A magnetic tower-climbing robot with a clamping device

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of robotics, and in particular to a magnetic tower-climbing robot with a gripping device. The robot comprises a deformable parallelogram-shaped linkage frame, a walking mechanism, a steering mechanism, and an adjustment mechanism. Two walking mechanisms are provided, each including a support frame, an annular track, and support components. Permanent magnets are installed on the outer side of the track to achieve magnetic walking. The steering mechanism drives the support frame to deflect, switching the track's walking posture. The adjustment mechanism, linked to the support components on both sides, can change the contact length between the track and the tower material. Relying on the deformable frame structure, the magnetic tower-climbing robot ensures that the track on one side remains in contact with the tower surface when traversing obstacles on one side, guaranteeing adsorption stability. During obstacle traversal, the adjustment mechanism adaptively adjusts the contact span of the tracks on both sides, reducing obstacle-crossing resistance and supplementing the adsorption force, effectively preventing the risk of falling. Simultaneously, it can flexibly switch walking modes, reducing the overall lateral dimensions, adapting to confined working environments such as narrow beams and thin tower materials, exhibiting strong obstacle-crossing capabilities and a wider range of applications.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotics, and in particular to a magnetic tower-climbing robot with a clamping device. Background Technology

[0002] As the core infrastructure of power transmission systems, transmission towers are exposed to complex outdoor environments for extended periods and require regular inspection and maintenance to ensure the safety of power transmission. Currently, transmission tower maintenance mainly relies on manual labor, which is not only high-risk but also inefficient, making it difficult to meet the needs of large-scale, high-efficiency maintenance. Therefore, tower climbing robots are gradually becoming an important alternative to manual maintenance.

[0003] Most existing tower climbing robots adopt a single tracked or wheeled structure and rely on the magnetic attraction principle to achieve tower adsorption and movement. Although they can replace manual labor to a certain extent in completing basic maintenance work, they have many technical defects in practical applications and are difficult to adapt to the complex tower structure and walking conditions of transmission towers.

[0004] Among these, tracked tower climbing equipment has significant shortcomings: if one track is lifted by obstacles such as flanges or bolts during movement, the other track will also lift, causing a sudden and significant drop in the magnetic attraction between the track and the tower steel beam, making it highly susceptible to falling accidents. Additionally, its large lateral span makes it unable to pass normally on thin tower sections, resulting in poor adaptability. Furthermore, neither tracked nor wheeled tower climbing robots can simultaneously achieve the flexibility of planar movement and the stability of passing through narrow beams. When encountering complex obstacles such as right-angle bends at tower section connections, they are prone to jamming or insufficient suction force leading to detachment, demonstrating insufficient adaptability. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a magnetic tower climbing robot with a clamping device to address the current problems of poor obstacle crossing stability and insufficient narrow beam passage capacity of robots.

[0006] The above objectives are achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0007] A magnetic tower-climbing robot with a clamping device includes a frame, a walking mechanism, a steering mechanism, and an adjustment mechanism. The frame is a deformable parallelogram linkage structure with its four sides hinged sequentially. Two walking mechanisms are provided, located on opposite sides of the frame. When one walking mechanism crosses an obstacle, it can cause the frame to deform, keeping the other walking mechanism in contact with the surface of the tower material. Each walking mechanism includes a bracket, an annular track, and a support assembly. The bracket is mounted on the frame, the annular track is wound around the bracket and can drive the bracket to move on the tower material, and the support assembly is used to support the annular track and can change the contact length between the annular track and the surface of the tower material. The outer surface of the annular track is uniformly provided with permanent magnets for adsorbing the tower material.

[0008] The steering mechanism is connected between the support and the frame, and is used to drive the support to rotate relative to the frame about an axis perpendicular to the tower surface, so that the annular tracks of the two traveling mechanisms switch from parallel travel to collinear travel. In the parallel travel state, the arrangement direction of the two annular tracks is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the support on the tower, and in the collinear travel state, the arrangement direction of the two annular tracks is consistent with the direction of movement of the support on the tower. The adjustment mechanism is connected to the two support components, and is used to control the support component of one of the traveling mechanisms to reduce the obstacle-crossing span of the annular track when one of the traveling mechanisms crosses an obstacle, while controlling the support component of the other traveling mechanism to increase the contact length between the annular track and the tower surface.

[0009] Preferably, each support assembly includes a rotating wheel and two pulleys. The rotating wheel is rotatably mounted on a support, and the two pulleys are slidably mounted on the support along a first direction and a second direction, respectively. The first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other and both are perpendicular to the axial direction of the pulleys. The first direction is the forward direction of the traveling mechanism. An annular track is wrapped around the outer periphery of the rotating wheel and the two pulleys. When the two traveling mechanisms are in parallel travel, the rotating wheel is located in front of the pulley sliding along the first direction. An adjusting mechanism is connected to the two pulleys for transmission and is used to control the pulley sliding along the first direction to move closer to or away from the rotating wheel when the traveling mechanism crosses an obstacle, and to make the other pulley slide to tension the annular track.

[0010] Preferably, each walking mechanism also includes a motor, which is mounted on a bracket and its output end is connected to the wheel drive to drive the wheel to rotate.

[0011] Preferably, the frame includes two vertical rods and two horizontal rods, the two vertical rods are arranged in parallel, the two horizontal rods are arranged in parallel, and the two ends of each vertical rod are rotatably connected to one end of each of the two horizontal rods. The steering mechanism includes two steering rudders, each steering rudder corresponding to a traveling mechanism. Each steering rudder includes a fixed seat, a mounting frame and a first servo motor. The fixed seat is set on one of the vertical rods, the mounting frame is set on a bracket and rotatably connected to the fixed seat, and its rotation axis extends along the axial direction of the vertical rod. The first servo motor is set on the mounting frame and drives the fixed seat to rotate.

[0012] Preferably, the adjusting mechanism includes a double-rod hydraulic cylinder, two oil cylinders, and two first springs. The two ends of the double-rod hydraulic cylinder are rotatably connected to two vertical rods, and its rotation axis is parallel to the rotation axis of the vertical rods. The double-rod hydraulic cylinder has a first chamber and a second chamber that are isolated from each other and have opposite volume changes. Each oil cylinder is mounted on a bracket and drives a pulley on it to slide. Each first spring is mounted on a bracket and provides a force to the other pulley to tension the annular track. The first chamber and the second chamber are respectively connected to one oil cylinder, and the two oil cylinders achieve synchronous reverse extension and retraction as the volume of the first chamber and the second chamber changes.

[0013] Preferably, the dual-rod hydraulic cylinder includes a cylinder body, two tie rods, and two second springs. The cylinder body is an end-face sealing mechanism. One end of each tie rod is rotatably connected to a vertical rod, and the extension direction of their rotation axis is consistent with the extension direction of the rotation axis of the vertical rod. The other end of each tie rod passes through the cylinder body and extends into the cylinder body. A piston is provided at the end of the tie rod away from the corresponding vertical rod. The two pistons divide the interior of the cylinder body into three chambers. The chamber between the two pistons is the first chamber, and the other two are the second chambers. The two second chambers are connected to the same hydraulic cylinder. Each second spring is sleeved on a tie rod and located in a second chamber. The second spring is connected to the cylinder body and the piston.

[0014] Preferably, both crossbars are telescopic rods with adjustable length, and the double-rod hydraulic cylinder is equipped with an oil pipe connecting the first chamber and the second chamber, and the oil pipe is equipped with a regulating valve to control the opening and closing of the oil pipe.

[0015] Preferably, each of the two vertical rods is provided with a connecting rod that rotates on it. The rotation axis of the connecting rod is parallel to the rotation axis of the vertical rod. The ends of the two connecting rods away from the vertical rods are hinged together. One of the connecting rods is provided with a second servo motor. The output shaft of the second servo motor coincides with the hinge axis of the two connecting rods. The second servo motor can drive the other connecting rod to rotate.

[0016] Preferably, the magnetic tower climbing robot with clamping device also includes a robotic arm, which is mounted on the linkage and has clamping operation function.

[0017] Preferably, the magnetic tower climbing robot with clamping device also includes a detection and identification mechanism for collecting and analyzing data on the surface of the tower material.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this invention are: by adopting a deformable parallelogram frame, when one side of the walking mechanism crosses an obstacle, the frame can automatically deform according to the force of the walking mechanism, without lifting the other side of the walking mechanism, so that the other side of the ring track always keeps in close contact with the surface of the tower material, avoiding a sudden drop in the overall adsorption force due to one side leaving the ground, and effectively improving the stability and safety of the magnetic tower climbing robot in the process of overcoming obstacles.

[0019] The movement of the support components of the walking mechanism on both sides can be controlled by the adjustment mechanism. When the circular track on one side is crossing an obstacle, the contact length between the circular track and the obstacle is reduced, thereby reducing the obstacle crossing resistance and the obstacle crossing span. At the same time, the contact length between the circular track on the other side and the surface of the tower material is increased to enhance the adsorption force and form a dynamic balance. This ensures smooth obstacle crossing and effectively prevents the magnetic tower climbing robot from falling due to insufficient adsorption force.

[0020] The steering mechanism can drive the two side supports to rotate relative to the frame, switching the two ring tracks from parallel driving to collinear driving. This greatly reduces the lateral span of the magnetic tower climbing robot, enabling it to travel stably in narrow spaces such as narrow beams and thin tower materials. It solves the problem that traditional magnetic tower climbing robots cannot pass on thin tower materials, and greatly expands the applicability of the equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a magnetic tower climbing robot with a clamping device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 A front view of a magnetic tower-climbing robot with a clamping device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 A left view of a magnetic tower-climbing robot with a clamping device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Sectional view along the middle AA direction;

[0025] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Enlarged view of point B in the middle;

[0026] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating the state of a walking mechanism of a magnetic climbing robot with a clamping device crossing an obstacle, as provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing the state of two walking mechanisms of a magnetic climbing robot with a clamping device traveling in a collinear manner, as provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] in:

[0029] 100. Vertical rod; 101. Horizontal rod; 102. Bracket; 103. Circular track; 104. Permanent magnet; 105. Rotary wheel; 106. First wheel; 107. Second wheel; 108. Motor; 109. Fixed base; 110. Mounting bracket; 111. Cylinder; 112. Tie rod; 113. First spring; 114. Piston; 115. First chamber; 116. Second chamber; 117. Oil pipe; 118. Regulating valve; 119. Connecting rod; 120. First servo motor; 121. Second servo motor; 122. Hydraulic cylinder; 123. Second spring. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below through embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0031] The component designations used in this document, such as "first" and "second," are merely for distinguishing the described objects and do not have any sequential or technical meaning. The terms "connection" and "linkage" used in this invention, unless otherwise specified, include both direct and indirect connections (linkages). It should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description. They do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0032] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0033] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a magnetic tower climbing robot with a clamping device (hereinafter referred to as the magnetic tower climbing robot), including a frame, a walking mechanism, a steering mechanism, and an adjustment mechanism. The frame is a deformable parallelogram link 119 structure, with its four sides hinged in sequence. There are two walking mechanisms, which are located on opposite sides of the frame. When one walking mechanism crosses an obstacle, it can cause the frame to deform, so that the other walking mechanism remains in contact with the surface of the tower material. Each walking mechanism includes a support 102, an annular track 103, and a support assembly. The support 102 is disposed on the frame, and the annular track 103 is wound around the support 102 and can drive the support 102 to move on the tower material. The support assembly is used to support the annular track 103 and can change the contact length between the annular track 103 and the surface of the tower material. The outer surface of the annular track 103 is uniformly provided with permanent magnets 104 for adsorbing the tower material.

[0034] A steering mechanism is connected between the support 102 and the frame, used to drive the support 102 to rotate relative to the frame around an axis perpendicular to the tower surface, so that the annular tracks 103 of the two traveling mechanisms switch from parallel travel to collinear travel. In the parallel travel state, the arrangement direction of the two annular tracks is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the support on the tower, and in the collinear travel state, the arrangement direction of the two annular tracks is consistent with the direction of movement of the support on the tower. An adjustment mechanism is connected to two support components, used to control the support component of one traveling mechanism to reduce the obstacle-crossing span of the annular track 103 when one of the traveling mechanisms crosses an obstacle, while controlling the support component of the other traveling mechanism to increase the contact length between the annular track 103 and the tower surface.

[0035] The system employs a deformable parallelogram frame. When one side of the walking mechanism crosses an obstacle, the frame automatically deforms according to the force applied to the walking mechanism, without needing to lift the other side of the walking mechanism. This ensures that the other side of the annular track 103 remains in close contact with the surface of the tower material, preventing a sudden drop in overall adsorption force due to one side leaving the ground. This effectively improves the stability and safety of the magnetic tower climbing robot during obstacle crossing.

[0036] The movement of the support components of the walking mechanism on both sides can be controlled by the adjustment mechanism. When the circular track 103 on one side crosses an obstacle, the contact length between the circular track 103 and the obstacle is reduced, thereby reducing the obstacle crossing resistance and the obstacle crossing span. At the same time, the contact length between the circular track 103 on the other side and the surface of the tower material is increased to enhance the adsorption force and form a dynamic balance. This ensures smooth obstacle crossing and effectively prevents the magnetic tower climbing robot from falling due to insufficient adsorption force.

[0037] The steering mechanism can drive the two side supports 102 to rotate relative to the frame, so that the two annular tracks 103 switch from parallel state to collinear state, which greatly reduces the lateral span of the magnetic tower climbing robot, enabling it to travel stably in narrow spaces such as narrow beams and thin tower materials. This solves the problem that traditional magnetic tower climbing robots cannot pass on thin tower materials, and greatly expands the applicable range of the equipment.

[0038] In this embodiment, each support component includes a rotating wheel 105 and two pulleys. The rotating wheel 105 is rotatably mounted on the bracket 102, and the two pulleys are slidably mounted on the bracket 102 along a first direction and a second direction, respectively. The first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other and both are perpendicular to the axial direction of the pulleys. The first direction is the forward direction of the walking mechanism. The annular track 103 is wrapped around the outer periphery of the rotating wheel 105 and the two pulleys. When the two walking mechanisms are in parallel driving state, the rotating wheel 105 is located in front of the pulley that slides along the first direction. The adjusting mechanism is connected to the two pulleys for transmission and is used to control the pulley that slides along the first direction to move closer to or away from the rotating wheel 105 when the walking mechanism crosses an obstacle, and to make the other pulley slide to tension the annular track 103.

[0039] Specifically, let the pulley sliding along the first direction be designated as the first wheel 106, and the pulley sliding along the second direction be designated as the second wheel 107. By setting the first wheel 106 and the second wheel 107 along two mutually perpendicular directions, the adjustment mechanism can control the first wheel 106 to move closer to the rotating wheel 105 when the single-sided walking mechanism is crossing an obstacle. This reduces the length of the annular track 103 between the rotating wheel 105 and the first wheel 106 before crossing the obstacle, shortening the obstacle-crossing time. Simultaneously, the second wheel 107 is controlled to automatically tension the annular track 103, preventing it from loosening or slipping due to changes in the support point position, thus ensuring walking stability. The support component of the other walking mechanism can be adjusted synchronously in the opposite direction, increasing the contact length between the annular track 103 on that side and the tower material surface, further enhancing the adsorption force. This forms a dynamic balance of precise drag reduction on the obstacle-crossing side and active force enhancement on the support side, preventing the magnetic tower-climbing robot from falling due to insufficient adsorption force when crossing obstacles.

[0040] In this embodiment, each walking mechanism also includes a motor 108, which is mounted on the bracket 102 and its output end is connected to the rotating wheel 105 for driving the rotating wheel 105 to rotate.

[0041] Specifically, since the drive wheel is a fixed-position rotating wheel 105, when the first wheel 106 slides along the first direction and the second wheel 107 slides along the second direction to adjust the shape of the annular track 103, the rotational speed of the motor 108 is not affected by the displacement of the first wheel 106 and the second wheel 107. The forward linear speed of the annular track 103 remains constant and will not experience sudden speed changes or jamming due to the adjustment of the shape of the annular track 103, effectively ensuring the stability of the magnetic climbing robot's walking process.

[0042] In this embodiment, the frame includes two vertical rods 100 and two horizontal rods 101. The two vertical rods 100 are arranged in parallel, and the two horizontal rods 101 are arranged in parallel. The two ends of each vertical rod 100 are rotatably connected to one end of each of the two horizontal rods 101. The steering mechanism includes two steering rudders, each steering rudder corresponding to a traveling mechanism. Each steering rudder includes a fixed seat 109, a mounting frame 110, and a first servo motor 120. The fixed seat 109 is disposed on one of the vertical rods 100. The mounting frame 110 is disposed on a bracket 102 and rotatably connected to the fixed seat 109. Its rotation axis extends axially along the vertical rod 100. The first servo motor 120 is disposed on the mounting frame 110 and drives the fixed seat 109 to rotate.

[0043] Specifically, the first servo motor 120 controls the mounting frame 110 and the fixed base 109 to rotate relative to each other, thereby enabling the two annular tracks 103 to switch from parallel driving to collinear driving, thus reducing the lateral span of the magnetic tower climbing robot and enabling it to walk on narrower tower materials.

[0044] In this embodiment, the adjustment mechanism includes a double-rod hydraulic cylinder, two oil cylinders 122, and two first springs 113. The two ends of the double-rod hydraulic cylinder are rotatably connected to two vertical rods 100, and their rotation axes are parallel to the rotation axes of the vertical rods 100. The double-rod hydraulic cylinder has a first chamber 115 and a second chamber 116 that are isolated from each other and have opposite volume changes. Each oil cylinder 122 is mounted on a bracket 102 and drives a pulley on it to slide. Each first spring 113 is mounted on a bracket 102 and provides a force to the other pulley to tension the annular track 103. The first chamber 115 and the second chamber 116 are respectively connected to one oil cylinder 122. The two oil cylinders 122 achieve synchronous reverse extension and retraction as the volume of the first chamber 115 and the second chamber 116 changes.

[0045] In this embodiment, the dual-rod hydraulic cylinder includes a cylinder body 111, two tie rods 112, and two second springs 123. The cylinder body 111 is an end-face sealing mechanism. One end of each tie rod 112 is rotatably connected to a vertical rod 100, and the extension direction of its rotation axis is consistent with the extension direction of the rotation axis of the vertical rod 100. The other end of each tie rod 112 passes through the cylinder body 111 and extends into the cylinder body 111. A piston 114 is provided at the end of each tie rod 112 away from the corresponding vertical rod 100. The two pistons 114 hold the cylinder body 111 closed. The internal structure is divided into three chambers. The chamber between the two pistons 114 is the first chamber 115, and the other two are the second chambers 116. The two second chambers 116 are connected to the same oil cylinder 122. Each second spring 123 is sleeved on a tie rod 112 and located in the second chamber 116. The second spring 123 is connected to the cylinder body 111 and the piston 114, limiting the relative position of the cylinder body 111 so that the volume of the two second chambers 116 changes in the same way. The axes of the two tie rods 112 coincide and are inclined relative to the vertical rod 100.

[0046] Each cylinder 122 on the support 102 drives the second wheel 107 to slide on the support 102. The cylinder 122 is located on the side of the corresponding second wheel 107 away from the annular track 103. The second spring 123 is located between the first wheel 106 and the rotating wheel 105 and provides the second wheel 107 with a thrust away from the rotating wheel 105. When the annular track 103 in the walking mechanism corresponding to the cylinder 122 connected to the first cavity 115 crosses an obstacle, the vertical rod 100 of the walking mechanism drives the pull rod 112 rotatably connected to it away from the other pull rod 112. The volume of the first cavity 115 decreases, thereby filling the corresponding cylinder 122 with hydraulic oil. The cylinder 122 then extends and pushes the second wheel 107 to further support the annular track 103. Since the total length of the annular track 103 remains unchanged, the annular track 103 will adaptively push the first wheel 106. By sliding and compressing the second spring 123, the length of the annular track 103 between the rotating wheel 105 and the first wheel 106 will decrease, reducing the span of the annular track 103 across obstacles; the volume of the second cavity 116 will increase, and the hydraulic cylinder 122 in another walking mechanism will contract, causing the second wheel 107 to slide away from the annular track 103 it contacts. The corresponding second spring 123 pushes the first wheel 106 away from the rotating wheel 105, causing the annular track 103 to tighten and increasing the contact area between the annular track 103 and the tower material.

[0047] When the pull rod 112 slides in the cylinder 111, the sum of the volume changes of the two second chambers 116 is consistent with the volume change of the first chamber 115, ensuring that any one of the traveling mechanisms maintains the same effect when adsorbing the tower material.

[0048] In this embodiment, both crossbars 101 are telescopic rods with adjustable length. The double-rod hydraulic cylinder is provided with an oil pipe 117 that connects the first chamber 115 and the second chamber 116. The oil pipe 117 is provided with a regulating valve 118 that controls the opening and closing of the oil pipe 117.

[0049] Specifically, the adjustable length of the crossbar 101 can change the lateral span of the two annular tracks 103 and can be adjusted within a small range according to the width of the tower material, thereby improving its stability. Before the crossbar 101 extends or retracts, the regulating valve 118 needs to be opened to connect the first chamber 115 and the second chamber 116 to avoid inconsistent extension and retraction lengths of the two cylinders 122, which would result in inconsistent adhesion between the annular tracks 103 and the tower material.

[0050] In this embodiment, a connecting rod 119 is rotatably provided on each of the two vertical rods 100. The rotation axis of the connecting rod 119 is parallel to the rotation axis of the vertical rod 100. The ends of the two connecting rods 119 away from the vertical rods 100 are hinged. A second servo motor 121 is provided on one of the connecting rods 119. The output shaft of the second servo motor 121 coincides with the hinge axis of the two connecting rods 119. The second servo motor 121 can drive the other connecting rod 119 to rotate.

[0051] Specifically, the angle between the two connecting rods 119 is controlled by the second servo motor 121, thereby controlling the length of the crossbar 101. This prevents the length of the crossbar 101 from becoming uncontrollable during the movement of the magnetic tower climbing robot, thus affecting its forward direction. It also prevents the magnetic tower climbing robot from falling and improves the overall walking stability.

[0052] In this embodiment, the magnetic tower climbing robot with clamping device also includes a robotic arm, which is mounted on the link 119 and has a clamping function.

[0053] Specifically, the robotic arm has multiple degrees of freedom, and its end can grip objects and remove debris entangled on the tower.

[0054] In this embodiment, the magnetic tower climbing robot with clamping device also includes a detection and identification mechanism for collecting and analyzing data on the surface of the tower material.

[0055] Specifically, the detection and identification mechanism includes a vision module, a main control and intelligent identification unit, used to monitor tower material anomalies.

[0056] Specifically, the vision module includes a camera mounted on the vertical bar 100 for capturing component details, corrosion, and bolt status. The core processor is an embedded AI chip equipped with a lightweight deep learning model (YOLOv5s-Tiny / improved CNN), which can identify corrosion: identify yellow rust / red rust / layered rust on the surface and mark the area and grade; bolts: identify loose, missing, stripped threads, and missing washers.

[0057] The working principle of the magnetic tower climbing robot with a clamping device provided in the above embodiment is as follows:

[0058] The magnetic tower-climbing robot is placed on the tower material, and then the regulating valve 118 is opened to connect the first chamber 115 and the second chamber 116. Then the second servo motor 121 is activated, which causes the two connecting rods 119 to rotate relative to each other. The two connecting rods 119 drive the horizontal bar 101 to extend and retract, adjusting the lateral span of the two tracks to adapt to the width of the tower material. During the process, the change in the distance between the two vertical rods 100 causes the pull rod 112 to slide in the cylinder 111, and the hydraulic oil in the first chamber 115 and the second chamber 116 is exchanged.

[0059] Then, the second servo motor 121 is stopped and the regulating valve 118 is closed. The motors 108 on the two supports 102 are started. The motors 108 drive the corresponding rotating wheels 105 to rotate. The rotating wheels 105 drive the annular track 103 to rotate. Then, the magnetic tower climbing robot begins to move on the tower. Taking the walking mechanism corresponding to the vertical rod 100 that is rotatably connected to the tie rod 112 which is far away from the tower as an example, the hydraulic cylinder 122 in the walking mechanism is connected to the second chamber 116. When the annular track 103 in the walking mechanism presses on the obstacle and causes the support 102 to be lifted up, the support 102 drives the corresponding vertical rod 100 to move through the mounting bracket 110 and the fixed seat 109 connected to it. The vertical rod 100 rotates relative to the horizontal bar 101. Two vertical rods 100 drive the corresponding pull rods 112 to slide in the cylinder 111. The two pull rods 112 overcome the elastic force of the corresponding second springs 123 and compress the second springs 123. The volume of the second cavity 116 decreases and pushes the hydraulic oil into the cylinder 122 connected to the raised walking mechanism. The cylinder 122 begins to extend and drives the second wheel 107 to slide towards the annular track 103 it contacts. At this time, the annular track 103 will apply a thrust to the rotating wheel 105 and the first wheel 106. After being thrust, the first wheel 106 moves closer to the rotating wheel 105 and further compresses the first spring 113. The distance between the rotating wheel 105 and the first wheel 106 is shortened, and the length of the annular track 103 between them is reduced, shortening the obstacle crossing time.

[0060] Correspondingly, the hydraulic cylinder 122 in the other walking mechanism is connected to the first chamber 115. When the volume of the second chamber 116 decreases, the volume of the first chamber 115 increases. The first chamber 115 draws hydraulic oil from the hydraulic cylinder 122 connected to it. The hydraulic cylinder 122 begins to contract and drives the second wheel 107 to slide away from the annular track 103. The supporting force on the annular track 103 decreases. At this time, the first spring 113 in the walking mechanism will push the first wheel 106 to slide away from the rotating wheel 105, and support the annular track 103 again. The distance between the first wheel 106 and the rotating wheel 105 increases, and the contact area of ​​the annular track 103 in contact with the tower material increases accordingly. More permanent magnets 104 attract the tower material, providing a reliable attraction force for the magnetic tower climbing robot.

[0061] Conversely, when the traveling mechanism corresponding to the hydraulic cylinder 122 connected to the first cavity 115 encounters an obstacle and lifts up, the volume of the first cavity 115 decreases and the volume of the second cavity 116 increases. The annular track 103 in the two traveling mechanisms that is in contact with the tower material adjusts accordingly, thus completing synchronous adaptive adjustment.

[0062] When the tower material encountered is too narrow for the two annular tracks 103 to travel parallel, the two first servo motors 120 are activated. The first servo motors 120 drive the corresponding mounting brackets 110 to rotate relative to the vertical rod 100. The mounting brackets 110 then drive the support 102 to rotate, switching the two annular tracks 103 from a parallel state to a collinear state, reducing their lateral span and enabling them to travel smoothly on narrower tower materials. The magnetic tower climbing robot collects images via a camera during its movement.

[0063] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0064] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A magnetic tower-climbing robot with a clamping device, characterized in that, include: The system comprises a frame, a traveling mechanism, a steering mechanism, and an adjustment mechanism. The frame is a deformable parallelogram linkage structure with its four sides hinged sequentially. Two traveling mechanisms are located on opposite sides of the frame. When one traveling mechanism crosses an obstacle, it causes the frame to deform, keeping the other traveling mechanism in contact with the tower material surface. Each traveling mechanism includes a support, a ring track, and a support assembly. The support is mounted on the frame, the ring track is wound around the support and can move the support on the tower material, and the support assembly supports the ring track and can change the contact length between the ring track and the tower material surface. The outer surface of the ring track is uniformly provided with permanent magnets for adsorbing the tower material. The steering mechanism is connected between the support and the frame, and is used to drive the support to rotate relative to the frame about an axis perpendicular to the tower surface, so that the annular tracks of the two traveling mechanisms switch from parallel travel to collinear travel. In the parallel travel state, the arrangement direction of the two annular tracks is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the support on the tower, and in the collinear travel state, the arrangement direction of the two annular tracks is consistent with the direction of movement of the support on the tower. The adjustment mechanism is connected to the two support components, and is used to control the support component of one traveling mechanism to reduce the obstacle-crossing span of the annular track when one of the traveling mechanisms crosses an obstacle, while controlling the support component of the other traveling mechanism to increase the contact length between the annular track and the tower surface. Each support assembly includes a rotating wheel and two pulleys. The rotating wheel is rotatably mounted on a support, and the two pulleys are slidably mounted on the support along a first direction and a second direction, respectively. The first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other and both are perpendicular to the axial direction of the pulleys. The first direction is the forward direction of the traveling mechanism. An annular track is wrapped around the outer circumference of the rotating wheel and the two pulleys. When the two traveling mechanisms are in parallel travel, the rotating wheel is located in front of the pulley that slides along the first direction. An adjusting mechanism is connected to the two pulleys and is used to control the pulley that slides along the first direction to move closer to or away from the rotating wheel when the traveling mechanism crosses an obstacle, and to make the other pulley slide to tension the annular track. The frame includes two vertical bars and two horizontal bars, with the two vertical bars and two horizontal bars arranged in parallel. The two ends of each vertical bar are rotatably connected to one end of each of the two horizontal bars. The steering mechanism includes two steering rudders, each corresponding to a travel mechanism. Each steering rudder includes a fixed base, a mounting bracket, and a first servo motor. The fixed base is mounted on one of the vertical bars, and the mounting bracket is mounted on a support and rotatably connected to the fixed base. Its rotation axis extends along the axial direction of the vertical bar. The first servo motor is mounted on the mounting bracket and drives the fixed base to rotate. The adjustment mechanism includes a double-rod hydraulic cylinder, two oil cylinders, and two first springs. The two ends of the double-rod hydraulic cylinder are rotatably connected to two vertical rods, and its rotation axis is parallel to the rotation axis of the vertical rods. The double-rod hydraulic cylinder has a first chamber and a second chamber that are isolated from each other and have opposite volume changes. Each oil cylinder is mounted on a bracket and drives a pulley on it to slide. Each first spring is mounted on a bracket and provides a force to the other pulley to tension the annular track. The first chamber and the second chamber are respectively connected to one oil cylinder. The two oil cylinders can synchronously extend and retract in opposite directions as the volume of the first chamber and the second chamber changes.

2. The magnetic tower-climbing robot with a clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each traveling mechanism also includes a motor, which is mounted on a bracket and its output is connected to the wheel drive to drive the wheel to rotate.

3. A magnetic tower-climbing robot with a clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The double-rod hydraulic cylinder includes a cylinder body, two tie rods, and two second springs. The cylinder body is an end-face sealing mechanism. One end of each tie rod is rotatably connected to a vertical rod, and the extension direction of their rotation axis is consistent with the extension direction of the rotation axis of the vertical rod. The other ends of the two tie rods pass through the cylinder body and extend into the cylinder body. A piston is provided at the end of the tie rod away from the corresponding vertical rod. The two pistons divide the inside of the cylinder body into three chambers. The chamber between the two pistons is the first chamber, and the other two are the second chambers. The two second chambers are connected to the same hydraulic cylinder. Each second spring is sleeved on a tie rod and located in a second chamber. The second spring is connected to the cylinder body and the piston.

4. A magnetic tower-climbing robot with a clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both crossbars are telescopic rods with adjustable length. The double-rod hydraulic cylinder is equipped with an oil pipe connecting the first chamber and the second chamber, and the oil pipe is equipped with a regulating valve to control the opening and closing of the oil pipe.

5. A magnetic tower-climbing robot with a clamping device according to claim 4, characterized in that, Two vertical rods are each equipped with a connecting rod that rotates on them. The rotation axis of the connecting rod is parallel to the rotation axis of the vertical rod. The ends of the two connecting rods away from the vertical rods are hinged together. One of the connecting rods is equipped with a second servo motor. The output shaft of the second servo motor coincides with the hinge axis of the two connecting rods. The second servo motor can drive the other connecting rod to rotate.

6. A magnetic tower-climbing robot with a clamping device according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes a robotic arm, which is mounted on a linkage and has a clamping function.

7. A magnetic tower-climbing robot with a clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a detection and identification mechanism for collecting and analyzing data on the surface of tower materials.

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