Liquid environment traveling robot and combination robot

By driving the reciprocating oscillation of the fins through a dielectric elastomer actuator and a linkage mechanism, the problem of inspection and maintenance of liquid pipelines in large-diameter vertical pipes and open water conditions is solved, and efficient movement in liquid environments is achieved.

CN122191406APending Publication Date: 2026-06-12TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY
Filing Date
2026-04-24
Publication Date
2026-06-12

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing pipeline robots are mostly used in small-diameter horizontal pipelines, making it difficult to effectively inspect and repair large-diameter vertical pipelines and liquid pipelines in open water conditions.

Method used

A dielectric elastomer actuator drives a sliding base and a linkage mechanism. The reciprocating oscillation of the drive fin enables the robot to move in the liquid environment. The dielectric elastomer actuator performs extension and retraction under the action of an external electric field, the linkage mechanism performs reciprocating movement, and the drive fin performs reciprocating oscillation.

Benefits of technology

It achieves efficient and excellent mobility of the liquid environment robot, which is particularly suitable for the inspection and maintenance of vertical liquid pipelines and open water areas.

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Abstract

A liquid environment traveling robot and a combination robot. The liquid environment traveling robot comprises a body, a sliding shaft, a plurality of first hinged parts, a second body and a plurality of second hinged parts, one end of the sliding shaft is connected with the first body, the other end is connected with the second body, the plurality of first hinged parts are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the first body, the plurality of second hinged parts are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the second body; a sliding seat movably sleeved on the sliding shaft, the sliding seat is arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction and is provided with a plurality of third hinged parts; a ring-shaped dielectric elastomer driver is sleeved on the sliding shaft and is connected with the first body and the sliding seat; a plurality of link mechanisms are hinged one by one corresponding to the plurality of first hinged parts, the plurality of second hinged parts and the plurality of third hinged parts; a plurality of driving fins are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the sliding shaft and are connected one by one corresponding to the plurality of link mechanisms, and the liquid environment traveling robot travels in the liquid by reciprocating swing of the driving fins.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of mobile robot technology, and more specifically, to a mobile robot and a combined robot for use in liquid environments. Background Technology

[0002] Liquid pipelines transport liquid media, improving our efficiency in utilizing resources such as water and oil, and to some extent solving the problem of the uneven distribution of these liquid resources on Earth. However, the widespread distribution of liquid pipelines also presents challenges in inspection and maintenance. For example, some pipelines are too long, making manual inspection and repair costly; others have small radial dimensions and numerous bends, creating a complex network. Furthermore, some special-purpose pipelines handle high-pressure liquid media, making inspection particularly difficult.

[0003] In recent years, pipeline inspection technology has developed rapidly, with one of the most prominent methods being the use of pipeline inspection robots. However, existing pipeline robots are mostly applied to small-diameter horizontal pipelines, and their movement relies on interaction with the pipe wall. Therefore, operating scenarios such as large-diameter vertical pipelines (similar to open water conditions) are a technical challenge that urgently needs to be addressed by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a mobile robot for use in a liquid environment, comprising: a body including a first main body, a sliding shaft, a plurality of first hinge parts, a second main body, and a plurality of second hinge parts; one end of the sliding shaft is connected to the first main body, and the other end of the sliding shaft is connected to the second main body; the plurality of first hinge parts are circumferentially spaced on the first main body along the sliding shaft, and the plurality of second hinge parts are circumferentially spaced on the second main body along the sliding shaft; a sliding seat located between the first main body and the second main body and movably sleeved on the sliding shaft; the sliding seat having a plurality of third hinge parts circumferentially spaced along the sliding shaft; and an annular dielectric elastomer actuator sleeved on the sliding shaft and connecting the first main body and the sliding seat; the dielectric elastomer actuator is configured to extend and retract under the action of an external electric field. The mechanism drives the sliding seat to reciprocate along the sliding axis; multiple linkage mechanisms, each linkage mechanism having a first hinge engagement part, a second hinge engagement part, and a third hinge engagement part, the multiple first hinge engagement parts are hinged to each other in a one-to-one correspondence, the multiple second hinge engagement parts are hinged to each other in a one-to-one correspondence, the multiple third hinge engagement parts are hinged to each other in a one-to-one correspondence, the linkage mechanism is configured to perform reciprocating motion based on the reciprocating movement of the sliding seat; and multiple drive fins, circumferentially spaced along the sliding axis and connected to the multiple linkage mechanisms in a one-to-one correspondence, the drive fins are configured to perform reciprocating oscillation based on the reciprocating motion of the linkage mechanisms, so as to realize the movement of the liquid environment traveling robot along the axial direction of the dielectric elastomer actuator in the liquid.

[0005] In some exemplary embodiments, each linkage mechanism includes a first link, a second link, a third link, and a fourth link. One end of the first link is provided with a first hinged engagement portion, and the other end is hingedly connected to one end of the second link. The other end of the second link is hingedly connected to one end of the third link. The other end of the third link is provided with a second hinged engagement portion. A fourth hinged portion is provided between the two ends of the third link. One end of the fourth link is hingedly connected to the fourth hinged portion, and the other end is provided with the third hinged engagement portion.

[0006] In some exemplary embodiments, the first link is located between the drive fin and the body and is fixedly connected to the drive fin, and the length of the first link is less than the length of the third link; Since the dielectric elastomer actuator is in an extended state, the drive fin, the first link, the second link and the third link are all tilted from the first body to the second body toward the axis away from the sliding axis, and the tilt angle of the drive fin is α. As the dielectric elastomer actuator changes from an extended state to a contracted state, 'a' increases.

[0007] In some exemplary embodiments, the drive fin includes a resilient bending plate with its concave side facing the first link and its convex side facing away from the first link.

[0008] In some exemplary embodiments, the drive fin is provided with a one-way valve structure, which is configured to cut off in the direction of travel of the robot traveling in the liquid environment and to open in the opposite direction of travel of the robot traveling in the liquid environment.

[0009] In some exemplary embodiments, when a < 90 degrees, in the traveling direction of the robot in the liquid environment, the width of the rear portion of the drive fin in the circumferential direction of the sliding axis is greater than the width of the front portion of the drive fin in the circumferential direction of the sliding axis.

[0010] In some exemplary embodiments, the end face of the first body facing away from the sliding shaft is provided with a plurality of first mounting seats, the plurality of first mounting seats are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the sliding shaft, and the plurality of first hinge portions are respectively provided on the plurality of first mounting seats.

[0011] In some exemplary embodiments, the second body has a plurality of second mounting seats spaced apart on its circumferential surface, and a plurality of second hinge portions are respectively disposed on the plurality of second mounting seats.

[0012] In some exemplary embodiments, the circumferential surface of the sliding seat is provided with a plurality of third mounting seats at intervals, and the plurality of third hinge portions are respectively provided on the plurality of third mounting seats.

[0013] In some exemplary embodiments, one of the first body and the second body is integral with the sliding shaft, while the other is a separate structure from the sliding shaft.

[0014] In some exemplary embodiments, the plurality is three.

[0015] This invention also provides a combined robot, comprising multiple liquid environment traveling robots as described in any of the above embodiments, wherein the axis of each sliding shaft is arranged along a first direction, and at least two of the multiple bodies are arranged in a row in a second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction intersect.

[0016] In some exemplary embodiments, the plurality of said bodies are three bodies, which are arranged in a row in a second direction or arranged in pairs in a row, and the three second bodies are fixedly connected by a connecting frame.

[0017] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present invention involves a dielectric elastomer actuator that extends and retracts under the action of an external electric field, thereby driving a sliding seat to reciprocate along a sliding axis. A linkage mechanism reciprocates based on the reciprocating movement of the sliding seat, and a drive fin reciprocates based on the reciprocating movement of the linkage mechanism. This enables a liquid environment traveling robot to travel in a liquid. In other words, the liquid environment traveling robot travels by controlling multiple drive fins to reciprocate in the liquid, resulting in superior traveling ability.

[0018] Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the following description, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the structures particularly pointed out in the description and the drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The accompanying drawings are provided to further understand the technical solutions of the present invention and constitute a part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of this application to explain the technical solutions of the present invention and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a liquid environment traveling robot provided in some embodiments of the present invention, in which the dielectric elastomer actuator is in a stretched state; Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the front view of the liquid environment traveling robot, with the dielectric elastomer actuator in a retracted state. Figure 3 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the front view of a mobile robot in a liquid environment, with the dielectric elastomer actuator in an extended state. Figure 4 for Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the robot that moves in a liquid environment. Figure 5 for Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the combined structure of the main body and the sliding seat; Figure 6 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a top view of the structure of a robot that moves in a liquid environment. Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a combined robot provided in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a liquid environment traveling robot provided in some other embodiments of the present invention, in which the dielectric elastomer actuator is in a stretched state; Figure 9 and Figure 10 for Figure 8The diagram shows the structure of the drive fin from different perspectives.

[0021] The correspondence between the reference numerals and the component names is as follows: 100 Body, 110 First Body, 111 First Mounting Base, 120 Sliding Shaft, 130 Second Body, 131 Second Mounting Base, 200 Sliding Base, 210 Third Mounting Base, 300 Dielectric Elastomer Actuator, 400 Linkage Mechanism, 410 First Link, 420 Second Link, 430 Third Link, 440 Fourth Link, 500 Drive Fin, 510 One-Way Valve Structure, 520 Rigid Layer, 521 Flow Hole, 530 Elastic Layer, 600 Connecting Frame. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be arbitrarily combined with each other.

[0023] Dielectric elastomer (DE) actuators are electroactive polymers that deform under the influence of an external electric field through Maxwell stress. Composed of a hyperelastic thin film and flexible electrodes, they possess characteristics such as low elastic modulus, large deformation, high electromechanical coupling efficiency, low noise, low density, fast response, and a wide operating temperature range (0.1-20 kHz), earning them the nickname "artificial muscle." The working principle of a dielectric elastomer actuator involves the electric field inducing compression of the thin film and its planar stretching to achieve electro-mechanical energy conversion, encompassing both driving and power generation modes.

[0024] The liquid environment traveling robot provided in this application embodiment can be applied to operations in vertical liquid pipelines and open water areas, such as... Figures 1 to 6As shown, it includes: a body 100, which includes a first body 110, a sliding shaft 120, a plurality of first hinge parts, a second body 130, and a plurality of second hinge parts. One end of the sliding shaft 120 is connected to the first body 110, and the other end of the sliding shaft 120 is connected to the second body 130. The plurality of first hinge parts are spaced apart circumferentially on the first body 110 along the sliding shaft 120, and the plurality of second hinge parts are spaced apart circumferentially on the second body 130 along the sliding shaft 120; and a sliding seat 200, located on the first body 110 and the second body 130. The main body 130 is movably sleeved on the sliding shaft 120. The sliding seat 200 is provided with a plurality of third hinge portions spaced circumferentially along the sliding shaft 120. The annular dielectric elastomer actuator 300 is sleeved on the sliding shaft 120 and connects the first main body 110 and the sliding seat 200 (i.e., one end of the dielectric elastomer actuator 300 is connected to the first main body 110 and the other end is connected to the sliding seat). The dielectric elastomer actuator 300 is configured to operate under the influence of an external electric field (such as a sine wave applied to one end of the dielectric elastomer actuator 300). The sliding block 200 reciprocates along the sliding shaft 120 by extending or retracting the sliding block 200 using a wave voltage or square wave voltage (with the other end grounded); multiple linkage mechanisms 400, each linkage mechanism 400 having a first hinge engagement part, a second hinge engagement part, and a third hinge engagement part, with the multiple first hinge engagement parts and the multiple second hinge engagement parts being hinged to each other in a one-to-one correspondence, and the multiple third hinge engagement parts and the multiple third hinge engagement parts being hinged to each other in a one-to-one correspondence, the linkage mechanism 400 being configured as a basic The sliding seat 200 reciprocates to perform reciprocating motion; and multiple drive fins 500 are arranged circumferentially along the sliding axis 120 and connected one-to-one with multiple linkage mechanisms 400. The drive fins 500 are configured to reciprocate and swing based on the reciprocating motion of the linkage mechanism 400, so as to realize the movement of the liquid environment traveling robot along the axis of the dielectric elastomer actuator 300 in the liquid (that is, the liquid environment traveling robot moves forward along the axis of the dielectric elastomer actuator 300 in the liquid by reciprocating swing of the drive fins).

[0025] The dielectric elastomer actuator 300, based on its extension and retraction under the action of an external electric field, drives the sliding seat 200 to reciprocate along the sliding shaft 120. The linkage mechanism 400 reciprocates based on the reciprocating movement of the sliding seat 200, and the drive fin 500 oscillates reciprocally based on the reciprocating movement of the linkage mechanism 400. This enables the liquid environment traveling robot to travel in the liquid. That is, the liquid environment traveling robot travels by controlling multiple drive fins 500 to oscillate reciprocally in the liquid, and its traveling ability is superior.

[0026] In some examples, such as Figures 2 to 4As shown, each linkage mechanism 400 includes a first link 410, a second link 420, a third link 430, and a fourth link 440. One end of the first link 410 is provided with a first hinged engagement part. Figure 4 The other end of the first link (position e) is hinged to one end of the second link 420, and the other end of the second link 420 is hinged to one end of the third link 430. The other end of the third link 430 is provided with a second hinge fitting part. Figure 4 At position b), a fourth hinge is provided between the two ends of the third link 430. Figure 4 (At position d), one end of the fourth link 440 is hinged to the fourth hinge part, and the other end is provided with a third hinge mating part. Figure 4 (position c in the middle). For example, Figure 4 As shown, the first link 410 is located between the drive fin 500 and the body 100 and is fixedly connected to the drive fin 500. The drive fin 500 includes an elastic curved plate, with the concave side of the curved plate facing the first link 410 and the convex side facing away from the first link 410. Furthermore, the length of the first link 410 is less than the length of the third link 430, thereby amplifying the angular displacement of the drive fin 500.

[0027] The dielectric elastomer actuator 300 drives the slide seat 200 to reciprocate along the sliding shaft 120 based on its extension and contraction action under the action of an external electric field. Taking the first body 110 as an example where the first body 110 is above the second body 130: When the dielectric elastomer actuator 300 is in the stretched state, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the drive fin 500, the first link 410, the second link 420, and the third link 430 are all inclined towards the side away from the axis of the sliding shaft 120 from the direction of the first body 110 toward the second body 130, and the inclination angle of the drive fin 500 is α (e.g., Figure 4 (as shown) Dielectric elastomer actuator 300 self-stretching state (e.g.) Figure 3 (As shown) changes to a contracted state (as shown) Figure 2 When the dielectric elastomer actuator 300 decreases in axial length, it pulls the sliding seat 200 upward along the sliding shaft 120. The fourth link 440 moves upward with the sliding seat 200 and pulls the third link 430 upward, causing the end of the third link 430 away from the second hinge to swing upward. The second link 420 will push the end of the first link 410 away from the first hinge under the push of the third link 430, causing the end of the first link 410 away from the first hinge to swing upward. During this process, a increases, and the curvature of the bending plate increases due to the elastic bending deformation of both ends in the circumferential direction. The resistance of the upper side of the bending plate in the liquid is F1. Dielectric elastomer actuator 300 self-retracting state (e.g.) Figure 2(As shown) Change to an extended state (such as) Figure 3 When the dielectric elastomer actuator 300 increases in axial length, it pushes the sliding seat 200 downward along the sliding shaft 120. The fourth link 440 moves downward along with the sliding seat 200 and pushes the third link 430 downward, causing the end of the third link 430 away from the second hinge to swing downward. The second link 420 will pull down the end of the first link 410 away from the first hinge under the pull of the third link 430, causing the end of the first link 410 away from the first hinge to swing downward. During this process, a decreases. The curvature of the bent plate decreases due to the elastic bending deformation at both ends in the circumferential direction. The resistance of the lower side of the bent plate in the liquid is F2. Since the concave side of the bent plate faces the first link 410 and the convex side faces away from the first link 410, F2 > F1.

[0028] Since F2 > F1, the liquid environment traveling robot will move upward in the liquid. By controlling the dielectric elastomer actuator 300 to continuously switch between extended and contracted states under the action of an external electric field, the drive fin 500 will continuously swing up and down, thus enabling the liquid environment traveling robot to continuously move upward in the liquid.

[0029] like Figure 3 and Figure 6 As shown, in the direction of travel of the liquid environment traveling robot, the width of the rear part of the drive fin 500 in the circumferential direction of the sliding shaft 120 is greater than the width of the front part of the drive fin 500 in the circumferential direction of the sliding shaft 120. In this way, the liquid environment traveling robot has a faster travel speed and better travel ability when traveling continuously.

[0030] In other examples, such as Figures 8 to 10 As shown, the drive fin 500 is equipped with a one-way valve structure 510. The one-way valve structure 510 is configured to be closed in the direction of travel of the robot in the liquid environment and open in the opposite direction of travel. That is, when the drive fin 500 swings back and forth, the robot moves upward in the liquid environment. When the drive fin 500 swings downward, the one-way valve structure 510 is closed, and when the drive fin 500 swings upward, the one-way valve structure 510 is open. This scheme is used to maintain the resistance of the lower side of the drive fin 500 in the liquid when it swings downward and reduce the resistance of the upper side of the drive fin 500 in the liquid when it swings upward. In this way, the robot in the liquid environment has a better ability to move upward in the liquid.

[0031] In some embodiments, such as Figures 8 to 10As shown, the drive fin 500 is in the shape of a trapezoidal plate (it can be a straight plate or a curved plate. For a curved plate, the concave side of the curved plate faces the first link 410 and the convex side faces away from the first link 410). In the direction of travel of the liquid environment traveling robot, the width of the rear part of the drive fin 500 in the circumferential direction of the sliding shaft 120 is greater than the width of the front part of the drive fin 500 in the circumferential direction of the sliding shaft 120. In this way, the liquid environment traveling robot has a faster travel speed and better travel ability when traveling continuously.

[0032] In some embodiments, such as Figures 8 to 10 As shown, the drive fin 500 includes a rigid layer 520 and an elastic layer 530 (the rigid layer 520 can be a rigid plastic sheet, and the elastic layer 530 can be silicone rubber with a high elastic modulus). The rigid layer 520 is provided with a flow hole 521, and the elastic layer 530 is provided with a one-way valve structure 510, which is directly opposite to the flow hole 521. The reciprocating oscillation of the drive fin 500 enables the liquid environment traveling robot to move upward in the liquid. When the drive fin 500 oscillates downward, the one-way valve structure 510 is closed to maintain the resistance of the lower side of the drive fin 500 in the liquid. When the drive fin 500 oscillates upward, the one-way valve structure 510 is open to reduce the resistance of the upper side of the drive fin 500 in the liquid. This makes it easier for the liquid environment traveling robot to move upward in the liquid and also improves the traveling ability of the liquid environment traveling robot.

[0033] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the first main body 110 has multiple first mounting seats 111 on its end face facing away from the sliding shaft 120. These first mounting seats 111 are spaced apart circumferentially along the sliding shaft 120 (or spaced apart circumferentially on the first main body 110). Multiple first hinge parts are correspondingly provided on the multiple first mounting seats 111. The second main body 130 has multiple second mounting seats 131 spaced apart circumferentially on its end face facing away from the sliding shaft 120 (or multiple second mounting seats 131 are located on the end face of the second main body 130 facing away from the sliding shaft 120 and spaced apart circumferentially along the sliding shaft 120). Multiple second hinge parts are correspondingly provided on the multiple second mounting seats 131. The sliding seat 200 has multiple third mounting seats 210 spaced apart circumferentially on its sliding surface, with multiple third hinge parts correspondingly provided on the multiple third mounting seats 210. This design is simple in structure and easy to manufacture.

[0034] It can be, such as Figure 5 As shown, the first main body 110 and the sliding shaft 120 are an integral structure, while the second main body 130 and the sliding shaft 120 are separate structures; or, the first main body 110 and the sliding shaft 120 are separate structures, while the second main body 130 and the sliding shaft 120 are an integral structure; or, as shown... Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, there are multiples of three, four, or five, etc.; all of the above can achieve the purpose of this application, and their purpose has not departed from the design concept of this invention. They will not be repeated here, and all should fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0035] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, a single liquid environment traveling robot can operate in vertical liquid pipes and open water areas, achieving continuous upward movement.

[0036] The combined robot provided in the embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 7 As shown, the system includes multiple liquid environment traveling robots as described in any of the above embodiments, with the axis of each sliding shaft 120 arranged along a first direction, and at least two of the multiple bodies 100 arranged in a row in a second direction, the first direction and the second direction intersecting.

[0037] This combined robot possesses all the advantages of the liquid environment traveling robot provided in any of the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0038] In a liquid environment, the first direction of the combined robot is vertical, and the second direction can be set to intersect the first direction perpendicularly. At least two of the multiple bodies 100 are arranged in a row in the second direction, so that the multiple dielectric elastomer actuators 300 can adjust the direction of travel by differential control (such as controlling the phase difference of the sinusoidal voltage applied to the robot in different liquid environments).

[0039] In some examples, the multiple bodies 100 may be three bodies 100, four bodies 100, or five bodies 100, etc.; all of the above can achieve the purpose of this application, and their purpose has not departed from the design concept of this invention. They will not be repeated here, and all should fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0040] Taking three bodies 100 as an example: The three bodies 100 can be arranged in a row in the second direction, and the three second bodies 130 can be fixedly connected by a straight connecting frame; or it can be, as... Figure 7 As shown, the three main bodies 100 are arranged in pairs in a row. At this time, the three second main bodies 130 can be fixedly connected by Y-shaped connecting brackets 600, etc. All of the above can achieve the purpose of this application. Their purpose has not departed from the design concept of this invention, and will not be repeated here. They should all fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0041] In summary, the technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present invention involves a dielectric elastomer actuator that extends and retracts under the action of an external electric field, causing a sliding seat to reciprocate along a sliding axis. A linkage mechanism reciprocates based on the reciprocating movement of the sliding seat, and a drive fin reciprocates based on the reciprocating movement of the linkage mechanism. This enables a liquid environment traveling robot to move in a liquid. In other words, this liquid environment traveling robot moves by controlling multiple drive fins to reciprocate in the liquid, resulting in superior traveling ability.

[0042] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "one side", "the other side", "one end", "the other end", "side", "opposite", "four corners", "periphery", "'mouth' structure", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the structure referred to has a specific orientation, or is constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0043] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "direct connection," "indirect connection," "fixed connection," "installation," and "assembly" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. The terms "installation," "connection," and "fixed connection" can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0044] While the embodiments disclosed in this invention are as described above, the content is merely for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art to which this invention pertains may make any modifications and changes to the form and details of the implementation without departing from the spirit and scope disclosed herein; however, the scope of patent protection of this invention shall still be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A liquid environment traveling robot, characterized in that, include: The body includes a first body, a sliding shaft, a plurality of first hinge parts, a second body, and a plurality of second hinge parts. One end of the sliding shaft is connected to the first body, and the other end of the sliding shaft is connected to the second body. The plurality of first hinge parts are spaced apart on the first body along the circumference of the sliding shaft, and the plurality of second hinge parts are spaced apart on the second body along the circumference of the sliding shaft. A sliding seat is located between the first body and the second body and is movably sleeved on the sliding shaft. The sliding seat is provided with a plurality of third hinge portions spaced circumferentially along the sliding shaft. A ring-shaped dielectric elastomer actuator is sleeved on the sliding shaft and connected to the first body and the sliding seat. The dielectric elastomer actuator is configured to drive the sliding seat to reciprocate along the sliding shaft based on its expansion and contraction action under the action of an external electric field. Multiple linkage mechanisms, each linkage mechanism having a first hinged engagement part, a second hinged engagement part, and a third hinged engagement part, wherein the multiple first hinged engagement parts are hingedly connected one-to-one with each other, the multiple second hinged engagement parts are hingedly connected one-to-one with each other, and the multiple third hinged engagement parts are hingedly connected one-to-one with each other. The linkage mechanism is configured to perform reciprocating action based on the reciprocating movement of the sliding seat. and Multiple drive fins are circumferentially spaced along the sliding axis and connected one-to-one with multiple linkage mechanisms. The drive fins are configured to reciprocate and oscillate based on the reciprocating motion of the linkage mechanisms, so as to enable the liquid environment traveling robot to travel along the axial direction of the dielectric elastomer actuator in the liquid.

2. The liquid environment traveling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each linkage mechanism includes a first link, a second link, a third link, and a fourth link. One end of the first link is provided with a first hinged engagement portion, and the other end is hinged to one end of the second link. The other end of the second link is hinged to one end of the third link. The other end of the third link is provided with a second hinged engagement portion. A fourth hinged portion is provided between the two ends of the third link. One end of the fourth link is hinged to the fourth hinged portion, and the other end is provided with the third hinged engagement portion.

3. The liquid environment traveling robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first link is located between the drive fin and the body and is fixedly connected to the drive fin, and the length of the first link is less than the length of the third link; Since the dielectric elastomer actuator is in an extended state, the drive fin, the first link, the second link and the third link are all tilted from the first body to the second body toward the axis away from the sliding axis, and the tilt angle of the drive fin is α. Based on the change of the dielectric elastomer actuator from the stretched state to the contracted state, a increases.

4. The liquid environment traveling robot according to claim 3, Its characteristics are: The drive fin includes a flexible bending plate, the concave side of which faces the first connecting rod and the convex side which faces away from the first connecting rod; or The drive fin is equipped with a one-way valve structure, which is configured to cut off in the direction of travel of the robot in the liquid environment and to open in the opposite direction of travel of the robot in the liquid environment.

5. The liquid environment traveling robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, When a < 90 degrees, in the direction of travel of the robot in the liquid environment, the width of the rear part of the drive fin in the circumferential direction of the sliding axis is greater than the width of the front part of the drive fin in the circumferential direction of the sliding axis.

6. The liquid environment traveling robot according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The end face of the first body facing away from the sliding shaft is provided with a plurality of first mounting seats, the plurality of first mounting seats are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the sliding shaft, and the plurality of first hinge parts are respectively provided on the plurality of first mounting seats. The second main body has a plurality of second mounting seats spaced apart on its circumferential surface, and a plurality of second hinge parts are respectively provided on the plurality of second mounting seats; The sliding seat has a plurality of third mounting seats spaced apart on its circumferential surface, and the plurality of third hinge parts are respectively provided on the plurality of third mounting seats.

7. The liquid environment traveling robot according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, One of the first main body and the second main body is an integral structure with the sliding shaft, while the other is a separate structure with the sliding shaft.

8. The liquid environment traveling robot according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, Multiple is three.

9. A combined robot, characterized in that, The invention comprises a plurality of liquid environment traveling robots as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the axis of each of the sliding axes is arranged along a first direction, and at least two of the plurality of bodies are arranged in a row in a second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction intersect.

10. The combined robot according to claim 9, characterized in that, The multiple bodies are three bodies, which are arranged in a row in the second direction or arranged in pairs in a row. The three second bodies are fixedly connected by a connecting frame.