Aerial work robot system and aerial work control method

Abstract

This application relates to the field of work equipment, providing an aerial work robot system and an aerial work control method. The system includes a robot body and a lifting device component. The lifting device component includes a main lifting point, at least three sub-lifting points, and a load-bearing unit. The main lifting point is connected to an external mechanism to receive traction force. Each sub-lifting point is connected to the robot body through a sub-lifting point connecting mechanism to transmit the traction force to the robot body, enabling the robot body to move in at least one spatial degree of freedom. The load-bearing unit is connected between the main lifting point and each sub-lifting point to transmit load and maintain the relative distance between the main lifting point and each sub-lifting point, thereby constructing a load-bearing system with a stable spatial configuration between the main lifting point and each sub-lifting point during suspended operations. The traction force of the lifting device component improves the stability of the aerial robot body, reduces the impact of disturbances on the robot body's posture, and improves the controllability of the robot body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of work equipment, and more particularly to an aerial work robot system and an aerial work control method. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing number of high-rise and super high-rise buildings in cities, the demand for high-altitude operations such as cleaning, inspection, and painting of building facades is growing. Traditional methods relying on manual suspended platforms, scaffolding, or high-altitude ropes suffer from low efficiency, high safety risks, and complex construction organization, making them unsuitable for the high-frequency, high-quality facade maintenance needs of modern cities. To reduce the intensity of manual labor and improve operational safety and automation, various robotic systems for high-altitude facade operations have emerged in recent years.

[0003] Furthermore, in some aerial work systems, safety ropes or slings are typically used as passive protection or emergency braking mechanisms to enhance safety. However, existing suspension structures often connect the robot to the safety rope using a single point or simple connection method, primarily to prevent falls rather than to participate in attitude control or motion stabilization. In complex airflow environments or under varying workload conditions, the robot may still experience roll, pitch, and other attitude disturbances due to wind disturbances, changes in rotor thrust, or work reaction forces, affecting operational accuracy and safety.

[0004] Therefore, existing aerial work robot systems lack a system structure that can combine rotor thrust control with a sling-and-tether structure, and through multi-point connections, enable the robot to achieve self-stabilization in roll and pitch attitudes under gravity, while simultaneously suppressing attitude disturbances caused by wind disturbances, the reaction force of the work load, and rotor thrust or counter-torque. How to improve the attitude stability and motion controllability of aerial work robots in complex building facade environments while retaining safety ropes and other protective measures remains a pressing technical problem to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main purpose of this application is to provide an aerial work robot system and an aerial work control method, which aims to improve the stability and controllability of the aerial work robot.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides an aerial work robot system, comprising: Robot body and lifting device components; The robot body is equipped with a rotor drive component, which includes at least two rotor power kits. The lifting device includes a main lifting point, at least three secondary lifting points, and a load-bearing unit; The main lifting point is connected to an external mechanism to receive traction force; Each of the aforementioned lifting points is connected to the robot body via a lifting point connection mechanism, which is used to transmit the traction force to the robot body so as to realize the movement of the robot body in at least one spatial degree of freedom; The load-bearing unit is connected between the main lifting point and each of the sub-lifting points to transfer loads and maintain the relative distance between the main lifting point and each of the sub-lifting points, so as to construct a load-bearing system with a stable spatial configuration between the main lifting point and each sub-lifting point during suspension operations. The robot body has a center of gravity G. The straight line passing through both the center of gravity G and the main lifting point is used as the target reference line. The plane passing through the center of gravity G and perpendicular to the first reference line is used as the target reference plane. The line connecting the main lifting point and each of the sub-lifting points is used as the baseline. The spatial distribution of three of the at least three sub-suspension points is configured such that, when the robot body is in a natural suspension state, the triangle formed by the intersections of the three reference lines corresponding to the three sub-suspension points and the target reference plane surrounds the center of gravity G. This allows the external traction force to generate a restoring torque pointing towards the equilibrium posture relative to the lever arm of the robot body's center of gravity when the robot body undergoes roll or pitch attitude deflection, thereby enabling the robot body to have self-stabilizing capability in the roll and / or pitch directions. The three sub-suspension points form a stable sub-suspension point group. The rotor drive component is configured to, based on the suspension constraints provided by the lifting device component, control the robot body to perform spatial translation on the target reference plane or yaw motion around the target reference line by adjusting the output of each rotor power kit; Through the coordinated action of the rotor drive component and the lifting device component, the position and attitude of the robot body can be jointly controlled under the assistance of external traction force.

[0007] In some implementations, the external mechanism includes: A translation drive component is provided, which is connected to the main lifting point of the lifting component through the load-bearing unit. The translation drive component is used to apply traction force to the robot body through the lifting component to achieve controllable translational movement of the robot body in at least one spatial degree of freedom.

[0008] In some embodiments, the translation drive component includes at least one translation drive unit, which includes at least one of the following: a rope climbing machine, a fixed winch, a mobile winch, a rail-mounted lifting drive mechanism, an aerial cantilever crane, and a pulley-type traction device.

[0009] In some embodiments, the translation drive component includes at least two translation drive units, which coordinately control the robot body through a series configuration, a parallel configuration, or a hybrid series-parallel configuration to achieve controllable translational motion of the robot body in at least two spatial degrees of freedom.

[0010] In some embodiments, the rotor drive component and the robot body, as well as the sub-suspension point connection structure and the robot body, are configured to be adjustable or lockable, so that the relative position and attitude of the rotor drive component or the sub-suspension point connection structure with respect to the robot body in space can be fixedly locked, adjusted on demand, or dynamically adjusted in real time.

[0011] In some embodiments, the lifting device further includes at least one adjustment drive mechanism configured to adjust the relative distance between at least one of the sub-lifting points and the main lifting point, thereby changing the spatial configuration between the main lifting point and each of the sub-lifting points to achieve attitude adjustment of the robot body in the roll and / or pitch directions.

[0012] In some embodiments, the load-bearing unit includes at least one of steel cable, chain, rope, rigid link, and rigid connecting block.

[0013] In some embodiments, the at least two rotor propulsion systems have at least two thrust vectors and are configured as follows: The projection of the thrust vector onto the target reference plane forms at least two in-plane thrust components; The at least two in-plane thrust components are vector-superimposed in the target reference plane to form a non-zero composite thrust, and the composite thrust has adjustable magnitude and positive and negative components in at least two mutually perpendicular directions, so as to realize the ability to drive the robot body to move in any direction on the target reference plane. The thrust generated by the at least two sets of rotor power kits produces a non-zero resultant torque on the robot body, which is adjustable in magnitude and direction in the direction of the target reference line, so as to enable the robot body to yaw in any direction around the target reference line.

[0014] In some embodiments, at least two of the at least two rotor power kits are configured to have a thrust vector that is adjustable in both magnitude and direction perpendicular to the rotor plane; At least one of the at least two rotor propulsion kits has a rotor plane that can tilt in at least one degree of freedom, so as to apply an adjustable yaw moment about the target reference line to the robot body by changing the thrust line of action.

[0015] In some embodiments, the rotor drive component includes at least four rotor power kits, and the thrust generated by the rotor in each rotor power kit has a thrust vector. The projection of the thrust vector onto the target reference plane forms at least four in-plane thrust components. The lines of action of the at least four in-plane thrust components constitute at least four thrust axes, wherein there are at least a first thrust axis A, a second thrust axis B, a third thrust axis C, and a fourth thrust axis D, such that A∩B, B∩C, C∩D, and D∩A each have unique intersection points P1, P2, P3, and P4, and the quadrilateral formed by P1, P2, P3, and P4 as vertices is a convex quadrilateral.

[0016] In some implementations, it also includes: The work payload module is installed on the robot body and is used to perform aerial work operations.

[0017] Secondly, this application also provides an aerial operation control method, the method being used in any of the aerial operation robot systems described in the embodiments of this application, comprising: The robot body is moved to the preset working area by applying a pulling force to the main lifting point of the lifting device component through an external mechanism; During movement, the restoring torque generated by the tension of the main lifting point relative to the robot's center of gravity provides passive self-stabilizing compensation in the roll and / or pitch directions, wherein the generation of the restoring torque depends on the spatial distribution configuration of at least three sub-lifting points such that the center of gravity is located within the effective support polygon. Meanwhile, by independently adjusting the rotational speed of each rotor power component in the rotor drive unit, the projected component and resultant torque of the rotor thrust in the horizontal plane are controlled to generate an active control force for driving the object to translate and yaw. Based on the synergistic effect of the passive self-stabilizing compensation and the active control force, the robot body is controlled to complete the operation movement along the preset trajectory while maintaining posture stability.

[0018] This application provides an aerial work robot system and an aerial work control method, wherein the aerial work robot system includes: a robot body and a lifting device component; The robot body is equipped with a rotor drive component, which includes at least two rotor power kits. The lifting device includes a main lifting point, at least three sub-lifting points, and a load-bearing unit. The main lifting point is connected to an external mechanism to receive traction force. Each sub-lifting point is connected to the robot body via a sub-lifting point connection mechanism to transmit the traction force to the robot body, enabling the robot body to move in at least one spatial degree of freedom. The load-bearing unit is connected between the main lifting point and each sub-lifting point to transmit load and maintain the relative distance between the main lifting point and each sub-lifting point, thereby constructing a stable spatial load-bearing system between the main lifting point and each sub-lifting point during suspension operations. The robot body has a center of gravity G. A straight line passing through both the center of gravity G and the main lifting point is used as a target reference line, and a plane passing through the center of gravity G and perpendicular to the first reference line is used as a target reference plane. The distance between the main lifting point and each sub-lifting point is... The line connecting the three reference lines is used as the baseline; the spatial distribution of the three of the at least three sub-suspension points is configured such that when the robot body is in a natural suspension state, the triangle formed by the intersection of the three reference lines corresponding to the three sub-suspension points and the target reference plane surrounds the center of gravity G, so that when the robot body undergoes roll or pitch attitude yaw, the external traction force relative to the lever arm of the robot body's center of gravity generates a restoring torque pointing towards the equilibrium attitude, thereby enabling the robot body to have self-stabilizing capability in the roll and / or pitch directions; the three sub-suspension points form a stable sub-suspension point group; the rotor drive component is configured to: based on the suspension constraints provided by the lifting device component, control the robot body to perform spatial translation on the target reference plane or yaw motion around the target reference line by adjusting the output of each rotor power kit; through the synergistic effect of the rotor drive component and the lifting device component, the joint controllability of the robot body's position and attitude under the assistance of external traction force is realized. The stability of the aerial robot body is improved by using the traction force of the lifting device, reducing the impact of disturbances on the robot body's attitude; the robot body can achieve at least one-dimensional spatial movement by using the lifting device to pull it, thereby improving the robot body's controllability. Attached Figure Description

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

[0020] Figure 1A schematic diagram of the structure of an aerial work robot system provided in one embodiment of this application; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of an aerial work robot system provided in another embodiment of this application; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a lifting device component provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a partial schematic diagram of an aerial work robot system provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the intersection of a baseline and a target reference plane provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 A schematic diagram of in-plane thrust components provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating an aerial operation control method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0021] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 11. Robot body; 12. Lifting device component; 111. Rotor drive component; 121. Main lifting point; 122. Sub-lifting point; 123. Load-bearing unit; 13. External mechanism; 20. Target reference plane; 21. Intersection of the baseline and the target reference plane; 112. Sub-lifting point connection mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0023] The following detailed description of some embodiments of this application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0024] It should be understood that the terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the application. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0025] It should be understood that, in order to clearly describe the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used in the embodiments of this application to distinguish identical or similar items with essentially the same function and effect. For example, the first groove and the second groove are only used to distinguish different grooves and do not limit their order. Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and the terms "first" and "second" are not necessarily different.

[0026] It should also be further understood that the term “and / or” as used in this application specification and the appended claims means any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0027] To address the problems existing in the background art, this application proposes an aerial operation robot system and an aerial operation control method.

[0028] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 1 , Figure 2 These are schematic diagrams of an aerial work robot system provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0029] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, this application provides an aerial work robot system 10, comprising: Robot body 11 and lifting device 12; The robot body 11 is equipped with a rotor drive component 111, which includes at least two rotor power kits.

[0030] Please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a lifting device component provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0031] like Figure 3 As shown, the lifting device component 12 includes a main lifting point 121, at least three sub-lifting points 122, and a load-bearing unit 123; The main lifting point 121 is connected to the external mechanism 13 to receive traction force.

[0032] Please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a partial schematic diagram of an aerial work robot system provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0033] like Figure 4As shown, each sub-lifting point 122 is connected to the robot body 11 through the sub-lifting point connecting mechanism 112, which is used to transmit the traction force to the robot body 11 so as to realize the movement of the robot body 11 in at least one spatial degree of freedom.

[0034] The load-bearing unit 123 is connected between the main lifting point 121 and each sub-lifting point 122. It is used to transfer load and maintain the relative distance between the main lifting point 121 and each sub-lifting point 122, so as to construct a load-bearing system with a stable spatial configuration between the main lifting point 121 and each sub-lifting point 122 during suspension operations.

[0035] The robot body 11 has a center of gravity G. The straight line passing through the center of gravity G and the main lifting point 121 is used as the target reference line. The plane passing through the center of gravity G and perpendicular to the first reference line is used as the target reference plane 20. The line connecting the main lifting point 121 and each of the sub-lifting points 122 is used as the baseline.

[0036] Please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the intersection of a baseline and a target reference plane 20, provided for an embodiment of this application.

[0037] like Figure 5 As shown, the spatial distribution of at least three of the three sub-suspension points 122 is configured such that when the robot body 11 is in a natural suspension state, the triangle formed by the intersection points 21 of the three reference lines corresponding to the three sub-suspension points 122 and the target reference plane 20 surrounds the center of gravity G. When the robot body 11 undergoes roll or pitch attitude deflection, the external traction force relative to the lever arm of the center of gravity G of the robot body 11 generates a restoring torque pointing towards the equilibrium attitude, thereby enabling the robot body 11 to have self-stabilizing capability in the roll and / or pitch directions; the three sub-suspension points 122 form a stable sub-suspension point group.

[0038] The rotor drive component 111 is configured to control the robot body 11 to perform spatial translation on the target reference plane 20 or yaw motion around the target reference line by adjusting the output of each rotor power kit, based on the suspension constraints provided by the lifting device component 12.

[0039] Through the coordinated action of the rotor drive component 111 and the lifting component 12, the position and attitude of the robot body 11 can be jointly controlled under the assistance of external traction force.

[0040] For example, the robot body 11 has a center of gravity G. It can be understood that, under static conditions, the center of gravity G is not only the center of gravity of the robot body 11 itself, but also the center of gravity of the rigid structure composed of the robot body 11 and the rotor drive component 111 and other components mounted on it.

[0041] For example, the intersection point 21 formed by the baseline and plane 20 constitutes a triangle on plane 20. In a windless environment and under static conditions, the center of gravity G should be located within the area enclosed by the triangle; preferably, the center of gravity G maintains a large distance from the sides of the triangle to improve stability and safety margin. If the center of gravity G exceeds the boundary of the triangle, the robot body 11 is at risk of tipping over.

[0042] In actual operation, the center of gravity G is not fixed. For example, the movement of a mobile work load module, such as an articulated robotic arm, may cause the center of gravity G to shift; similarly, the consumption or shaking of the cleaning fluid in the cleaning fluid tank carried by the robot body 11 may also cause changes in the center of gravity G. Therefore, the location of the lifting point 122 is preferably set to cover the range of changes in the center of gravity G, and the distance between it and the sides of the triangle is further increased based on this range to improve stability and safety margin. In addition, during actual operation, the robot body 11 will also be affected by various disturbance factors, including wind disturbance, reaction force of the work load, rotor thrust, rotor counter-torque, and reaction force and friction generated by contact with environmental objects. Among these factors, wind disturbance originates from high-altitude airflow, which generates torque disturbance when acting on the robot body 11; the reaction force of the work load can originate from the recoil force after the spray gun sprays liquid, the reaction force generated by the movement of the robotic arm, or the reaction force generated after the task load such as cleaning or inspection contacts the work surface; when the rotor thrust deviates from the horizontal plane where the center of gravity G is located, it will also generate disturbance torque in the roll and / or pitch directions; the rotor counter-torque is the torque generated in the opposite direction of rotor rotation when the rotor rotates; environmental reaction forces include the frictional force and reaction force exerted by the wall on the robot body 11 when rinsing or scrubbing the work surface. All of the above disturbance factors may affect the roll and pitch attitude stability of the robot body 11. For example, the greater the distance between the center of gravity G or its range of variation and the sides of the triangle, the stronger the robot body 11's ability to resist roll and pitch disturbance torque during actual operation, the higher its stability, and the lower the risk of tipping over. Of course, the distances also need to be comprehensively designed in conjunction with the size of the robot body 11, the load configuration, and the actual operation requirements. Understandably, setting multiple lifting points 122 provides layout margin for the center of gravity G and its range of variation, thereby improving the stability of the robot body 11.

[0043] like Figure 5As shown, the range of change of the center of gravity G of the robot body 11 lies within the convex polygon formed by the projection 21 of the lifting point 122 onto the thrust projection plane. The greater the distance between the center of gravity G and the sides of the convex polygon, the better it can resist the disturbance torque affecting roll and pitch attitude during actual operation, the more stable the robot body 11 is, and the lower the risk of tipping over. Of course, the size limitations of the robot body 11 also need to be considered. The size of the preset safety distance between the center of gravity G and the sides of the convex polygon can be set according to actual needs and is not limited here.

[0044] For example, the robot body 11 can be a one-piece design or a modular design. In actual use, the modular components are assembled to form a rigid robot body 11. For instance, the components can be connected by high-strength bolts with locating pins at the connection points to ensure coaxiality, thus forming the robot body 11; alternatively, a robust bayonet or snap-fit ​​design can be used; or a power-locking connection mechanism can be used. At least four rotor drive components 111 are electrically foldable to the robot body 11, allowing for electric angle adjustment, and the deformation of the robot body 11 is controlled by servo motors. Specifically, the robot body 11 is used to mount the rotor drive components 111 and to set up the controllers required for control, sensors required for operation, etc., which will not be elaborated here. The robot body 11 can be considered a rigid body.

[0045] For example, under the traction of the lifting device 12, the roll and pitch attitudes of the robot body 11 can remain stable, improving the stability of the robot body 11; the lifting device 12 can also drive the robot body 11 to achieve at least one-dimensional spatial movement, such as movement in the height direction, through traction force; and realize the displacement and / or yaw of the robot body 11 through the rotor thrust of the rotor drive device 111, improving the controllability of the robot body 11.

[0046] In some implementations, the external mechanism 13 includes: A translation drive component is provided, which is connected to the main lifting point 121 of the lifting component 12 via the load-bearing unit 123. The translation drive component is used to apply traction force to the robot body 11 through the lifting component 12 to achieve controllable translational movement of at least one spatial degree of freedom of the robot body 11.

[0047] For example, the external mechanism 13 may be a translation drive component. Specifically, the translation drive component may be, for example, a lifting mechanism, for applying traction force to the robot body 11 through the lifting component 12 to achieve at least one-dimensional spatial movement, such as at least adjusting the height of the robot body 11 relative to the ground.

[0048] For example, the translation drive component transmits driving force to the robot body 11 through the main lifting point 121 of the lifting component 12 to drive the robot body 11 to achieve one-, two-, or three-dimensional spatial movement. Among them, since the rotor drive component 111 itself has translation and yaw capabilities, the thrust of the rotor drive component 111, in conjunction with the high-altitude lifting component 13, can jointly drive the robot body 11 to move in various degrees of freedom.

[0049] For example, the translation drive component can be manually controlled, automatically controlled according to a pre-set algorithm program, or semi-automatically controlled by automatic control assisting manual control. Furthermore, the control unit of the translation drive component and the control unit of the rotor drive component 111 can be communicatively connected or can operate independently of each other.

[0050] In some embodiments, the translation drive component includes at least one translation drive unit, which includes at least one of the following: a rope climbing machine, a fixed winch, a mobile winch, a rail-mounted lifting drive mechanism, an aerial cantilever crane, and a pulley-type traction device.

[0051] For example, the distance between the translation drive unit and the main lifting point 121 can be changed by using at least one of the following: a rope climbing machine, a fixed winch, a mobile winch, a rail-mounted lifting drive mechanism, an aerial cantilever crane, and a pulley-type traction device, thereby controlling the position of the robot body 11 in at least one dimension, that is, controlling the position of the robot body 11 in the height direction.

[0052] In some embodiments, the translation drive component includes at least two translation drive units, which coordinately control the robot body 11 through a series configuration, a parallel configuration, or a series-parallel hybrid configuration to achieve controllable translational motion of the robot body 11 in at least two spatial degrees of freedom.

[0053] For example, the aerial work robot system may also include two or more translation drive units. These two or more translation drive units can be configured in series to increase the range of motion of the robot body 11 in the vertical direction, or configured in parallel to provide the robot body 11 with more dimensional mobility. Of course, this is not limited to these configurations; the two or more translation drive units can also be configured in a hybrid series-parallel configuration.

[0054] Specifically, the series connection of translation drive units can be achieved, for example, by using a horizontal rope climbing machine to move a mobile wire-laying winch above the work area, and then using the wire-laying and winding to control the position of the robot body 11 in the height direction. The parallel connection of translation drive units can be achieved, for example, by using two horizontally non-overlapping translation drive units simultaneously through their independent suspension cables to drive the robot body 11 to move in two-dimensional space within a certain area; similarly, three horizontally non-overlapping translation drive units can drive the robot body 11 to move in three-dimensional space within a certain area. The series and parallel connections of translation drive units can be combined; for example, two horizontally non-overlapping translation drive units can control the two-dimensional spatial positioning of a mobile wire-laying winch, and then the mobile wire-laying winch can be used to control the height of the robot body 11 by winding and winding the wire.

[0055] In some embodiments, the rotor drive component 111 and the robot body 11, as well as the split-point connection structure 112 and the robot body 11, are configured to be adjustable or lockable, so that the relative position and attitude of the rotor drive component 111 or the split-point connection structure 112 relative to the robot body 11 in space can be fixedly locked, adjusted on demand, or dynamically adjusted in real time.

[0056] For example, by using the adjustable and lockable rotor drive component 111 and the connecting mechanism 112, the key components of the robot are no longer fixed, but are variables that can be statically set or dynamically controlled, thereby greatly expanding the robot's functions and application range. For instance, the rotor drive component 111 can dynamically adjust the rotor angle according to operational requirements, specifically adjusting the robot's maximum thrust in different directions; or, for example, it can be folded to reduce volume during transportation or storage, and can be easily adjusted to a maintenance position when maintenance is required.

[0057] In some embodiments, the lifting device 12 further includes at least one adjustment drive mechanism configured to adjust the relative distance between at least one sub-lifting point 122 and the main lifting point 121, thereby changing the spatial configuration between the main lifting point 121 and each sub-lifting point 122, and realizing attitude adjustment of the robot body 11 in the roll and / or pitch directions.

[0058] For example, the load-bearing unit 123 between the main lifting point 121 and each of the sub-lifting points 122 of the lifting device component 12 can be of fixed length or variable length; when the load-bearing unit 123 is a nylon rope, a geared motor can be used to drive a winch to wind up and unwind the rope to change the length of the load-bearing unit, or a geared motor can be used to drive a friction drive wheel to move the rope to change the length of the load-bearing unit.

[0059] Understandably, by changing the distance between the main lifting point 121 and one or more sub-lifting points 122, that is, by adjusting the length of the load-bearing unit 123 between the main lifting point 121 and one or more sub-lifting points 122, the suspension stability attitude of the robot body 11 can be changed. Therefore, the length of the load-bearing unit 123 can be adjusted by adjusting the drive mechanism to make the robot body 11 change its roll and pitch attitude.

[0060] In some embodiments, the load-bearing unit 123 includes at least one of steel cable, chain, rope, rigid link, and rigid connecting block.

[0061] For example, the load-bearing unit 123 is a flexible rope structure made of load-bearing material. The load-bearing material used to make the load-bearing unit 123 can be, for example, metal, steel rope, nylon, Kevlar, etc. Therefore, the load-bearing unit 123 can be made of steel cable, chain, rope, rigid connecting rod, rigid connecting block, etc. Multiple load-bearing units 123 are connected to each other by hinges, plugs, or other means, or by the cooperation of end connecting accessories such as hooks, rings, and shackles, forming a chain-like force-bearing structure with functions such as lifting, hoisting, and traction. This allows the lifting device component 12 to transfer loads and lift heavy objects between the main lifting point 121 and each branch lifting point 122.

[0062] In some embodiments, the at least two rotor propulsion systems have at least two thrust vectors and are configured as follows: The projection of the thrust vector onto the target reference plane 20 forms at least two in-plane thrust components; the at least two in-plane thrust components are vectorically superimposed within the target reference plane 20 to form a non-zero composite thrust, and the composite thrust has adjustable magnitude and positive / negative components in at least two mutually perpendicular directions, so as to enable the robot body 11 to move in any direction on the target reference plane 20; the thrust generated by the at least two sets of rotor power kits generates a non-zero composite torque on the robot body 11 in the direction of the target reference line, which is adjustable in magnitude and positive / negative direction, so as to enable the robot body 11 to yaw in any direction around the target reference line.

[0063] For example, by having adjustable components in magnitude and positive and negative directions in at least two mutually perpendicular directions, the rotor power kit can control the robot body 11 to perform controllable translational motion. By generating a non-zero resultant torque in magnitude and positive and negative directions in the normal direction of the plane 20, the rotor power kit 110 can control the robot body 11 to perform controllable rotational motion. Thus, the rotor drive component 111 can drive the robot body 11 to perform translational and rotational motion in the tangential direction of the plane 20.

[0064] For example, the rotor drive component 111 may include two rotor power kits, but it is not limited to this; the rotor drive component 111 may also be as follows: Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, it includes four rotor power kits, which are not limited here.

[0065] In some embodiments, at least two of the at least two rotor propulsion kits are configured to have a thrust vector that is adjustable in both magnitude and direction perpendicular to the rotor plane; the rotor plane of at least one of the at least two rotor propulsion kits is tiltable in at least one degree of freedom to apply a yaw moment of adjustable magnitude and direction about the target reference line to the robot body 11 by changing the thrust line of action.

[0066] For example, at least one of the at least two rotor power kits is an adjustable pitch mechanism, which enables the adjustment of at least one of the collective pitch and periodic pitch of the rotor.

[0067] Adjusting the collective pitch of the rotor can change the magnitude and / or direction of the thrust vector generated by the rotor power kit.

[0068] Adjusting the periodic pitch of the rotor can cause the direction of the thrust vector generated by the rotor power kit to tilt in at least one degree of freedom.

[0069] For example, at least two rotor power kits can be adjustable pitch mechanisms. An adjustable pitch mechanism is a mechanical system that can change the angle of attack of the propeller blades during operation. Changing the pitch changes the angle of attack of the propeller blades relative to the plane of rotation, thereby changing the magnitude and direction of the thrust generated by the propeller. This allows the magnitude of the thrust vector generated by the rotor power kit to be adjusted or the direction of the thrust vector to be tilted in at least one degree of freedom. As a result, the two rotor power kits are sufficient to drive the robot body 11 to perform translational and rotational movements in the tangential direction of the plane 20.

[0070] For example, when both rotor power kits are adjustable pitch mechanisms, the rotor drive component 111 can be equipped with only two rotor power kits to reduce the overall size and weight of the aerial work robot system.

[0071] Please refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the in-plane thrust components provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0072] like Figure 6As shown, in some embodiments, the rotor drive component 111 includes at least four rotor power kits. The thrust generated by the rotor in each rotor power kit has a thrust vector. The projection of the thrust vector onto the target reference plane 20 forms at least four in-plane thrust components: a first in-plane thrust component 201A, a second in-plane thrust component 201B, a third in-plane thrust component 201C, and a fourth in-plane thrust component 201D. The lines of action of the at least four in-plane thrust components constitute at least four thrust axes, wherein at least: a first thrust axis A, a second thrust axis B, a third thrust axis C, and a fourth thrust axis D exist, such that A∩B, B∩C, C∩D, and D∩A each have unique intersection points P1, P2, P3, and P4, and the quadrilateral formed by P1, P2, P3, and P4 as vertices is a convex quadrilateral.

[0073] like Figure 6 As shown, at least four rotor power units generate at least a first thrust vector, a second thrust vector, a third thrust vector, and a fourth thrust vector; the projection of the first thrust vector onto plane 20 is the first in-plane thrust component 201A, the projection of the second thrust vector onto plane 20 is the second in-plane thrust component 201B, the projection of the third thrust vector onto plane 20 is the third in-plane thrust component 201C, and the projection of the fourth thrust vector onto plane 20 is the fourth in-plane thrust component 201D; the line of action of the first in-plane thrust component 201A is the first axis. Line A, the line of action of the thrust component 201B in the second plane is the second axis B, the line of action of the thrust component 201C in the third plane is the third axis C, and the line of action of the thrust component 201D in the fourth plane is the fourth axis D; A∩B has a unique intersection point P2, B∩C has a unique intersection point P3, C∩D has a unique intersection point P4, and D∩A has a unique intersection point P1. When P1, P2, P3, and P4 are connected in sequence, they form a quadrilateral with no self-intersection and each interior angle less than 180°. That is to say, the thrust axes A, B, C, and D are distributed in a convex quadrilateral shape, forming a convex quadrilateral thrust axis group.

[0074] In some implementations, it also includes: The work payload module is disposed on the robot body 11 and is used to perform aerial work operations.

[0075] For example, the work load module can be detachably installed on the robot body 11, and can be a camera, roller brush, spray gun, etc., which can be replaced according to the work requirements, and there is no limitation here.

[0076] For example, the work payload module can be a functional execution component, including but not limited to various actuators, sensors, data acquisition units, and other auxiliary functional modules. Its core function is to directly realize specific work actions or acquire data; such as cleaning spray guns, cleaning brushes, paint spray guns, infrared thermal imaging sensors, etc. It can also be a complete subsystem with independent operating logic and integrated multiple sub-modules, which may contain dedicated control units, power distribution modules, local sensing components, etc. Its core function is to complete complex specialized tasks through internal coordination within the subsystem and interaction with the onboard main system, such as a tandem robotic arm.

[0077] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating an aerial operation control method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0078] like Figure 7 As shown in the embodiments of this application, an aerial operation control method is also provided, including: Step S101: Apply a pulling force to the main lifting point 121 of the lifting device component 12 through the external mechanism 13 to move the robot body to the preset working area; Step S102: During the movement, the restoring torque generated by the tension of the main lifting point 121 relative to the center of gravity of the robot body is used to provide passive self-stabilizing compensation in the roll direction and / or pitch direction, wherein the generation of the restoring torque depends on the spatial distribution configuration of at least three sub-lifting points 122 so that the center of gravity is located within the effective support polygon. Meanwhile, by independently adjusting the rotational speed of each rotor power kit in the rotor drive component 111, the projected component and resultant torque of the rotor thrust in the horizontal plane are controlled to generate an active control force for driving the object to translate and yaw. Step S103: Based on the synergistic effect of the passive self-stabilizing compensation and the active control force, the robot body is controlled to complete the operation movement along the preset trajectory while maintaining a stable posture.

[0079] For example, the external traction mechanism may be a lifting mechanism, which moves the robot body to a preset working area, such as near the work surface where the work needs to be performed. Since the robot body is connected to the lifting points 122 of the lifting device 12 via a connecting structure, the robot body can remain stable even when the rotor drive generates roll and / or pitch, ensuring that the center of gravity is located within the effective support polygon. The effective support polygon is a convex polygon formed by the projections of the lifting points 122 onto the thrust projection plane.

[0080] For example, by adjusting the rotational speed of the rotor power kit in the rotor drive component 111, the rotor power kit generates at least four thrust projection components, generating active control forces for driving the object's translation and yaw. Due to the self-stabilizing compensation of the lifting device component 12, the robot body can maintain stable attitude and controllable movement trajectory.

[0081] For example, the aerial work robot system performs aerial work operations through the work payload module, such as washing the work surface with a roller brush, etc., without limitation.

[0082] It should be understood that although the present invention has been specifically described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments, it is to be understood that the above description does not limit the present invention in any way. Those skilled in the art can make modifications and variations to the present invention as needed without departing from the essential spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0083] It should also be understood that the sequence numbers of the embodiments in this application are merely for descriptive purposes and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments. The above descriptions are only specific implementations of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An aerial work robot system, characterized in that, include: Robot body and lifting device components; The robot body is equipped with a rotor drive component, which includes at least two rotor power kits. The lifting device includes a main lifting point, at least three secondary lifting points, and a load-bearing unit; The main lifting point is connected to an external mechanism to receive traction force; Each of the aforementioned lifting points is connected to the robot body via a lifting point connection mechanism, which is used to transmit the traction force to the robot body so as to realize the movement of the robot body in at least one spatial degree of freedom; The load-bearing unit is connected between the main lifting point and each of the sub-lifting points to transfer loads and maintain the relative distance between the main lifting point and each of the sub-lifting points, so as to construct a load-bearing system with a stable spatial configuration between the main lifting point and each sub-lifting point during suspension operations. The robot body has a center of gravity G. The straight line passing through both the center of gravity G and the main lifting point is used as the target reference line. The plane passing through the center of gravity G and perpendicular to the first reference line is used as the target reference plane. The line connecting the main lifting point and each of the sub-lifting points is used as the baseline. The spatial distribution of three of the at least three sub-suspension points is configured such that, when the robot body is in a natural suspension state, the triangle formed by the intersections of the three reference lines corresponding to the three sub-suspension points and the target reference plane surrounds the center of gravity G. This allows the external traction force to generate a restoring torque pointing towards the equilibrium posture relative to the lever arm of the robot body's center of gravity when the robot body undergoes roll or pitch attitude deflection, thereby enabling the robot body to have self-stabilizing capability in the roll and / or pitch directions. The three sub-suspension points form a stable sub-suspension point group. The rotor drive component is configured to, based on the suspension constraints provided by the lifting device component, control the robot body to perform spatial translation on the target reference plane or yaw motion around the target reference line by adjusting the output of each rotor power kit; Through the coordinated action of the rotor drive component and the lifting device component, the position and attitude of the robot body can be jointly controlled under the assistance of external traction force.

2. The aerial work robot system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The external mechanism includes: A translation drive component is provided, which is connected to the main lifting point of the lifting component through the load-bearing unit. The translation drive component is used to apply traction force to the robot body through the lifting component to achieve controllable translational movement of the robot body in at least one spatial degree of freedom.

3. The aerial work robot system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The translation drive component includes at least one translation drive unit, which includes at least one of the following: a rope climbing machine, a fixed winch, a mobile winch, a rail-mounted lifting drive mechanism, an aerial cantilever crane, and a pulley-type traction device.

4. The aerial work robot system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The translation drive component includes at least two translation drive units. The at least two translation drive units coordinate to control the robot body through series configuration, parallel configuration, or series-parallel hybrid configuration, so as to realize the controllable translational motion of the robot body with at least two spatial degrees of freedom.

5. The aerial work robot system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotor drive component and the robot body, as well as the sub-suspension point connection structure and the robot body, are configured to be adjustable or lockable, so that the relative position and attitude of the rotor drive component or the sub-suspension point connection structure with respect to the robot body in space can achieve at least one of fixed locking, on-demand adjustment, and real-time dynamic adjustment.

6. The aerial work robot system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting device also includes at least one adjustment drive mechanism, which is configured to adjust the relative distance between at least one of the sub-lifting points and the main lifting point, thereby changing the spatial configuration between the main lifting point and each of the sub-lifting points, and realizing the attitude adjustment of the robot body in the roll and / or pitch directions.

7. The aerial work robot system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The load-bearing unit includes at least one of steel cable, chain, rope, rigid connecting rod, and rigid connecting block.

8. The aerial work robot system according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The at least two rotor power units have at least two thrust vectors and are configured as follows: The projection of the thrust vector onto the target reference plane forms at least two in-plane thrust components; The at least two in-plane thrust components are vector-superimposed in the target reference plane to form a non-zero composite thrust, and the composite thrust has adjustable magnitude and positive and negative components in at least two mutually perpendicular directions, so as to realize the ability to drive the robot body to move in any direction on the target reference plane. The thrust generated by the at least two sets of rotor power kits produces a non-zero resultant torque on the robot body, which is adjustable in magnitude and direction in the direction of the target reference line, so as to enable the robot body to yaw in any direction around the target reference line.

9. The aerial work robot system according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, At least two of the at least two rotor power kits are configured to have a thrust vector that is adjustable in both magnitude and direction perpendicular to the rotor plane; At least one of the at least two rotor propulsion kits has a rotor plane that can tilt in at least one degree of freedom, so as to apply an adjustable yaw moment about the target reference line to the robot body by changing the thrust line of action.

10. The aerial work robot system according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The rotor drive component includes at least four rotor power kits. The thrust generated by the rotor in each rotor power kit has a thrust vector. The projection of the thrust vector onto the target reference plane forms at least four in-plane thrust components. The lines of action of the at least four in-plane thrust components constitute at least four thrust axes. There are at least a first thrust axis A, a second thrust axis B, a third thrust axis C, and a fourth thrust axis D, such that A∩B, B∩C, C∩D, and D∩A have unique intersection points P1, P2, P3, and P4, respectively, and the quadrilateral formed by P1, P2, P3, and P4 as vertices is a convex quadrilateral.

11. The aerial work robot system according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, Also includes: The work payload module is installed on the robot body and is used to perform aerial work operations.

12. An aerial operation control method, applied to the aerial operation robot system as described in any one of claims 1-11, characterized in that, The method includes: The robot body is moved to the preset working area by applying a pulling force to the main lifting point of the lifting device component through an external mechanism; During movement, the restoring torque generated by the tension of the main lifting point relative to the robot's center of gravity provides passive self-stabilizing compensation in the roll and / or pitch directions, wherein the generation of the restoring torque depends on the spatial distribution configuration of at least three sub-lifting points such that the center of gravity is located within the effective support polygon. Meanwhile, by independently adjusting the rotational speed of each rotor power component in the rotor drive unit, the projected component and resultant torque of the rotor thrust in the horizontal plane are controlled to generate an active control force for driving the object to translate and yaw. Based on the synergistic effect of the passive self-stabilizing compensation and the active control force, the robot body is controlled to complete the operation movement along the preset trajectory while maintaining posture stability.

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