Variable-diameter curved surface adaptive robot for wind turbine blade internal detection and method of using the same

Abstract

The application discloses a variable-diameter curved surface self-adaptive robot for wind power blade internal detection and a use method thereof, and relates to the technical field of wind power blade internal detection equipment.The robot comprises a machine body, a detection mechanism and variable-diameter support mechanisms.Two groups of the variable-diameter support mechanisms are arranged on the front end and the rear end of the machine body, and each group of the variable-diameter support mechanisms comprises a linear driving module, a support leg assembly, multiple walking wheels and a secondary support leg angle adjusting assembly.The robot can realize large-range variable-diameter through the linear driving module, so that the support leg assembly can adapt to the significant change of the cross-sectional size along the length direction in the wind power blade, and the independent adjustment of each secondary support leg can be realized through the secondary support leg angle adjusting assembly, so that the irregular and asymmetric curved surface change of the corresponding side blade inner wall can be adapted, and each support leg can be stably supported on the blade inner wall, multi-point support is realized, and the support stability is enhanced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of internal inspection equipment for wind turbine blades, and more specifically to a variable-diameter curved surface adaptive robot for internal inspection of wind turbine blades and its usage method. Background Technology

[0002] Wind turbine blades are crucial load-bearing components of wind turbine units. Their internal structures typically include leading-edge spaces, trailing-edge spaces, webs, and main beams, characterized by their elongated shape, significant cross-sectional variations, and complex curvature. With the increasing number of wind turbine units, higher demands are placed on the efficiency and safety of internal blade inspection. Current inspection methods primarily rely on manual entry into the blade for observation, which suffers from low efficiency, high labor intensity, and high safety risks. To replace manual labor, endoscopic inspection robots have been proposed for wind turbine blade internal inspection. However, existing robots are mostly designed for regular or near-symmetrical spaces. They often lack the adaptability to the complex internal cavities of wind turbine blades, which feature large-scale diameter variations, asymmetrical curved surfaces, and curvature changes along the blade length. They struggle to simultaneously meet the requirements of stable support, smooth passage, and internal inspection. Especially in special areas such as the leading-edge and trailing-edge spaces, existing devices are prone to instability, attitude fluctuations, or insufficient passage. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present invention aims to provide an adaptive robot for variable diameter curved surfaces for internal inspection of wind turbine blades and its usage method, so as to solve the problem that the existing technology is not adaptable to the large-scale variable diameter, asymmetric curved surface and variable curvature environment inside wind turbine blades, so as to enable the robot to achieve stable support, smooth passage and reliable inspection in the complex internal cavity of wind turbine blades.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0005] An adaptive robot for inspecting the internal structure of wind turbine blades with variable diameter curved surfaces includes: a body, an inspection mechanism, and a variable diameter support mechanism. The body has a front end and a rear end arranged opposite to each other, and the inspection mechanism is mounted on the top of the body. Two sets of variable diameter support mechanisms are provided, and the two sets of variable diameter support mechanisms are respectively installed at the front end and the rear end of the body. Each set of variable diameter support mechanisms includes: A linear drive module is installed on the corresponding end wall of the machine body and its movement direction is arranged along the front and rear directions of the machine body. The support leg assembly includes a main support leg and multiple auxiliary support legs, which are spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the linear drive module. A first hinge shaft is installed on the end wall of the body corresponding to the main support leg and each auxiliary support leg. The first hinge shaft is arranged perpendicular to the front and rear ends of the body. One end of the main support leg and each auxiliary support leg is hinged to the corresponding first hinge shaft, and the middle part is connected to the output end of the linear drive module through a connecting rod, so as to contract or expand along the radial direction of the linear drive module under the drive of the linear drive module. Multiple walking wheels are installed at the other end of the main support leg and each of the auxiliary support legs, and their walking direction is arranged along the front and rear directions of the machine body; The auxiliary support leg angle adjustment assembly includes an angle adjustment motor. Multiple angle adjustment motors correspond one-to-one with multiple auxiliary support legs and are fixed on the machine body. The output shafts of the motors are arranged along the front and rear ends of the machine body and are connected to the first hinge shaft corresponding to the auxiliary support leg to drive the auxiliary support leg to rotate in the circumferential direction of the linear drive module.

[0006] The beneficial effects achievable by this invention are as follows: the robot can achieve a wide range of diameter changes through the linear drive module, so that the support leg assembly can adapt as a whole to the cross-sectional dimensions that change significantly along the length direction of the wind turbine blade. Furthermore, the auxiliary support leg angle adjustment assembly can achieve independent adjustment of each auxiliary support leg, thereby adapting to the irregular and asymmetrical curved surface changes of the inner wall of the corresponding side blade, ensuring that each support leg can stably support the inner wall of the blade, achieving multi-point support and enhancing support stability.

[0007] Furthermore, the linear drive module adopts a lead screw drive module.

[0008] Furthermore, one end of the connecting rod is hinged to the main support leg or the secondary support leg via a second hinge shaft, and the other end is connected to the output end of the linear drive module via a third hinge shaft; wherein, each of the second hinge shafts and the third hinge shaft corresponding to the main support leg are arranged along the front and rear ends perpendicular to the machine body, and the third hinge shaft corresponding to the secondary support leg is a universal hinge shaft.

[0009] Furthermore, the secondary support leg is a multi-joint structure, including a support thigh, a support calf, and a support foot. One end of the support thigh is hinged to a corresponding first hinge shaft, the middle part is hinged to a corresponding connecting rod via a second hinge shaft, and the other end is provided with a servo motor. The output shaft of the servo motor is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the front and rear ends of the body. One end of the support calf is drivenly connected to the output shaft of the servo motor. The support foot is installed at the other end of the support calf.

[0010] Furthermore, the supporting leg includes an active walking wheel support assembly, an active walking wheel drive mechanism, and a driven walking wheel support assembly. The active walking wheel support assembly is fixed to the end of the supporting lower leg away from the supporting upper leg. The active walking wheel drive mechanism is mounted on the active walking wheel support assembly. There are two sets of driven walking wheel support assemblies, and the two sets of driven walking wheel support assemblies are respectively hinged to both sides of the active walking wheel support assembly arranged along the circumferential direction of the linear drive module. The walking wheels are mounted on both the active walking wheel support assembly and the driven walking wheel support assembly, and the walking wheels on the active walking wheel support assembly are drively connected to the output end of the active walking wheel drive mechanism.

[0011] Furthermore, the active walking wheel support assembly and the driven walking wheel support assembly have the same structure, both including a support plate and a support wheel seat. The support wheel seat is fixed to the bottom of the support plate, and the walking wheel is rotatably mounted on the corresponding support wheel seat. In the active walking wheel support assembly, the support plate is fixed to the end of the support lower leg away from the support upper leg, and the active walking wheel drive mechanism is mounted on the support plate. In the driven walking wheel support assembly, the support plate is hinged to the side end of the support plate in the active walking wheel support assembly.

[0012] Furthermore, the support plate in the active walking wheel support assembly and the support plate in the driven walking wheel support assembly are hinged together by a torsion spring hinge.

[0013] Furthermore, it also includes a shock-absorbing component, which includes a guide component and a shock-absorbing spring. The guide component includes a guide member and a sliding member. The guide member is mounted on the support plate, and the sliding member is mounted on the support wheel seat and is slidably connected to the guide member in a direction perpendicular to the wheel axle of the traveling wheel. The two ends of the shock-absorbing spring are respectively connected to the support plate and the support wheel seat.

[0014] The method for using a variable-diameter curved surface adaptive robot for internal inspection of wind turbine blades includes the following steps: S1. Variable diameter deployment stage: When the robot walks inside the wind turbine blade, it drives the main support leg and the auxiliary support leg to expand radially according to the inner diameter of the blade through the linear drive module to achieve variable diameter. S2, Contact and Fitting Stage: As the diameter changes and unfolds, the traveling wheels on the main support leg first contact the flat web inside the blade to establish initial positioning and support; then the linear drive module continues to drive multiple secondary support legs to unfold synchronously until each secondary support leg can touch the inner wall of the corresponding blade; after each secondary support leg contacts the housing, its respective angle adjustment motor responds in real time to the curvature change of the inner wall surface of the blade on that side, independently adjusting the rotation angle so that the traveling wheel fully fits the inner wall surface of the corresponding blade; S3. During travel: The angle adjustment motors continuously adjust in real time to cope with the continuous curvature changes of the inner wall surface of the blade.

[0015] Furthermore, in S2, the traveling wheels on the main support leg first contact the flat web inside the blade to establish initial positioning and support. Then, the multiple auxiliary support legs continue to unfold under the continued drive of the linear drive module, contacting the inner wall surface of the blade on the corresponding side one by one, and independently adjusting the rotation angle through the angle adjustment motor so that the corresponding traveling wheel and the inner wall surface of the corresponding blade are fully in contact.

[0016] As can be seen from the above technical solution, compared with the prior art, the present invention discloses a variable diameter curved surface adaptive robot for internal inspection of wind turbine blades and its usage method, which has the following beneficial effects: 1. The robot achieves a wide range of diameter changes through the linear drive module, which can adapt to the environment of wind turbine blades with large changes in cross-sectional dimensions along the length direction and asymmetrical internal cavity structure. This allows the robot to smoothly enter the narrow spaces near the leading edge, trailing edge and web, avoiding jamming or unstable support.

[0017] 2. The secondary support leg adopts a multi-joint structure, and each joint can be independently controlled and adjusted in angle. It can automatically conform to the local curved surface of the shell. At the same time, the foot end provides multi-point support and adaptive adjustment, which can further enhance the conformity with the inner wall of the blade and improve the support stability. It is especially suitable for asymmetrical elliptical curved surfaces or slightly curved surfaces.

[0018] 3. Each secondary support leg can independently adjust its circumferential rotation angle, so that multiple secondary support legs can contact the inner wall of the corresponding side shell one by one, and adjust themselves to achieve multi-point force support, thereby achieving stable operation in the asymmetrical inner cavity and avoiding shaking or detection errors caused by insufficient force on the web.

[0019] 4. The support leg assembly forms multi-point adaptive support, which has stronger adaptability and curved surface fitting ability, reducing the risk of jamming and overturning, thereby improving the overall operation efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the variable-diameter curved surface adaptive robot for internal inspection of wind turbine blades provided by the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the main view structure of the variable diameter curved surface adaptive robot for internal inspection of wind turbine blades provided by the present invention.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the linear drive module of the machine body provided by the present invention.

[0024] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the main support leg and its related structures provided by the present invention.

[0025] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the secondary support leg and its related structures provided by the present invention.

[0026] Figure 6 Provided by the present invention Figure 1 Enlarged structural diagram of section A.

[0027] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the supporting lower leg and supporting foot provided by the present invention.

[0028] Figure 8 A simplified structural diagram of a variable-diameter curved surface adaptive robot for internal inspection of wind turbine blades, as provided by the present invention, supported inside the wind turbine blade.

[0029] In the diagram: 1. Body; 2. Detection mechanism; 3. Linear drive module; 31. Linear drive motor; 32. Lead screw; 33. Lead screw nut; 34. Lead screw travel plate; 35. Stabilizer rod; 36. Lead screw support plate; 4. Support leg assembly; 41. Main support leg; 42. Secondary support leg; 421. Support thigh; 422. Support calf; 423. Support foot; 4231. Active walking wheel support assembly; 4232. Active walking wheel drive mechanism; 42321. Walking wheel. Drive motor, 42322, driving bevel gear, 42323, driven bevel gear, 4233, driven travel wheel support assembly, 42311, support plate, 42312, support wheel seat, 42313, damping spring, 42315, guide assembly, 4234, torsion spring hinge, 424, servo motor, 43, connecting rod, first hinge shaft, 45, second hinge shaft, 46, third hinge shaft, 5, travel wheel, 6, angle adjustment motor, Y1 web plate, Y2, blade housing. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", 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 this invention and simplifying the description, and 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. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0032] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0033] Please see Figures 1-8This invention discloses a variable-diameter curved surface adaptive robot for inspecting the interior of wind turbine blades, comprising: a body 1, an inspection mechanism 2, a variable-diameter support mechanism, and a controller. The body 1 has a front end and a rear end arranged opposite to each other. The inspection mechanism 2 can be an inspection camera, which is installed on the top of the body 1 for endoscopic observation and image acquisition of the interior of the blade under stable support of the robot. Two sets of variable-diameter support mechanisms are provided, and the two sets of variable-diameter support mechanisms are respectively installed at the front end and rear end of the body 1. Each set of variable-diameter support mechanisms includes: Linear drive module 3 is installed on the corresponding end wall of the body 1 and its movement direction is arranged along the front and rear directions of the body 1. The support leg assembly 4 includes a main support leg 41 and at least two auxiliary support legs 42. The main support leg 41 and the two auxiliary support legs 42 are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the linear drive module 3. A first hinge shaft 44 is installed on the end wall of the body 1 corresponding to the main support leg 41 and each auxiliary support leg 42. The first hinge shaft 44 is arranged along the front and rear ends perpendicular to the body 1. One end of the main support leg 41 and each auxiliary support leg 42 is respectively hinged to the corresponding first hinge shaft 44. The middle part is respectively connected to the output end of the linear drive module 3 through a connecting rod 43 so as to contract or expand along the radial direction of the linear drive module 3 under the drive of the linear drive module 3. Multiple walking wheels 5 are installed at the other end of the main support leg 41 and each auxiliary support leg 42, and their walking direction is arranged along the front and rear directions of the body 1. The auxiliary support leg angle adjustment assembly includes an angle adjustment motor 6. Two angle adjustment motors 6 correspond one-to-one with two auxiliary support legs 42 and are fixed on the body 1. Their output shafts are arranged along the front and rear directions of the body 1 and are connected to the first hinge shaft 44 corresponding to the auxiliary support leg 42 to drive the auxiliary support leg 42 to rotate in the circumferential direction of the linear drive module 3.

[0034] The controller is used to control the operation of the linear drive module 3 and the angle adjustment motor 6.

[0035] When the robot walks inside the wind turbine blade, it can drive the support leg assembly 4 to change diameter through the linear drive module 3 to adapt to the change in the inner diameter of the wind turbine blade. At the same time, the angle of the secondary support leg 42 can be adjusted independently through the secondary support leg angle adjustment assembly, so that the robot can form a stable double-sided support configuration in the asymmetric curved surface. This improves the support stability, passability and attitude reliability during the internal inspection process of the blade, and avoids situations such as unilateral force, wheel set bias, attitude tilt or unstable support.

[0036] Specifically, the linear drive module 3 adopts a ball screw drive module, which can achieve large stroke movement and a wide range of diameter changes, adapting to environments where the cross-sectional dimensions of wind turbine blades vary greatly along their length. In one specific embodiment, see... Figure 2 Figure 3 The lead screw drive module includes a linear drive motor 31, a lead screw 32, a lead screw nut 33, a lead screw travel plate 34, a stabilizer rod 35, and a lead screw support plate 36. The linear drive motor 31 is fixed to the end wall of the machine body 1. The lead screw 32 is arranged along the front and rear ends of the machine body 1, with one end connected to the linear drive motor 31 and the other end connected to the lead screw support plate 36 via a bearing. The lead screw nut 33 is connected to the lead screw 32, and the lead screw travel plate 34 is fixedly connected to the lead screw nut 33. Multiple stabilizer rods 35 are arranged circumferentially at intervals on the outer periphery of the lead screw 32, and one end of each stabilizer rod 35 is fastened to the lead screw support plate 36, and the other end is fastened to the end wall of the machine body 1. The lead screw travel plate 34 has a stabilizing hole corresponding to each stabilizer rod 35, which is slidably connected to it to ensure that the lead screw travel plate 34 moves smoothly. The stabilizer rod 35 has threads at both ends and is fixed to the lead screw support plate 36 or the end wall of the machine body 1 by matching fastening nuts, facilitating disassembly and assembly. It is understood that in some other embodiments, other types of linear drive modules 3 in the prior art can also be used for driving.

[0037] For details, see Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 One end of the connecting rod 43 is hinged to the main support leg 41 or the auxiliary support leg 42 via a second hinge shaft 45, and the other end is connected to the output end of the linear drive module 3 via a third hinge shaft 46. Each second hinge shaft 45 and the third hinge shaft 46 corresponding to the main support leg 41 are arranged along the front and rear ends of the vertical body 1. The third hinge shaft 46 corresponding to the auxiliary support leg 42 is a universal hinge shaft. The main support leg 41 can only rotate radially, while the auxiliary support leg 42 can rotate both radially and circumferentially to adaptively adjust its angle to fit irregular curved surfaces.

[0038] For details, see Figure 4 The main support leg 41 is a single-joint structure, and a walking wheel 5 is installed at its end. The walking wheel 5 is mainly used to contact the flat web.

[0039] For details, see Figures 1-3 and Figure 5 , Figure 6The secondary support leg 42 is a multi-joint structure, comprising a support thigh 421, a support calf 422, and a support foot 423. One end of the support thigh 421 is hinged to the corresponding first hinge shaft 44, and the middle part is hinged to the corresponding connecting rod 43 via a second hinge shaft 45. The other end is equipped with a servo motor 424. The output shaft of the servo motor 424 is arranged along the direction perpendicular to the front and rear ends of the body 1. One end of the support calf 422 is connected to the output shaft of the servo motor 424. The support foot 423 is installed at the other end of the support calf 422. The multi-joint structure of the secondary support leg 42 provides strong adjustability, which is more conducive to adapting to the changes in the internal curvature of the wind turbine blades and ensuring its stability when moving inside the wind turbine blades.

[0040] For details, see Figure 6 , Figure 7 The support foot 423 includes an active walking wheel support assembly 4231, an active walking wheel drive mechanism 4232, and a driven walking wheel support assembly 4233. The active walking wheel support assembly 4231 is fixed to the end of the support lower leg 422 away from the support thigh 421. The active walking wheel drive mechanism 4232 is mounted on the active walking wheel support assembly 4231. There are two sets of driven walking wheel support assemblies 4233, and the two sets of driven walking wheel support assemblies 4233 are respectively hinged to both sides of the active walking wheel support assembly 4231 arranged in the circumferential direction of the linear drive module 3. Walking wheels 5 are mounted on both the active walking wheel support assembly 4231 and the driven walking wheel support assembly 4233, and the walking wheels 5 on the active walking wheel support assembly 4231 are connected to the output end of the active walking wheel drive mechanism 4232. The support foot 423 adopts a multi-wheel structure to enhance support stability. At the same time, each walking wheel 5 can adjust its angle when it contacts the curved surface of the blade shell to adapt to local curvature changes of the blade, improve the fit between each walking wheel 5 and the curved shell, and thus enhance the robot's support reliability and passage ability within the curved shell.

[0041] Specifically, the active walking wheel support assembly 4231 and the driven walking wheel support assembly 4233 have the same structure, both including a support plate 42311 and a support wheel seat 42312. The support wheel seat 42312 is fixed to the bottom of the support plate 42311, and the walking wheel 5 is rotatably mounted on the corresponding support wheel seat 42312. In the active walking wheel support assembly 4231, the support plate 42311 is fixed to the end of the support lower leg 422 away from the support upper leg 421, and the active walking wheel drive mechanism 4232 is mounted on the support plate 42311. In the driven walking wheel support assembly 4233, the support plate 42311 is hinged to the side end of the support plate 42311 in the active walking wheel support assembly 4231.

[0042] Specifically, the support plate 42311 in the active walking wheel support assembly 4231 and the support plate 42311 in the driven walking wheel support assembly 4233 are hinged together by a torsion spring hinge 4234. In its natural state, the torsion spring within the torsion spring hinge 4234 keeps the three walking wheels 5 parallel. When the support foot 423 contacts the curved surface of the housing, each wheel can independently deflect around the axis of the torsion spring hinge 4234 to adapt to local curvature changes in the housing. When the support foot 423 detaches from the housing, the torsion spring provides an elastic restoring force, causing each wheel to return to its initial parallel state. This ensures the stability and reliability of the wheel assembly posture when the robot moves within the inclined inner cavity of the wind turbine blade.

[0043] Specifically, it also includes a shock-absorbing component, which includes a guide component and a shock-absorbing spring 42313. The guide component includes a guide member and a sliding member. The guide member is mounted on the support plate 42311, and the sliding member is mounted on the support wheel seat 42312 and is slidably connected to the guide member along the direction perpendicular to the wheel axle of the corresponding traveling wheel 5. The two ends of the shock-absorbing spring 42313 are respectively connected to the support plate 42311 and the support wheel seat 42312. The guide member and the sliding member can be a sliding rail and slider combination, or a fixed tube and a sliding rod combination, thereby achieving smooth relative sliding between the support plate 42311 and the support wheel seat 42312, enabling the compression and extension of the shock-absorbing spring 42313 to play a shock-absorbing role. This allows the corresponding traveling wheel 5 to adapt to local curvature changes in the shell during travel and improves the surface fit. Multiple guide components can be provided, and any combination of one or more different guide forms such as sliding rail and slider, fixed tube and sliding rod can be used to improve the stability of the support wheel seat 42312 during sliding.

[0044] Specifically, the active walking wheel drive mechanism 4232 includes a walking drive motor 42321 and a transmission unit. The walking drive motor 42321 is a servo motor, which is fixed on the corresponding support plate 42311 and its output shaft is arranged perpendicular to the axle of the corresponding walking wheel 5. The transmission unit includes an active bevel gear 42322 and a driven bevel gear 42323. The active bevel gear 42322 is connected to the output shaft of the walking drive motor 42321, and the driven bevel gear 42323 is fixed on the axle of the corresponding walking wheel 5 and meshes with the active bevel gear 42322 for transmission. When the robot walks, the driving force of the walking drive motor 42321 drives the walking wheel 5 in the active walking wheel support assembly 4231 to rotate, and the walking wheel 5 then drives the other walking wheels 5 to move forward. At the same time, this layout of the active walking wheel drive mechanism 4232 makes the structure more compact and reduces the space occupied.

[0045] Specifically, when setting the damping component, a follower component is provided between the driving bevel gear 42322 and the output shaft of the drive motor. The follower component may include a follower sleeve and a follower spring. One end of the follower sleeve is slidably connected to the output shaft of the drive motor, and the other end is fixedly connected to the driving bevel gear 42322. The follower spring is set inside the follower sleeve, and its two ends are respectively connected to the driving bevel gear 42322 and the output shaft of the drive motor to ensure that the driving bevel gear 42322 and the driven bevel gear 42323 move synchronously and ensure meshing.

[0046] This embodiment also provides a method for using a variable-diameter curved surface adaptive robot for internal inspection of wind turbine blades, including the following steps: S1. Variable Diameter Deployment Stage: When the robot walks inside the wind turbine blade, it drives the main support leg 41 and the auxiliary support leg 42 to expand radially according to the inner diameter of the blade through the linear drive module 3 to achieve a large range of variable diameter. This can adapt to the environment of the wind turbine blade with large changes in cross-sectional size along the length direction and asymmetrical internal cavity structure, so that the robot can smoothly enter the narrow space near the leading edge, trailing edge and web plate, avoiding jamming or unstable support.

[0047] S2. Contact and Fitting Stage: As the diameter changes and unfolds, the traveling wheel 5 on the main support leg 41 first contacts the flat web inside the blade to establish initial positioning and support. Subsequently, the linear drive module 3 continues to drive the two auxiliary support legs 42 to unfold synchronously until each auxiliary support leg 42 can touch the inner wall of the corresponding blade, so as to achieve multi-point force support, ensure the robot operates steadily in the asymmetric inner cavity, and avoid shaking or detection errors caused by insufficient force on the web. After each auxiliary support leg 42 contacts the shell, its respective angle adjustment motor 6 responds in real time to the curvature change of the inner wall surface of the blade on that side, independently adjusting the rotation angle so that the traveling wheel 5 fully fits the inner wall surface of the corresponding blade, and makes the force direction of the traveling wheel 5 as close as possible to the normal direction of the shell, improving the support stability, especially suitable for asymmetric elliptical surfaces or slightly curved surfaces.

[0048] S3. During travel: The angle adjustment motors 6 continuously adjust in real time to cope with the continuous curvature changes of the inner wall surface of the blade.

[0049] In S2, see Figure 8Because the inner wall of the wind turbine blade is asymmetrical, during the diameter change process, the traveling wheel 5 on the main support leg 41 first contacts the flat web inside the blade to establish initial positioning and support. As the linear drive module 3 continues to drive, the traveling wheel 5 on one of the auxiliary support legs 42 will first contact the corresponding side shell. After the support leg on this side contacts the shell, its end support leg 422 rotates under the drive of the servo motor 424, enabling each traveling wheel 5 on the end support foot 423 of the leg to automatically adjust to a more stable force posture relative to the shell surface, thereby reducing the force offset caused by the tilt of the shell surface and improving contact stability. After one side of the auxiliary support leg 42 completes stable contact, the support leg assembly 4 continues to unfold with the drive of the linear drive module 3. When the other support leg contacts the other asymmetrical shell, the robot can adapt to the shell surfaces with different curvatures and spatial shapes on both sides simultaneously, forming a stable support configuration suitable for asymmetrical cavities.

[0050] When adjusting the support leg 422, the smaller the angle between the line connecting the contact point between the axle and rolling surface of the walking wheel 5 and the inner wall of the housing and the normal direction of the inner wall of the housing, the greater the effective normal support force and the improved support stability. Therefore, when adjusting the rotation angle of the support leg 422 via the servo motor 424, the wheel assembly should be made to contact the inner wall of the housing as close as possible to the normal direction to improve the robot's stress stability on the curved surface of the housing.

[0051] During the process of the linear drive module 3 driving the support leg assembly 4 to unfold and contact the inner wall of the housing, the controller monitors the drive current of the linear drive motor in real time. When the end of the support leg contacts the inner wall of the housing and forms a constraint, the current will surge significantly and exceed the preset threshold. Based on this, the controller can determine that the support leg has established contact with the inner wall of the housing, thereby controlling the linear drive motor to stop running. In addition, during the process of each auxiliary support leg adjusting its angle and contacting the inner wall of the housing under the drive of the corresponding angle adjustment motor 6, the controller can also monitor the drive current of the angle adjustment motor 6 in real time. When it contacts the inner wall of the housing and forms a constraint, the current will surge significantly and exceed the preset threshold. Based on this, the controller can determine that the support leg has established contact with the inner wall of the housing, thereby controlling the angle adjustment motor 6 to stop running.

[0052] When adjusting the angle of each traveling wheel on the lower support foot 423, the servo motor drives the lower support foot 422 to rotate slowly, adjusting the traveling wheels to the normal direction of the housing. During the adjustment process, if the traveling wheels are not close to the normal direction, there is a lateral component force, and the servo motor output torque is relatively large. When the wheel set rotates to the normal contact position, the servo motor output torque enters the minimum value, which is the stall state. The servo motor current stabilizes within the threshold range, at which point it can be determined that the traveling wheel set has made perpendicular contact with the housing. In addition, due to the installation of damping springs, after coarse positioning by the servo motor, the clamping force of the damping springs can be used to make the traveling wheels further conform to the local curvature deviation of the housing, further improving the contact stability. The above judgment is mainly based on the angle of the active traveling wheel. After the active traveling wheel is adjusted to the correct position, the driven traveling wheel will automatically conform to the corresponding inner wall of the housing under the synergistic action of the torsion spring hinge and the damping spring.

[0053] The robot provided by this invention can adapt to complex environments with large-scale cross-sectional changes, asymmetrical curved surfaces on both sides, and continuous curvature variations. It can maintain a stable posture and reliable stress distribution in the leading edge, trailing edge, and near the web of wind turbine blades, thereby improving the robot's maneuverability and operational efficiency. Compared to manual endoscopic inspection, this robot eliminates the need for manual entry into the blade, significantly reducing labor intensity and safety risks. Simultaneously, its multi-point adaptive support and curved surface fitting capabilities reduce the risk of jamming and tipping, improving overall operational efficiency.

[0054] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on its differences from other embodiments. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. For the apparatus disclosed in the embodiments, since they correspond to the methods disclosed in the embodiments, the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the method section.

[0055] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A variable-diameter curved surface adaptive robot for internal inspection of wind turbine blades, characterized in that, include: The machine body (1), the detection mechanism (2), and the variable diameter support mechanism are provided. The machine body (1) has a front end and a rear end arranged opposite to each other. The detection mechanism (2) is installed on the top of the machine body (1). There are two sets of variable diameter support mechanisms, and the two sets of variable diameter support mechanisms are respectively installed at the front end and the rear end of the machine body (1). Each set of variable diameter support mechanisms includes: A linear drive module (3) is installed on the corresponding end wall of the body (1) and its movement direction is arranged along the front and rear directions of the body (1). The support leg assembly (4) includes a main support leg (41) and a plurality of auxiliary support legs (42). The main support leg (41) and the plurality of auxiliary support legs (42) are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the linear drive module (3). A first hinge shaft (44) is installed on the end wall of the body (1) corresponding to the main support leg (41) and each of the auxiliary support legs (42). The first hinge shaft (44) is arranged perpendicular to the front end and rear end of the body (1). One end of the main support leg (41) and each of the auxiliary support legs (42) are respectively hinged to the corresponding first hinge shaft (44). The middle part is respectively connected to the output end of the linear drive module (3) through a connecting rod (43) so as to contract or expand along the radial direction of the linear drive module (3) under the drive of the linear drive module (3). Multiple walking wheels (5) are installed at the other end of the main support leg (41) and each of the auxiliary support legs (42), and their walking direction is arranged along the front and rear directions of the body (1). The auxiliary support leg angle adjustment assembly includes an angle adjustment motor (6), a plurality of angle adjustment motors (6) correspond one-to-one with a plurality of auxiliary support legs (42) and are fixed on the body (1). The output shaft of the motors is arranged along the front and rear directions of the body (1) and is connected to the first hinge shaft (44) corresponding to the auxiliary support leg (42) to drive the auxiliary support leg (42) to rotate along the circumferential direction of the linear drive module (3).

2. The variable-diameter curved surface adaptive robot for internal inspection of wind turbine blades according to claim 1, characterized in that, The linear drive module (3) adopts a lead screw drive module.

3. The variable-diameter curved surface adaptive robot for internal inspection of wind turbine blades according to claim 1, characterized in that, One end of the connecting rod (43) is hinged to the main support leg (41) or the secondary support leg (42) via a second hinge shaft (45), and the other end is connected to the output end of the linear drive module (3) via a third hinge shaft (46); wherein each of the second hinge shafts (45) and the third hinge shafts (46) corresponding to the main support leg (41) are arranged along the front and rear ends perpendicular to the body (1), and the third hinge shaft (46) corresponding to the secondary support leg (42) is a universal hinge shaft.

4. The variable-diameter curved surface adaptive robot for internal inspection of wind turbine blades according to claim 3, characterized in that, The secondary support leg (42) is a multi-joint structure, which includes a support thigh (421), a support calf (422) and a support foot (423). One end of the support thigh (421) is hinged to the corresponding first hinge shaft (44), and the middle part is hinged to the corresponding connecting rod (43) through the second hinge shaft (45). The other end is provided with a servo motor (424). The output shaft of the servo motor (424) is arranged along the direction perpendicular to the front and rear ends of the body (1). One end of the support calf (422) is connected to the output shaft of the servo motor (424) for transmission. The support foot (423) is installed at the other end of the support calf (422).

5. The variable-diameter curved surface adaptive robot for internal inspection of wind turbine blades according to claim 4, characterized in that, The support foot (423) includes an active walking wheel support assembly (4231), an active walking wheel drive mechanism (4232), and a driven walking wheel support assembly (4233). The active walking wheel support assembly (4231) is fixed to one end of the support lower leg (422) away from the support upper leg (421). The active walking wheel drive mechanism (4232) is mounted on the active walking wheel support assembly (4231). There are two sets of driven walking wheel support assemblies (4233), and the two sets of driven walking wheel support assemblies (4233) are respectively hinged to both sides of the active walking wheel support assembly (4231) arranged along the circumferential direction of the linear drive module (3). The active walking wheel support assembly (4231) and the driven walking wheel support assembly (4233) are both equipped with walking wheels (5), and the walking wheels (5) on the active walking wheel support assembly (4231) are connected to the output end of the active walking wheel drive mechanism (4232) for transmission.

6. The adaptive robot for internal inspection of wind turbine blades with variable diameter curved surfaces according to claim 5, characterized in that, The active walking wheel support assembly (4231) and the driven walking wheel support assembly (4233) have the same structure, both including a support plate (42311) and a support wheel seat (42312). The support wheel seat (42312) is fixed to the bottom of the support plate (42311), and the walking wheel (5) is rotatably mounted on the corresponding support wheel seat (42312). The support plate (42311) in the active walking wheel support assembly (4231) is fixed to the end of the support lower leg (422) away from the support upper leg (421), and the active walking wheel drive mechanism (4232) is mounted on the support plate (42311). The support plate (42311) in the driven walking wheel support assembly (4233) is hinged to the side end of the support plate (42311) in the active walking wheel support assembly (4231).

7. The adaptive robot for internal inspection of wind turbine blades with variable diameter curved surfaces according to claim 6, characterized in that, The support plate (42311) in the active walking wheel support assembly (4231) and the support plate (42311) in the driven walking wheel support assembly (4233) are hinged by a torsion spring hinge (4234).

8. The adaptive robot for internal inspection of wind turbine blades with variable diameter curved surfaces according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes a shock-absorbing component, which includes a guide component and a shock-absorbing spring (42313). The guide component includes a guide member and a sliding member. The guide member is mounted on the support plate (42311), and the sliding member is mounted on the support wheel seat (42312) and is slidably connected to the guide member in a direction perpendicular to the wheel axle of the traveling wheel (5). The two ends of the shock-absorbing spring (42313) are respectively connected to the support plate (42311) and the support wheel seat (42312).

9. The method of using the variable-diameter curved surface adaptive robot for internal inspection of wind turbine blades as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1, Variable diameter expansion stage: When the robot walks inside the wind turbine blade, according to the inner diameter of the blade, the main support leg (41) and the auxiliary support leg (42) are driven to expand radially through the linear drive module (3) to achieve variable diameter; S2, Contact and Fitting Stage: As the diameter changes and unfolds, the traveling wheel (5) on the main support leg (41) first contacts the flat web inside the blade to establish initial positioning and support; then the linear drive module (3) continues to drive multiple auxiliary support legs (42) to unfold synchronously until each auxiliary support leg (42) can touch the inner wall of the corresponding blade; after each auxiliary support leg (42) contacts the shell, its respective angle adjustment motor (6) responds in real time to the curvature change of the inner wall surface of the blade on that side, independently adjusting the rotation angle so that the traveling wheel (5) fully fits the inner wall surface of the corresponding blade; S3. During the journey: the angle adjustment motors (6) continuously adjust in real time to cope with the continuous curvature changes of the inner wall surface of the blade.

10. The method of using the variable-diameter curved surface adaptive robot for internal inspection of wind turbine blades according to claim 9, characterized in that, In S2, the walking wheels (5) on the main support leg (41) first contact the flat web inside the blade to establish initial positioning and support. Then, the multiple auxiliary support legs (42) continue to unfold under the continued drive of the linear drive module (3), contacting the inner wall of the blade on the corresponding side one by one, and independently adjusting the rotation angle through the angle adjustment motor (6) so that the corresponding walking wheel (5) is fully in contact with the inner wall of the corresponding blade.

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