A variable-diameter self-adaptive pipeline inner and outer wall inspection robot

Abstract

The application discloses a variable-diameter self-adaptive pipeline inner and outer wall inspection robot and belongs to the technical field of pipeline detection robots, which comprises a vehicle body main frame, a magnetic adsorption crawler walking mechanism arranged on the vehicle body main frame, a variable-diameter self-adaptive wall surface fitting mechanism, a spiral line type advancing mechanism, an obstacle surmounting mechanism and an auxiliary support anti-inclination mechanism. The application combines two passive degrees of freedom of a carbon fiber rod with an active variable diameter of an electric push rod, can fit different pipe diameters and can detect the inner and outer walls of the pipeline integrally, and the scissor linkage mechanism is used as a variable-diameter and steering transmission member, so that the whole machine is compact. The steering engine drives the whole vehicle to incline and deflect to realize spiral line type full circumferential coverage advancing. The controllable actuator is normally locked and released when surmounting obstacles, so that active obstacle surmounting is realized. The auxiliary support anti-inclination mechanism restrains the front and rear pitching of the whole vehicle. The magnetic adsorption crawler with embedded permanent magnets can reliably work on the pipeline outer wall and the inverted inner wall in all postures.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of pipeline inspection robot technology, and relates to a variable diameter adaptive pipeline inner and outer wall inspection robot. Background Technology

[0002] Pipelines are widely used in oil, natural gas, chemical, and municipal water supply and drainage fields. During long-term service, the inner wall of pipelines is prone to corrosion thinning, pitting, scaling, and weld cracks, while the outer wall is prone to damage and corrosion of the anti-corrosion layer. If not inspected in time, these issues can easily lead to leaks or even explosions. Therefore, periodic inspections of the inner and outer walls of pipelines are necessary. Manual inspection has problems such as limited space inside the pipe, harsh environment, high safety risks, many blind spots, and high difficulty and low efficiency of high-altitude operations on the outer wall. Therefore, replacing manual labor with robots has become a development trend.

[0003] In existing technologies, an umbrella-shaped variable-diameter pipe inspection robot, CN223049696U, uses a screw nut to drive the support arm to open and close to adapt to different pipe diameters, possessing a certain diameter-changing capability. However, it uses wheeled support, is only suitable for inspecting the inner wall of pipes, and cannot handle external wall operations. Furthermore, it has a small contact area and insufficient stability on curved walls. Another example is a tracked pipe inspection robot, CN122170303A, with adjustable vehicle height. It adjusts the track spacing to adapt to the pipe diameter by sliding between the protective plate and the connecting plate, but it requires manual pushing for adjustment and lacks active obstacle-crossing capability.

[0004] In summary, existing pipeline inspection robots have the following main drawbacks: First, their adaptability to varying pipe diameters is limited, with most only suitable for inner or outer walls, making integrated inner and outer wall inspection difficult. Second, their contact area on curved pipe walls is small, resulting in insufficient adhesion stability and easy detachment. Third, they lack active obstacle-crossing capabilities, exhibiting poor passability when traversing obstacles such as weld bosses and flange steps. Fourth, their movement is mostly linear, making it difficult to achieve full circumferential coverage inspection of the pipe wall in a single stroke, leading to missed inspections. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Purpose of the invention: The purpose of this invention is to provide a variable diameter adaptive pipeline inner and outer wall inspection robot that can combine passive adaptive and active diameter change to fit the inner and outer curved surfaces of different pipe diameters, achieve spiral full-coverage movement through vehicle tilting and deflection, and achieve active obstacle crossing through a controllable obstacle crossing mechanism, thereby completing the integrated inspection of the inner and outer walls of pipelines.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention is: a variable diameter adaptive pipeline inner and outer wall inspection robot, comprising a main body frame, a magnetic adsorption track walking mechanism, a variable diameter adaptive wall-fitting mechanism, a spiral travel mechanism, an obstacle-crossing mechanism, and an auxiliary support anti-tilting mechanism. The magnetic adsorption track walking mechanism includes two sets of track modules symmetrically installed on both sides of the vehicle body frame. Permanent magnet blocks are embedded in the track links of the two sets of track modules, and the track is driven by a drive motor installed on the track module. The variable diameter adaptive wall-fitting mechanism includes a carbon fiber rod, a scissor linkage mechanism, and an electric push rod. The track module is connected to the main body frame of the vehicle body via the carbon fiber rod. The electric push rod drives the scissor linkage mechanism to make the two sets of track modules synchronously expand or retract along the radial direction of the pipeline. The spiral-shaped travel mechanism includes a servo motor installed at the middle steering knuckle on the main body frame of the vehicle. The servo motor drives the middle main body on the vehicle to tilt and deflect via a steering linkage and a scissor linkage mechanism, so that the robot travels along a spiral trajectory. The obstacle-crossing mechanism includes a tiltable obstacle-crossing section and a controllable brake respectively installed at the front and rear ends of each track module. The controllable brake normally locks the obstacle-crossing section and releases it during obstacle crossing to tilt the obstacle-crossing section to cross the obstacle. The auxiliary support anti-tilt mechanism is installed at the front and rear ends of the vehicle body frame to prevent the vehicle from tilting forward or backward in the direction of travel.

[0007] Furthermore, the drive motor is provided with two motors symmetrically mounted on the track baffles of the two sets of track modules. The drive motors are connected to the drive transmission shaft via a pair of meshing bevel gears. The drive transmission shaft drives the transmission gear, and the transmission gear meshes with the mounted drive gear. The drive gear meshes with the track chain links to drive the track to rotate.

[0008] Furthermore, the variable diameter adaptive wall-fitting mechanism also includes a self-aligning ball bearing, a self-aligning ball bearing support, a slide rail, and a slider. The end of the carbon fiber rod is mounted on the self-aligning ball bearing support via the self-aligning ball bearing. The scissor lift linkage mechanism is mounted on the main frame of the vehicle body via the slider and the slide rail. The track module is sleeved on the carbon fiber rod via the installed sliding bearing. The electric push rod drives the scissor lift linkage mechanism to open and close, causing the slider to slide along the slide rail. The extension and retraction of the electric push rod causes the two sets of track modules to be in an inward or outward octagonal posture, respectively adapting to the operation on the outer and inner walls of the pipeline.

[0009] Furthermore, the carbon fiber rod only serves a passive adaptive function. The track module is connected to the sliding bearing sleeve via a track linkage mechanism. The sliding bearing sleeve is fitted onto the carbon fiber rod and fixed by a connecting pin. The track module rotates freely around the carbon fiber rod via the sliding bearing, and the carbon fiber rod swings freely in three-dimensional space via a self-aligning ball bearing. The two degrees of freedom mentioned above are used to passively conform to the curved surface of the pipe wall.

[0010] Furthermore, a shock-absorbing spring is also fitted onto the carbon fiber rod.

[0011] Furthermore, the scissor linkage mechanism is an X-shaped cross-hinged linkage group. It also serves as a shared transmission component for both variable diameter and helical travel.

[0012] Furthermore, the obstacle crossing section includes an obstacle crossing frame and track rollers mounted on the obstacle crossing frame that can rotate freely to support the tracks.

[0013] Furthermore, the obstacle-crossing mechanism also includes a first brake shaft, a second brake shaft, a brake pulley, and a V-shaped transmission belt. When the controllable brake is normally locked, it locks the obstacle-crossing swing frame at its own end via the first brake shaft, and transmits the signal to the second brake shaft via the brake pulley and the V-shaped transmission belt to lock the obstacle-crossing swing frame at the other end, so that the front and rear obstacle-crossing sections are locked synchronously, and the support pulley still rotates normally when locked.

[0014] Furthermore, the permanent magnet is a neodymium iron boron permanent magnet, arranged in an array along the track links and the direction of the magnetic attraction force is perpendicular to the normal of the pipe wall; Cameras and searchlights are also installed on the main body frame of the vehicle.

[0015] Furthermore, the auxiliary support anti-tilt mechanism is provided in pairs at the front and rear ends of the main body frame of the vehicle body, including a support base fixed to the vehicle body, a support plate with one end hinged to the support base and the other end equipped with a support wheel, and a tension spring connecting the two.

[0016] Beneficial Effects: Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following significant advantages: The present invention combines the two passive degrees of freedom of the carbon fiber rod with the active diameter change of the electric push rod, which can not only fit different pipe diameters but also take into account the integrated detection of the inner and outer walls of the pipe; the scissor linkage mechanism has two functions, serving as both a diameter changer and a steering transmission component, making the whole machine compact; the servo motor drives the tilting and deflection of the whole vehicle to achieve spiral-shaped full-circumferential coverage movement; the controllable brake is normally locked and released when crossing obstacles, achieving smooth and controllable active obstacle crossing; the auxiliary support anti-tilt mechanism suppresses the pitch of the whole vehicle; with the magnetic adsorption track with embedded permanent magnets, the robot can reliably adhere to the wall in all postures, including the outer wall of the pipe and the inverted inner wall. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the variable diameter adaptive wall-fitting mechanism of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the scissor linkage mechanism of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the drive transmission split structure of the track module of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the braking transmission structure of the obstacle-crossing mechanism of the present invention; Figure 6This is a schematic diagram of the invention climbing the outer wall of the pipe; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the invention climbing the inner wall of the pipe; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the spiral-shaped travel of the present invention; In the diagram, 1 is the main frame of the vehicle body, 2 is the track module, 3 is the permanent magnet, 4 is the carbon fiber rod, 5 is the self-aligning ball bearing, 6 is the sliding bearing, 7 is the shock absorber spring, 8 is the scissor linkage mechanism, 9 is the electric push rod, 10 is the servo motor, 11 is the steering linkage, 12 is the drive motor, 13 is the bevel gear, 16 is the controllable brake, 17 is the camera, 18 is the self-aligning ball bearing support, 19 is the slide rail, 20 is the slider, 21 is the track linkage mechanism, 22 is the sliding bearing sleeve, 23 is the track baffle, 25 is the searchlight, 26 is the track, 27 is the track link, and 28 is the mid-section steering knuckle. 29 is the central main body, 30 is the obstacle crossing section, 31 is the connecting pin, 32 is the first brake shaft, 33 is the second brake shaft, 34 is the transmission gear, 35 is the drive gear, 36 is the drive transmission shaft, 37 is the track support roller, 38 is the obstacle crossing swing frame, 39 is the brake pulley, 40 is the V-shaped transmission belt, 41 is the support base, 42 is the support plate, 43 is the tension spring, 44 is the support wheel, 100 is the magnetic adsorption track walking mechanism, 200 is the variable diameter adaptive wall-fitting mechanism, 300 is the spiral travel mechanism, 400 is the obstacle crossing mechanism, and 500 is the auxiliary support anti-tilting mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The specific technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific examples.

[0019] As shown in the figure, the variable diameter adaptive pipe inner and outer wall inspection robot of the present invention includes a main body frame 1 and a magnetic adsorption track walking mechanism 100, a variable diameter adaptive wall-fitting mechanism 200, a spiral travel mechanism 300, an obstacle crossing mechanism 400 and an auxiliary support anti-tilting mechanism 500 mounted on it. Two sets of track modules 2 are symmetrically installed on the left and right sides of the main body frame 1. A camera 17 and a searchlight 25 are also installed on the main body frame 1. The searchlight 25 is used for illumination, and the camera 17 is used to collect images of the inner and outer walls of the pipeline.

[0020] like Figure 1-4 As shown, the track 26 of each track module 2 is formed by multiple track links 27 hinged together in sequence to form a closed track chain. A permanent magnet block 3 made of neodymium iron boron is embedded in each track link 27. The permanent magnet block 3 is arranged in an array along the track link 27 and the direction of the magnetic attraction force is perpendicular to the normal of the pipe wall.

[0021] Two drive motors 12 are symmetrically arranged and fixed to the track baffles 23 of the two sets of track modules 2 by bolts. The output end of the drive motor 12 is connected to the drive transmission shaft 36 after being reversed by a pair of meshing bevel gears 13. A transmission gear 34 is fixed on the drive transmission shaft 36. The transmission gear 34 meshes with the drive gear 35, and the drive gear 35 meshes with the track link 27, thereby driving the track 26 to rotate in the forward and reverse directions to achieve forward and backward movement.

[0022] like Figure 2-3 As shown, the end of the carbon fiber rod 4 is mounted on the self-aligning ball bearing support 18 via the self-aligning ball bearing 5, and the self-aligning ball bearing support 18 is fixedly connected to the main body frame 1 of the vehicle body; the scissor linkage mechanism 8 is an X-shaped cross-hinged linkage group, and is mounted on the main body frame 1 of the vehicle body via the slider 20 and the slide rail 19, and the slider 20 is embedded in the slide rail 19 and slides back and forth along it; The track module 2 is connected to the sliding bearing sleeve 22 via the track linkage mechanism 21. The sliding bearing sleeve 22 is sleeved on the carbon fiber rod 4 via the sliding bearing 6 and fixed by the connecting pin 31. A shock-absorbing spring 7 is also fitted onto the carbon fiber rod 4.

[0023] like Figure 2 , 3 As shown in Figures 6 and 7, when the diameter changes, the two electric push rods 9 synchronously extend and retract to drive the X-shaped scissor linkage mechanism 8 to open and close, and drive the two sliders 20 to slide along the slide rail 19 in the same direction. When the electric push rods 9 extend, the scissor linkage mechanism 8 retracts, and the two sliders 20 slide together toward the front of the vehicle body. The two sets of track modules 2 retract inward to form an inward V-shape, and the radial diameter decreases, so as to clamp the outer wall of the pipe and adapt to the smaller pipe diameter. When the electric push rod 9 retracts, the scissor linkage mechanism 8 opens, the two sliders 20 slide together toward the rear of the vehicle, and the two sets of track modules 2 open outward in an outward V-shape, increasing the radial diameter to support the inner wall of the pipe and adapt to a larger pipe diameter. The telescopic extension of the electric push rod 9 enables a wide range of active diameter changes and switching between inner and outer wall working postures. The passive two degrees of freedom of the carbon fiber rod 4, on this basis, makes conformal fine adjustments to the tube wall ellipticity error, local deformation and curved surface transition. The two work together to ensure that the track 26 continuously adheres to the wall. During movement, the track module 2 rotates freely around the carbon fiber rod 4 via the sliding bearing 6, and the carbon fiber rod 4 swings freely in three-dimensional space via the self-aligning ball bearing 5. Through the above two passive degrees of freedom, it conforms to the curved surface of the pipe wall. When there is an ellipticity error, local deformation or curved transition of the pipe wall, the shock-absorbing spring 7 absorbs the vibration and impact caused by this and obstacle crossing, protecting components such as the airborne camera 17.

[0024] like Figure 8As shown, the servo motor 10 of the spiral travel mechanism 300 is installed at the middle section of the steering knuckle 28 of the main body frame 1. Its output drives the middle body 29 of the vehicle body to deflect via the steering linkage 11. Since the middle body 29 is connected to the two side track modules 2 via the scissor linkage mechanism 8, the rotational motion of the servo motor 10 is transmitted to the two sides of the vehicle body via the steering linkage 11, the middle body 29 and the scissor linkage mechanism 8, and is converted into the tilting deflection of the whole vehicle, so that the front and rear track modules 2 generate a deflection angle, and the robot moves along the spiral trajectory.

[0025] The deflection angle and the travel speed of the track 26 together determine the spiral travel pitch, enabling the camera 17 to achieve full circumferential coverage detection of the pipe wall in a single stroke. The scissor linkage mechanism 8 also serves as a shared transmission component for diameter change and steering, reducing the number of parts and making the overall structure more compact.

[0026] like Figure 5 As shown, an obstacle crossing section 30 is installed at each of the front and rear ends of each set of track modules 2. Each obstacle crossing section 30 includes an obstacle crossing frame 38 and a track support wheel 37 mounted on it by a pivot pin. The track support wheel 37 can rotate freely around the pivot pin to support the track 26. The controllable brake 16 is fixed to the track baffle 23 by bolts, and its braking end is connected to the first brake shaft 32; brake pulleys 39 are respectively fixed on the first brake shaft 32 and the second brake shaft 33, and the two brake pulleys 39 are connected by a V-shaped transmission belt 40. During normal walking, the controllable brake 16 is locked, locking the obstacle-crossing swing frame 38 at this end via the first brake shaft 32, and transmitting the braking force to the second brake shaft 33 via the brake pulley 39 and V-shaped transmission belt 40 to lock the obstacle-crossing swing frame 38 at the other end, so that neither the front nor rear obstacle-crossing swing frame 38 can tilt up and the obstacle-crossing section 30 remains rigidly locked. At this time, the track roller 37 still rotates normally to support the track 26, and the robot walks smoothly; the V-shaped transmission belt 40 is only used to transmit braking force between the two brake shafts. When the front end of track 26 touches an obstacle such as a weld bead or flange step and needs to overcome the obstacle, the actuator 16 is released, the front and rear obstacle-crossing swing frame 38 is unlocked and tilted around the axis, driving the end of the track to rise and overcome the obstacle; after overcoming the obstacle, the actuator 16 is reset and locked, the obstacle-crossing section 30 is re-fixed, and the robot resumes normal walking.

[0027] like Figure 1 , 6As shown in Figure 7, the auxiliary support anti-tilt mechanism 500 is installed in pairs at the front and rear ends of the main body frame 1; the support base 41 is fixed to the main body frame 1; one end of the support plate 42 is hinged to the support base 41 and the other end is equipped with a support wheel 44; the two ends of the tension spring 43 are respectively connected to the support base 41 and the support plate 42 and apply tension to the support plate 42, so that the support wheel 44 keeps the tendency to abut against the tube wall, providing auxiliary support for the frame and suppressing the pitching and tilting of the whole vehicle along the direction of travel; When doing homework, such as Figure 6 Two sets of tracked modules 2 retract inward to clamp the outer wall of the pipe, and permanent magnet blocks 3 are adsorbed onto the outer surface. The robot moves spirally along the outer wall to detect the pipe. like Figure 7 Two sets of tracked modules 2 extend outward to support the inner wall of the pipe, and the robot moves spirally along the inner wall to perform inspection; with the help of camera 17 and searchlight 25, image acquisition and illumination are completed, realizing continuous and full-coverage inspection of the inner and outer walls of the pipe.

Claims

1. A variable-diameter adaptive pipe inner and outer wall inspection robot, characterized in that, It includes the main body frame (1), magnetic adsorption track walking mechanism (100), variable diameter adaptive wall-fitting mechanism (200), spiral travel mechanism (300), obstacle crossing mechanism (400) and auxiliary support anti-tilt mechanism (500). The magnetic adsorption track walking mechanism (100) includes two sets of track modules (2) symmetrically installed on both sides of the main body frame (1). Permanent magnet blocks (3) are embedded in the track links (27) of the two sets of track modules (2), and the track (26) is driven by the drive motor (12) installed on the track module (2). The variable diameter adaptive wall fitting mechanism (200) includes a carbon fiber rod (4), a scissor linkage mechanism (8) and an electric push rod (9). The track module (2) is connected to the main body frame (1) of the vehicle body via the carbon fiber rod (4). The electric push rod (9) drives the scissor linkage mechanism (8) to make the two sets of track modules (2) synchronously expand or retract along the radial direction of the pipeline. The spiral-shaped travel mechanism (300) includes a servo motor (10) installed at the middle section of the steering knuckle (28) on the main body frame (1). The servo motor (10) drives the middle main body (29) on the vehicle body to tilt and deflect via the steering linkage (11) and the scissor linkage mechanism (8), so that the robot travels along the spiral trajectory. The obstacle crossing mechanism (400) includes a tiltable obstacle crossing section (30) and a controllable brake (16) respectively installed at the front and rear ends of each track module (2). The controllable brake (16) normally locks the obstacle crossing section (30) and releases it during obstacle crossing to tilt the obstacle crossing section (30) to cross the obstacle. The auxiliary support anti-tilt mechanism (500) is installed at the front and rear ends of the vehicle body frame (1) to prevent the whole vehicle from tilting forward and backward along the direction of travel.

2. The variable-diameter adaptive pipe inner and outer wall inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive motor (12) is provided in two and symmetrically installed on the track baffles (23) of the two sets of track modules (2). The drive motor (12) is connected to the drive transmission shaft (36) via a pair of meshing bevel gears (13). The drive transmission shaft (36) drives the transmission gear (34), and the transmission gear (34) meshes with the installed drive gear (35). The drive gear (35) meshes with the track link (27) to drive the track (26) to rotate.

3. The variable-diameter adaptive pipe inner and outer wall inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The variable diameter adaptive wall fitting mechanism (200) also includes a self-aligning ball bearing (5), a self-aligning ball bearing support (18), a slide rail (19), and a slider (20). The end of the carbon fiber rod (4) is mounted on the self-aligning ball bearing support (18) via the self-aligning ball bearing (5). The scissor linkage mechanism (8) is mounted on the main frame (1) of the vehicle body via the slider (20) and the slide rail (19). The track module (2) is sleeved on the carbon fiber rod (4) via the installed sliding bearing (6). The electric push rod (9) drives the scissor linkage mechanism (8) to open and close, and drives the slider (20) to slide along the slide rail (19). The extension and retraction of the electric push rod (9) makes the two sets of track modules (2) octagonal or octagonal, respectively adapting to the operation of the outer and inner walls of the pipeline.

4. The variable-diameter adaptive pipe inner and outer wall inspection robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The track module (2) is connected to the sliding bearing sleeve (22) via the track linkage mechanism (21). The sliding bearing sleeve (22) is fitted onto the carbon fiber rod (4) and fixed by the connecting pin (31). The track module (2) rotates freely around the carbon fiber rod (4) via the sliding bearing (6), and the carbon fiber rod (4) swings freely in three-dimensional space via the self-aligning ball bearing (5). It passively conforms to the curved surface of the pipe wall through the above two degrees of freedom.

5. The variable-diameter adaptive pipe inner and outer wall inspection robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, A shock-absorbing spring (7) is also fitted onto the carbon fiber rod (4).

6. The variable-diameter adaptive pipe inner and outer wall inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The scissor linkage mechanism (8) is an X-shaped cross-hinged linkage group, and at the same time serves as a common transmission component for variable diameter and helical movement.

7. The variable-diameter adaptive pipe inner and outer wall inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The obstacle crossing section (30) includes an obstacle crossing frame (38) and a track roller (37) mounted on the obstacle crossing frame (38) and freely rotatable to support the tracks.

8. The variable-diameter adaptive pipe inner and outer wall inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The obstacle crossing mechanism (400) also includes a first brake shaft (32), a second brake shaft (33), a brake pulley (39), and a V-shaped transmission belt (40). When the controllable brake (16) is normally locked, it locks the obstacle crossing swing frame (38) at this end via the first brake shaft (32), and transmits the signal to the second brake shaft (33) via the brake pulley (39) and the V-shaped transmission belt (40) to lock the obstacle crossing swing frame (38) at the other end, so that the front and rear obstacle crossing sections (30) are locked synchronously, and the support pulley (37) still rotates normally when locked.

9. The variable-diameter adaptive pipe inner and outer wall inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The permanent magnet (3) is a neodymium iron boron permanent magnet, which is arranged in an array along the track link (27) and the direction of magnetic adsorption force is perpendicular to the normal of the pipe wall; A camera (17) and a searchlight (25) are also installed on the main body frame (1).

10. The variable-diameter adaptive pipe inner and outer wall inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The auxiliary support anti-tilt mechanism (500) is provided in pairs at the front and rear ends of the main body frame (1), including a support base (41) fixed to the body, a support plate (42) with one end hinged to the support base (41) and the other end equipped with a support wheel (44), and a tension spring (43) connected between the two.

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