous climbing on straight angle steel sections, effectively improving inspection efficiency and reducing energy costs. Attached Figure Description

[0040] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 2 A 3D view of a mechanical gripper;

[0042] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the mechanical gripper engaging with a 17mm angle steel.

[0043] Figure 4 Top view of the mechanical gripper engaging with a 17mm angle steel;

[0044] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the interaction between the mechanical gripper and a 12mm angle steel.

[0045] Figure 6Top view of the mechanical gripper engaging with a 12mm angle steel;

[0046] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a vaulting gait sequence;

[0047] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the inchworm-like gait sequence.

[0048] In the picture:

[0049] 1. Upper mechanical gripper; 2. Vision camera; 3. Upper joint sleeve; 4. Upper drive motor; 5. Upper arm; 6. Middle joint sleeve; 7. Middle drive motor; 8. Lower arm; 9. Lower drive motor; 10. Lower joint sleeve; 11. Lower mechanical gripper; 12. Rubber pad; 13. V-shaped gripper; 14. Angle steel top; 15. Slide table; 16. Stepper motor; 17. Electric actuator; 18. 17mm angle steel; 19. 12mm angle steel. Detailed Implementation

[0050] The application principle of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0051] Example 1:

[0052] like Figure 1-8 As shown, a dual-claw adaptive transmission tower climbing and inspection robot includes a body, grippers, and a drive assembly, wherein:

[0053] The robot body includes an upper arm 5, a lower arm 8, and an intermediate joint sleeve 6 that rotates with both. The upper arm 5, the lower arm 8, and the intermediate joint sleeve 6 are all made of aluminum alloy to ensure the lightweight and high strength of the robot body and improve the robot's movement flexibility and load capacity.

[0054] The gripper includes an upper mechanical gripper 1 and a lower mechanical gripper 11. The upper mechanical gripper 1 is located at one end of the upper arm 5, and the lower mechanical gripper 11 is located at one end of the lower arm 8. Specifically:

[0055] Both the upper mechanical gripper 1 and the lower mechanical gripper 11 include a fixed frame, and the fixed frame is fixed to or detachably connected to the machine body. A V-shaped gripper 13 is installed on the side of the fixed frame away from the machine body, and the inner side of the upper crossbar of the V-shaped gripper 13 is hinged to the fixed frame. Electric push rods 17 are symmetrically installed on both sides of the fixed frame. The fixed end of the electric push rod 17 is hinged to the fixed frame, and the telescopic end of the electric push rod 17 is hinged to the outer side of the upper crossbar of the V-shaped gripper 13.

[0056] When the electric actuator 17 extends or retracts, it drives the V-shaped gripper 13 to open and close around the hinge of the fixed frame through the hinge point. The extension and retraction of the electric actuator 17 can be precisely controlled, thereby adjusting the opening and closing degree of the V-shaped gripper 13. The V-shaped structure itself has a certain self-adaptive clamping capability. With the precise drive of the electric actuator 17, it can achieve stable clamping of angle steel of different sizes and angles.

[0057] Furthermore, rubber pads 12 are bonded and fixed to the inner side of the V-shaped grippers 13. When the V-shaped grippers 13 clamp the angle steel, the rubber pads 12 directly contact the flange of the angle steel. By utilizing the elasticity and high coefficient of friction of the rubber material, the friction between the grippers and the angle steel is increased, while buffering the impact force generated during the clamping process.

[0058] V-shaped grippers 13 can clamp the two corners of the angle steel. In order to achieve stable three-point clamping, sliding limit slides 15 are installed on the guide rails inside the fixed frame. An angle steel top 14 is fixed at one end of the slide 15, and a stepper motor 16 fixed to the fixed frame is provided at the other end of the slide 15. The stepper motor 16 drives the slide 15 to move along the guide rails of the fixed frame.

[0059] The stepper motor 16 drives the slide table 15 to move linearly along the guide rail of the fixed frame, thereby causing the angle steel top 14 to move closer to or away from the clamping area. The sliding limit structure can prevent the slide table 15 from moving excessively, ensuring that the angle steel top 14 can accurately abut against the right angle of the inside of the angle steel, and form a cooperative clamping with the V-shaped gripper 13.

[0060] The drive assembly includes multiple drive motors to achieve rotational limiting between the upper mechanical gripper 1 and the upper arm 5, between the upper arm 5 and the lower arm 8, and between the lower arm 8 and the lower mechanical gripper 11. Specifically:

[0061] An upper joint sleeve 3 is installed at one end of the upper arm 5 near the upper mechanical gripper 1, and the upper joint sleeve 3 is connected to the upper arm 5 through a bearing. An upper drive motor 4 is fixedly installed inside the upper joint sleeve 3, and the output shaft of the upper drive motor 4 is connected to the upper mechanical gripper 1.

[0062] The end of the upper arm 5 away from the upper mechanical gripper 1 is fixed to the intermediate joint sleeve 6, and the end of the lower arm 8 away from the lower mechanical gripper 11 is rotatably engaged with the intermediate joint sleeve 6. An intermediate drive motor 7 is fixedly installed inside the intermediate joint sleeve 6, and the output shaft of the intermediate drive motor 7 is connected to the lower arm 8. The driving action of the intermediate drive motor 7 can realize the flexible rotation of the lower arm 8. Combined with the fixed structure of the upper arm 5, the machine body can complete various actions such as lifting, extending, and retracting, providing the core power for the realization of the vaulting gait and the inchworm gait.

[0063] A lower joint sleeve 10 is installed at one end of the lower arm 8 near the lower mechanical gripper 11, and the lower joint sleeve 10 is connected to the lower arm 8 through a bearing. A lower drive motor 9 is fixedly installed inside the lower joint sleeve 10, and the output shaft of the lower drive motor 9 is connected to the lower mechanical gripper 11. The independent control of the lower drive motor 9 can realize the flexible rotation of the lower mechanical gripper 11, so that it can accurately dock with the angle iron on the other side of the obstacle. In conjunction with the action of the mechanical gripper 1, it can complete the obstacle crossing and continuous climbing, further improving the obstacle crossing performance and climbing flexibility of the robot.

[0064] The rotation angle range of the intermediate drive motor 7 is 200°, and the rotation angle range of the upper drive motor 4 and the lower drive motor 9 is 180°. The intermediate drive motor 7 can meet the large-range rotation requirements of the lower arm 8 around the intermediate joint sleeve 6, realize the significant lifting and extension of the machine body, and adapt to obstacles of different heights. The 180° rotation angle range of the upper drive motor 4 and the lower drive motor 9 can meet the flipping requirements of the mechanical gripper, ensuring that the gripper can accurately engage with angle steel of different orientations.

[0065] Example 2:

[0066] Based on Embodiment 1, a control system is also included. The control system comprises a main controller, a power supply system, a drive system, and a vision system, wherein:

[0067] The main controller uses a high-performance embedded controller, which establishes bidirectional data communication with the vision system, drive system, and power supply system. Based on the angle steel position information, specification parameters, and obstacle distribution provided by the vision system, it automatically determines the appropriate gait for the current climbing environment through a preset gait matching algorithm, and then sends precise control commands to the drive system to control the robot to execute a vaulting gait or an inchworm gait.

[0068] The vision system comprises a vision camera 2 and an embedded computing platform, both integrated and mounted on the upper arm 5 near the upper mechanical gripper 1. The vision camera 2 is a high-definition industrial camera capable of acquiring real-time information such as the position coordinates, cross-sectional specifications, surface condition of the transmission tower angle steel, and the specific location and dimensions of surrounding obstacles. The embedded computing platform can quickly perform noise reduction, recognition, and analysis on the image information acquired by the vision camera 2, extracting key positioning data of the angle steel and obstacle feature parameters, and transmitting the processed effective information to the main controller in real time to provide data support for gait selection and posture control. In addition, the vision system also has a real-time calibration function. During the robot's climbing process, after each gait movement, the fit between the gripper and the angle steel and the robot's posture are calibrated to ensure the accuracy of the climbing path.

[0069] The drive system establishes an electrical connection with the main controller, each drive motor, electric actuator 17, and stepper motor 16 to receive control commands from the main controller, convert electrical energy into mechanical motion, and realize the precise movement of each component.

[0070] The power supply system uses a high-capacity lithium battery pack, which is installed inside the intermediate joint sleeve 6 to provide stable power support for the entire control system and various actuators.

[0071] In this embodiment, the workflow of the control system is as follows: After the robot starts, the power supply system begins to supply power, the vision camera 2 collects real-time environmental information of the power transmission tower, the embedded computing platform processes the information and transmits it to the main controller; the main controller, based on the processed information, determines that there are no obstacles in the current climbing area, automatically matches the inchworm-like gait, and sends control commands to the drive system; after receiving the commands, the drive system controls the lower mechanical gripper 11 to release, the intermediate drive motor 7 rotates to drive the lower arm 8 to extend, and after the lower mechanical gripper 11 moves to the preset position, the stepper motor 16 drives... The sliding platform 15 advances, the electric push rod 17 closes to achieve clamping, and then the upper mechanical gripper 1 releases, lifts and adjusts its position to complete one inchworm-like gait. If the vision system detects a protruding obstacle during the climbing process, the main controller immediately switches to a vaulting gait, controls the upper mechanical gripper 1 to maintain clamping, the intermediate drive motor 7 drives the lower arm 8 to lift and cross the obstacle, and the lower drive motor 9 adjusts the orientation of the lower mechanical gripper 11 and completes clamping, thus achieving obstacle crossing. Throughout the process, the main controller receives feedback from each component in real time and dynamically fine-tunes the motion parameters to ensure a smooth and efficient climbing process.

[0072] Example 3:

[0073] Combining Examples 1 and 2, such as Figure 7 As shown, the vaulting gait is suitable for climbing scenarios where there are protruding obstacles such as bolts, node plates, and diagonal braces on the angle steel of transmission towers, or where it is necessary to vault over angle steel nodes and achieve a small-range change in the direction of the angle steel. Obstacle crossing is completed by lifting the machine body and rotating the gripper. The action sequence is divided into five stages: initial state, upper joint motor lifting state, machine body lifting, lower gripper rotation, and lower gripper clamping. The specific steps are as follows:

[0074] Initial state: The robot's upper mechanical gripper 1 and lower mechanical gripper 11 are stably clamped on the flat section of the same transmission tower angle steel. The rubber pad 12 on the inner side of the V-shaped gripper 13 is tightly fitted with the flange of the angle steel. The top of the angle steel 14 abuts against the inner right angle of the angle steel, forming a three-point stable clamping. The three-section body is in a naturally straight state. The drive motors at the ends of the middle joint sleeve 6, upper arm 5 and lower arm 8 all maintain the initial rotation angle. The center of gravity of the body coincides with the central axis of the angle steel.

[0075] Upper drive motor lifting state (a): The main controller issues a command, the upper drive motor 4 rotates in the preset direction, lifting all parts below the upper arm 5, while the upper mechanical gripper 1 remains in the gripping state, and the lower drive motor 9 at the end of the lower arm 8 remains locked, providing a support base for lifting the machine body;

[0076] Body lifting state (b): The intermediate drive motor 7 built into the intermediate joint sleeve 6 starts and rotates in the preset direction (the rotation angle is adjusted according to the height of the obstacle, and the maximum does not exceed 200°), which drives the lower arm 8 and the lower mechanical gripper 11 to lift upward and outward, so that the lower mechanical gripper 11 completely disengages from the original angle steel position and crosses the vertical height of the protruding obstacle. During this process, the upper drive motor 4 at the end of the upper arm 5 remains locked, and the upper mechanical gripper 1 always has no relative displacement with the angle steel.

[0077] Lower mechanical gripper flipping state (c): The lower drive motor 9 at the end of the lower arm 8 starts, and the rotation angle does not exceed 180°, driving the lower mechanical gripper 11 to flip around the end of the lower arm 8, adjusting the gripping orientation of the lower mechanical gripper 11, so that the lower mechanical gripper 11 is parallel and aligned with the angle steel section on the other side of the obstacle; at the same time, the vision system calibrates the position of the lower gripper in real time, and the main controller fine-tunes the rotation angle of the lower drive motor 9 to ensure gripping accuracy.

[0078] Lower mechanical gripper clamping state (d): After the lower mechanical gripper 11 moves to the target position of the angle steel on the other side of the obstacle, the stepper motor 16 drives the slide module to advance along the guide rail, so that the top 14 of the angle steel abuts against the inner right angle of the angle steel. Then, the electric push rod 17 drives the V-shaped gripper 13 to close, and the rubber pad 12 fits tightly with the flange of the angle steel, forming a stable three-point clamping again, and the lower gripper is fixed. A complete vaulting gait is completed.

[0079] Example 4:

[0080] Combining Examples 1 and 2, such as Figure 8 As shown, the inchworm-like gait mimics the extension and retraction movements of an inchworm. It is suitable for straight angle steel sections of transmission towers without protruding obstacles such as bolts or node plates. The climbing action is smooth and energy-efficient. Forward movement is achieved through a cycle of "extension-clamping-retraction-reset" of the machine body. The action sequence is divided into six stages: initial state, drive motor retraction state, machine body retraction state, machine body lifting state, drive motor extension state, and upper gripper clamping state. The specific steps are as follows:

[0081] Initial state: Consistent with the initial state of the vaulting gait, the upper mechanical gripper 1 and the lower mechanical gripper 11 are stably clamped on the same straight angle steel section, the three-point clamping structure is effective, the three-section body naturally straightens, all drive motors maintain the initial rotation angle, and the body and angle steel are completely in contact.

[0082] Joint motor retraction state (a): The upper drive motor 4 and the lower drive motor 9 are adjusted to the appropriate position, the lower mechanical gripper 11 is separated from the angle steel, the upper mechanical gripper 1 remains stationary, and the intermediate drive motor 7 of the intermediate joint sleeve 6 is in the ready-to-drive state.

[0083] Body retracted state (b): The intermediate drive motor 7 starts and rotates slowly (the rotation angle is adjusted according to the single climbing distance, ≤200°), driving the lower arm 8 and the lower mechanical gripper 11 to extend forward along the extension direction of the angle steel, so that the lower mechanical gripper 11 moves to the preset clamping position in front of the upper mechanical gripper 1; during this process, the upper mechanical gripper 1 remains fixed, and the body is in a "retracted" state until the lower gripper is in contact with the angle steel, and the vision system monitors the alignment of the lower mechanical gripper 11 and the angle steel in real time.

[0084] Body lifting state (c): After the lower mechanical gripper 11 reaches the preset clamping position in front, the slide module moves forward, the top of the angle steel 14 abuts against the inner right angle of the angle steel, and the electric push rod 17 drives the V-shaped gripper 13 to close, completing stable clamping; at this time, the electric push rod 17 of the upper mechanical gripper 1 releases pressure, releases the original clamping position, the slide module retracts, so that the upper mechanical gripper 1 separates from the original angle steel section, and the intermediate drive motor 7 performs a preset rotation, lifting the upper part of the body.

[0085] Drive motor extension state (d): The upper drive motor 4 and the lower drive motor 9 are adjusted counterclockwise to the appropriate position, driving the upper arm 5 and adjusting the position of the lower mechanical gripper 11. The two motors work together to adjust until the position of the upper mechanical gripper 1 is in contact with the angle steel.

[0086] Upper mechanical gripper clamping state (e): After the upper mechanical gripper 1 moves to the new clamping position, the slide 15 advances and the electric push rod 17 closes, completing the stable clamping of the upper mechanical gripper 1; all drive motors are reset to the initial position, the three-section body returns to the natural straight state, and the robot completes one inchworm-like climbing action. By repeating the above steps, continuous forward climbing along the straight angle steel section can be achieved.

[0087] Example 5;

[0088] Based on Example 1, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, this embodiment describes the cooperation method and clamping principle between the mechanical gripper and the 17mm angle steel (specifically, 17mm equilateral angle steel with a cross-sectional side length of 17mm and a thickness of 3mm, which is one of the commonly used specifications for transmission towers), adapting to the climbing requirements in unstructured transmission tower environments.

[0089] In this embodiment, the core of the cooperation between the mechanical gripper and the 17mm angle steel 18 is to form a three-point stable clamping structure. This structure is jointly formed by the inner sides of both sides of the V-shaped gripper 13, the contact point between the top of the angle steel 14 and the angle steel 18, as detailed below:

[0090] First, after the vision system completes the positioning of the 17mm angle steel 18, the main controller sends a control command to the stepper motor 16. The stepper motor 16 drives the slide table 15 to move forward precisely along the guide rail inside the fixed frame. The displacement distance is preset to 7mm (to match the inner right angle spacing of the 17mm angle steel). This causes the angle steel top 14, fixed at one end of the slide table 15, to slowly approach the angle steel 18 until the angle steel top 14 is tightly abutted against the inner right angle of the 17mm angle steel 18, completing the initial positioning. At this time, the angle steel top 14 is completely in contact with the inner right angle of the angle steel, providing a stable support point for subsequent clamping and preventing the grippers from shifting during the clamping process.

[0091] Subsequently, the main controller controls the electric actuator 17 to start. The telescopic end of the electric actuator 17 slowly retracts, driving the V-shaped grippers 13 on both sides to swing inward synchronously through the hinge point, adjusting the opening and closing degree of the V-shaped grippers 13 until the rubber pads 12 adhered to the inner side of the V-shaped grippers 13 are tightly fitted with the two side flanges of the 17mm angle steel 18. Since the flange width of the 17mm angle steel is adapted to the included angle of the V-shaped grippers 13, the contact area between the rubber pads 12 and the flanges of the angle steel is maximized, which not only increases the friction coefficient between the two, but also buffers the impact force generated during clamping, preventing the grippers from causing wear on the surface of the angle steel.

[0092] At this point, the inner sides of the V-shaped gripper 13 and the two flanges of the 17mm angle steel 18 form two symmetrical gripping contact points, and the top of the angle steel 14 forms a support contact point at a right angle to the inner side of the angle steel. The three contact points are distributed in a triangle, forming a stable three-point gripping structure. This structure can evenly distribute the gripping force to the three contact points, effectively improving the stability and reliability of the gripping. Even if the robot experiences slight vibration or tilting during climbing, it can avoid slippage and ensure the safety of the climbing process.

[0093] Example 6;

[0094] Based on Example 1, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, this embodiment describes the adaptation and adjustment of mechanical grippers to angle steel of this specification for 12mm size angle steel (specifically, 12mm equilateral angle steel, with a cross-sectional side length of 12mm and a thickness of 2.5mm, which is a commonly used small-sized angle steel in transmission towers and is mostly used in auxiliary support parts of transmission towers).

[0095] In this embodiment, the cooperation between the mechanical gripper and the 12mm angle steel 19 relies on the adaptive structure of the V-shaped gripper 13 and the precise displacement of the slide 15, which is consistent with the cooperation principle with the 17mm angle steel. However, the displacement of the slide and the opening degree of the V-shaped gripper need to be adaptively adjusted according to the size characteristics of the 12mm angle steel to ultimately form a stable three-point clamping structure, as detailed below:

[0096] First, after the vision camera 2 of the vision system acquires the position and specification information of the 12mm angle steel 19, the embedded computing platform quickly analyzes the cross-sectional dimensions and inner right angle spacing of the angle steel and transmits the data to the main controller. According to the specification parameters of the 12mm angle steel, the main controller sends precise control commands to the stepper motor 16 to adjust the displacement distance of the slide table 15 compared to the 7mm displacement when it is matched with the 17mm angle steel. In this embodiment, the slide table 15 moves forward 5mm along the guide rail of the fixed frame (precisely matching the inner right angle spacing of the 12mm angle steel), which drives the top 14 of the angle steel at one end of the slide table 15 to slowly approach the inner right angle of the 12mm angle steel 19 until the top 14 of the angle steel is completely in contact with the inner right angle of the angle steel, laying the foundation for the three-point clamping structure.

[0097] Subsequently, the main controller sends a command to the electric actuator 17, controlling the retraction end of the electric actuator 17 to retract, which in turn drives the V-shaped grippers 13 on both sides to swing inward synchronously through the hinge point. Since the flange width of the 12mm angle steel is smaller than that of the 17mm angle steel, the opening and closing angle of the V-shaped grippers 13 needs to be reduced synchronously (by about 15° compared to the opening and closing angle when used with the 17mm angle steel), until the rubber pad 12 adhered to the inner side of the V-shaped grippers 13 is tightly fitted to the two flanges of the 12mm angle steel 19, and the contact area reaches more than 80% of the flange area. The elastic properties of the rubber pad 12 can be adapted to the flange size of the 12mm angle steel, avoiding loosening of the grip due to the smaller size of the angle steel.

[0098] At this point, the three-point stable clamping structure is officially formed: the inner sides of the V-shaped claw 13 form two symmetrical clamping contact points with the two flanges of the 12mm angle steel 19, and the top of the angle steel 14 forms a support contact point with the inner side of the angle steel at a right angle. The three contact points are evenly distributed in an isosceles triangle, which evenly distributes the clamping force to the three key parts of the angle steel.

[0099] This embodiment further demonstrates the adaptive advantage by adapting the mechanical gripper to the 12mm angle steel. Without replacing the gripper components, stable gripping of two different specifications of angle steel, 12mm and 17mm, can be achieved simply by fine-tuning the slide displacement and the gripper opening and closing degree. This solves the technical problem that existing gripping robots can only adapt to a single specification of angle steel, and provides a reliable guarantee for the robot to continuously climb different specifications of angle steel sections on the transmission tower.

Claims

1. A dual-claw adaptive transmission tower climbing and inspection robot, characterized in that: Includes the fuselage, grippers, and drive components, among which: The fuselage includes an upper arm (5), a lower arm (8), and an intermediate joint sleeve (6) that rotates with both. The gripper includes an upper mechanical gripper (1) and a lower mechanical gripper (11). The upper mechanical gripper (1) is disposed at one end of the upper arm (5), and the lower mechanical gripper (11) is disposed at one end of the lower arm (8). The drive assembly includes multiple drive motors to achieve rotational limiting between the upper mechanical gripper (1) and the upper arm (5), between the upper arm (5) and the lower arm (8), and between the lower arm (8) and the lower mechanical gripper (11).

2. The dual-claw adaptive transmission tower climbing and inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both the upper mechanical gripper (1) and the lower mechanical gripper (11) include a fixed frame, and the fixed frame is fixed to or detachably connected to the machine body. A V-shaped gripper (13) is installed on the side of the fixed frame away from the machine body, and the inner side of the crossbar of the V-shaped gripper (13) is hinged to the fixed frame. Electric push rods (17) are symmetrically installed on both sides of the fixed frame. The fixed end of the electric push rod (17) is hinged to the fixed frame, and the telescopic end of the electric push rod (17) is hinged to the outer side of the crossbar of the V-shaped gripper (13).

3. The dual-claw adaptive transmission tower climbing and inspection robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The guide rails inside the fixed frame are equipped with sliding limit slides (15). One end of the slide (15) is fixed with an angle steel top (14), and the other end of the slide (15) is equipped with a stepper motor (16) fixed to the fixed frame. The stepper motor (16) drives the slide (15) to move along the guide rails of the fixed frame.

4. The dual-claw adaptive transmission tower climbing and inspection robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The inner sides of the V-shaped grippers (13) are all glued and fixed with rubber pads (12).

5. The dual-claw adaptive transmission tower climbing and inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: An upper joint sleeve (3) is installed at one end of the upper arm (5) near the upper mechanical gripper (1), and the upper joint sleeve (3) is connected to the upper arm (5) through a bearing. An upper drive motor (4) is fixedly installed inside the upper joint sleeve (3), and the output shaft of the upper drive motor (4) is connected to the upper mechanical gripper (1).

6. The dual-claw adaptive transmission tower climbing and inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper arm (5) is fixed to the middle joint sleeve (6) at one end away from the upper mechanical gripper (1), and the lower arm (8) is rotated to the middle joint sleeve (6) at one end away from the lower mechanical gripper (11). The middle joint sleeve (6) is fixedly installed with a middle drive motor (7), and the output shaft of the middle drive motor (7) is connected to the lower arm (8).

7. The dual-claw adaptive transmission tower climbing and inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower arm (8) is equipped with a lower joint sleeve (10) at one end near the lower mechanical gripper (11), and the lower joint sleeve (10) is connected to the lower arm (8) through a bearing. The lower joint sleeve (10) is fixedly installed with a lower drive motor (9), and the output shaft of the lower drive motor (9) is connected to the lower mechanical gripper (11).

8. The dual-claw adaptive transmission tower climbing and inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a control system, which comprises a main controller, a power supply system, a drive system, and a vision system, wherein: The main controller automatically matches and controls the robot to perform either a vaulting gait or an inchworm gait based on the angle iron position information and obstacle conditions provided by the vision system. The vision system includes a vision camera (2) and an embedded computing platform.

9. A dual-claw adaptive transmission tower climbing and inspection robot according to any one of claims 5-7, characterized in that: The rotation angle range of the intermediate drive motor (7) is 200°, and the rotation angle range of the upper drive motor (4) and the lower drive motor (9) is 180°.

10. A climbing method for a dual-claw adaptive transmission tower climbing and inspection robot according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: Step 1, Climbing Preparation: The vision camera (2) of the vision system collects the location, specifications and surrounding obstacle information of the angle steel of the transmission tower, transmits it to the embedded computing platform for analysis and processing, generates positioning data and obstacle recognition results, and the main controller receives the data and completes the preliminary judgment; at the same time, the stepper motor (16) drives the slide (15) to move along the guide rail of the fixed frame, causing the top (14) of the angle steel to abut against the right angle of the inner side of the angle steel, and the electric push rod (17) adjusts the opening and closing degree of the V-shaped gripper (13) so that the gripper clamps the flat section of the angle steel to form a three-point stable clamping, and each drive motor resets to the initial angle to complete the climbing preparation; Step 2, Gait Selection: Based on the obstacle recognition results transmitted by the embedded computing platform, the main controller determines whether there are protruding obstacles such as bolts or node plates in the current climbing area. If they exist, the tumbling gait is selected; otherwise, the inchworm gait is selected. Step 3, Gait Execution: If executing a vaulting gait, complete the following movements in sequence: a) The upper mechanical gripper (1) holds the gripper in place, the lower drive motor (9) locks in place, the upper drive motor (4) rotates, and all components below the upper arm (5) are lifted. b) The intermediate drive motor (7) rotates, driving the lower arm (8) and the lower mechanical gripper (11) to rise upwards, crossing the vertical height of the obstacle; c) The lower drive motor (9) rotates and the lower mechanical gripper (11) is adjusted to clamp the direction so that it is parallel and aligned with the angle steel section on the other side of the obstacle; d) The lower mechanical gripper (11) moves to the target position, the slide (15) advances, and the electric push rod (17) closes, completing the gripping of the lower gripper and realizing a single flip-over gait; If you are to adopt the inchworm gait, perform the following movements in sequence: a) The upper mechanical gripper (1) holds the angle steel, the lower mechanical gripper (11) releases the angle steel, and the upper drive motor (4) and the lower drive motor (9) adjust the angle. b) The intermediate drive motor (7) rotates, driving the lower arm (8) and the lower mechanical gripper (11) to extend forward to the preset position; c) The lower mechanical gripper (11) closes and clamps, while the upper mechanical gripper (1) releases and lifts; d) The upper drive motor (4) and the lower drive motor (9) are adjusted in coordination so that the upper mechanical gripper (1) docks with the new clamping position and closes the clamp; e) Each drive motor resets, completing one inchworm-like gait; Step 4: Cyclic Climbing. Repeat steps 2 to 3. The main controller dynamically switches the climbing gait based on the real-time feedback from the vision system until the transmission tower inspection climbing operation is completed.

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