Curved surface adsorption device and wall-climbing robot adopting same

Abstract

The utility model discloses a curved surface adsorption device and a wall-climbing robot adopting the same, and aims to solve the problems that an adsorption part of an existing magnetic adsorption wall-climbing robot cannot adapt to a plane working environment and a curved surface working environment at the same time, and the structure is complex. The device comprises a first bottom plate, a plurality of adsorption units and a control system, each adsorption unit comprises a second fixing support, a second motor, a second driving wheel disc, a second driving flexible cable and third adsorption assemblies, and the number of the third adsorption assemblies in each adsorption unit is two. The second fixing support is connected with the first bottom plate, the first bottom plate can support the second fixing support, the second motor is connected with the second fixing support, and the second driving wheel disc is arranged on an output shaft of the second motor. The magnetic adsorption self-adaptive curved surface adsorption device can be used for structural cleaning of steel structures, tanks and oil platforms, detection of preservatives and maintenance work of other equipment, and has high application value and good application prospects.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the field of machinery, in particular to the field of wall-climbing robots, and specifically to a curved surface adsorption device and a wall-climbing robot using the same. More specifically, the application provides a magnetic adsorption module for an adaptive curved surface, which is a magnetic adsorption module suitable for an adaptive curved surface of a wall-climbing robot, and can realize magnetic adsorption of a curved surface and a flat surface. Furthermore, the application also provides a magnetic adsorption wall-climbing robot. Background Art

[0002] In industrial application environments, there are a large number of similar magnetic curved walls such as the surface of oil platform jackets and oil gas tanks, and workers often need to inspect and repair the curved walls. Compared with negative pressure adsorption and adhesion, magnetic adsorption can provide stable adsorption force, simpler installation and control methods, and will not cause damage or deformation to the adsorbed objects. Therefore, it is widely used in the maintenance of magnetic curved walls. At present, magnetic adsorption wall-climbing robots have been widely used in the fields of construction, fire protection, petrochemicals, shipbuilding, nuclear industry, etc., effectively improving work efficiency and workers' life safety, and achieving the purpose of reducing costs and increasing efficiency.

[0003] In order to further improve the performance of magnetic adsorption wall-climbing robots and expand their application scope, people have also conducted a lot of research. For example, Chinese patent application CN201610083316.0 discloses a curved surface adaptive magnetic adsorption device, in which the housing of the motor is fixedly connected to the bracket; the output shaft of the motor is fixedly connected to the first magnetic wheel and the second magnetic wheel, so that the motor can simultaneously drive the first magnetic wheel and the second magnetic wheel to rotate coaxially; the first magnetic block, the second magnetic block and the third magnetic block are fixedly connected to the bracket, the first magnetic wheel and the second magnetic wheel are located between the first magnetic block and the second magnetic block, and the third magnetic block is located between the first magnetic wheel and the second magnetic wheel; when the curved surface adaptive magnetic adsorption device is in use, the wheel surface of the first magnetic wheel and the second magnetic wheel is in direct contact with the wall surface, and there is a gap between the first magnetic block, the second magnetic block and the third magnetic block and the wall surface. When the adsorption device moves on walls of different curvatures, the changes in the adsorption forces between the first magnetic wheel, the second magnetic wheel, the first magnetic block, the second magnetic block and the third magnetic block and the wall surface are complementary, and the total adsorption force can be kept in a small range of changes, and has good curved surface adaptive ability.

[0004] Chinese patent application CN201210540925.6 discloses a magnetic wheel wall climbing robot with curved surface adaptive adsorption, which includes a mobile platform with curved surface adaptive adsorption, etc. The mobile platform with curved surface adaptive adsorption is composed of a magnetic drive wheel unit and a curved surface adaptive frame, and the curved surface adaptive adsorption is achieved through the joint deformation of the elastic permanent magnetic adsorption layer in the magnetic drive wheel and the hinge in the frame. The magnetic wheel wall climbing robot of this scheme has good curved surface adaptive ability and obstacle crossing ability, and can stably walk on a curved surface with a small curvature radius.

[0005] Chinese patent application CN201810929222.X discloses a magnetic adsorption adaptive curved surface crawling robot, which includes a chassis, a front drive wheel group, a rear drive wheel group, a first swing arm system, a second swing arm system, etc.; the front drive wheel group and the rear drive wheel group are both located below the chassis, arranged one in front of the other, for providing magnetic adsorption force and driving force; the first swing arm system and the second swing arm system have the same structure, and are respectively fixed on both sides of the chassis in an alternating manner, for providing magnetic adsorption force and driving force.

[0006] Chinese patent application CN200510086382.5 discloses a magnetic adsorption wall-climbing robot with surface adaptive capability, which includes a wheeled mobile mechanism and multiple permanent magnetic adsorption devices, the wheeled mobile mechanism includes a chassis, a driving mechanism, a driving wheel and an auxiliary support wheel; one end of the permanent magnetic adsorption device is supported on the magnetic wall surface by the auxiliary support wheel, and the other end is connected to the chassis or other permanent magnetic adsorption devices through a surface adaptive mechanism with one to three rotational degrees of freedom; the driving wheels are symmetrically arranged and adopt a differential drive mode, relying on the differential speed of the driving wheels to achieve turning on the magnetic wall surface.

[0007] Chinese patent application CN201910370398.0 discloses a four-wheel wall-climbing robot with curved surface adsorption function and its use method, which includes a left front frame, a left rear frame, a right front frame, a right rear frame and a curved surface adaptive mechanism. A permanent magnetic wheel adsorption mechanism is installed under each frame, and a power transmission mechanism with the same structure is installed under the left rear and right rear frames. The curved surface adaptive mechanism is used to connect the frames. The wall-climbing robot is stably adsorbed on the curved surface by four permanent magnetic wheels, and its four frames are connected by a curved surface connection mechanism to ensure that it can crawl on various curved surfaces.

[0008] As a special robot, the magnetic adsorption bipedal wall-climbing robot can replace humans to perform maintenance, inspection, operation and other tasks on the surface of magnetic conductive materials such as steel structures. However, in industrial environments, the surface of steel structures is complex, with multiple curved surfaces and flat surfaces combined. The inventor found that the magnetic adsorption devices of the existing magnetic adsorption wall-climbing robots on the market are mostly complex in structure and single in function, and cannot adapt to both flat and curved working environments at the same time, which greatly limits the working efficiency of the magnetic adsorption wall-climbing robot.

[0009] Therefore, designing a modular magnetic adsorption module with surface adaptive capability is of great significance for improving the ability of bipedal wall-climbing robots to adapt to transitional movement from flat surfaces to curved surfaces. Utility Model Content

[0010] The purpose of the invention of the utility model is to provide a curved surface adsorption device and a wall-climbing robot using the same, in view of the problem that the adsorption components of the existing magnetic adsorption wall-climbing robot cannot adapt to both flat and curved working environments at the same time and have a complex structure.

[0011] One of the invention purposes of the present application is to provide a curved surface adsorption device, which is a curved surface magnetic adsorption module, capable of adapting to both flat and curved surface working environments.

[0012] A curved surface adsorption device comprises a first bottom plate, a plurality of adsorption units, and a control system;

[0013] The adsorption unit comprises a second fixed bracket, a second motor, a second driving wheel disc, a second driving flexible cable, and a third adsorption component. There are two third adsorption components in a single adsorption unit.

[0014] The second fixing bracket is connected to the first bottom plate and the first bottom plate can provide support for the second fixing bracket, the second motor is connected to the second fixing bracket and the second fixing bracket can provide support for the second motor, the second driving wheel disc is arranged on the output shaft of the second motor and the second motor can drive the second driving wheel disc to rotate;

[0015] The side surface of the first bottom plate connected to the second fixing bracket is recorded as the second side surface, and the side surface of the first bottom plate parallel to the second side surface is recorded as the third side surface;

[0016] The third adsorption assembly includes a third support seat, a connecting pin, a third swing arm, a third fixed frame, a third adsorption magnet, and a third connecting spring. The third support seat is connected to the third side surface of the first base plate, and the first base plate can provide support for the third support seat; one end of the third swing arm is hinged to the third support seat through the connecting pin, and the third swing arm can rotate relative to the third support seat, and the other end of the third swing arm is connected to the third fixed frame, and the third swing arm can drive the third fixed frame to rotate synchronously. The third adsorption magnet is connected to the third fixed frame, and the third fixed frame can drive the third adsorption magnet to move synchronously;

[0017] One end of the third connecting spring is connected to the third side surface, and the other end of the third connecting spring is connected to the third fixing frame;

[0018] A third wire-passing through hole is provided on the first bottom plate;

[0019] In a single adsorption unit, one end of the second driving flexible cable passes through a third wire-passing through hole and is connected to the corresponding third fixing frame, and the other end of the second driving flexible cable passes through another third wire-passing through hole and is connected to the corresponding third fixing frame; the second driving flexible cable is connected to the second driving wheel disc, and the second driving wheel disc can realize synchronous contraction or synchronous expansion of both ends of the second driving flexible cable;

[0020] The second motor is connected to a control system.

[0021] The second motor is a reduction motor.

[0022] The second fixing bracket is fixed to the first base plate by bolts or screws.

[0023] The second driving wheel is connected to the output shaft of the second motor by means of a screw.

[0024] It also includes a second flange, and the second driving wheel is connected to the output shaft of the second motor through the second flange.

[0025] The second driving wheel disc and the second flange disc are integrally manufactured by 3D printing.

[0026] It also includes a third spring fixing seat arranged on the third side surface, one end of the third connecting spring is connected to the third fixing frame, and the other end of the third connecting spring is connected to the first bottom plate through the third spring fixing seat.

[0027] The third spring fixing seat is conical.

[0028] The third wire-passing through hole passes through the third spring fixing seat, and the second driving flexible cable passes through the third wire-passing through hole and the third connecting spring in sequence to be connected with the third fixing frame.

[0029] In a single third adsorption assembly, there are two third swing arms, and the two third swing arms are arranged parallel to each other.

[0030] The third fixing frame includes a fixing frame bottom plate 1 and a fixing frame side plate 1, wherein the fixing frame side plate 1 is connected to the fixing frame bottom plate 1 and a fixing frame groove 1 is formed between the fixing frame side plate 1 and the fixing frame bottom plate 1 for placing the third adsorption magnet, and the third adsorption magnet is arranged in the fixing frame groove 1.

[0031] The fixing frame bottom plate 1 is triangular, the fixing frame side plates 1 are three and the fixing frame side plates 1 are evenly distributed on the fixing frame bottom plate 1;

[0032] The two third swing arms are connected to two vertices of the triangle on the bottom plate of the fixing frame respectively, and the third connecting spring is connected to the remaining vertex of the triangle on the bottom plate of the fixing frame.

[0033] The third adsorption magnet is an energized electromagnet, and the third adsorption magnet is connected to a control system.

[0034] There are two adsorption units, and the adsorption units are evenly distributed on the first bottom plate.

[0035] Also included is a power supply connected to the control system.

[0036] A robot comprises the aforementioned curved surface adsorption device.

[0037] It comprises an operating arm and the aforementioned curved surface adsorption device, wherein the curved surface adsorption device is connected to the operating arm and can serve as an end effector of the operating arm.

[0038] It includes a crawling foot and the aforementioned curved surface adsorption device, wherein the curved surface adsorption device is connected to the crawling foot and the curved surface adsorption device can serve as an attachment foot of the crawling foot.

[0039] In order to overcome the defects of the prior art, the present application provides a curved surface adsorption device and a wall-climbing robot using the same, which has a simple structure, is easy to control, and is reliable to use. The curved surface adsorption device of the present application has the ability to adapt to the curved surface. While adapting to the adsorption of the curved surface with a set curvature, it can also adsorb on the plane, achieving both the plane and the curved surface modes. It is the key to the bipedal wall-climbing robot to achieve the transition ability from the plane to the curved surface.

[0040] Furthermore, the present application requests protection for a robot using the aforementioned curved surface adsorption device. The curved surface adsorption device of the present application can be used as an independent adsorption module of a bipedal wall-climbing robot, acting as the two attachment feet of the wall-climbing robot; at the same time, the curved surface adsorption device of the present application can also be used as the end effector of the manipulator arm of the wall-climbing robot. Furthermore, the curved surface adsorption device of the present application can also be used as a self-contained magnetic adsorption module commonly used by ordinary robots, and can be used as an end adsorption device that requires large loads and long-distance movement capabilities.

[0041] The magnetic adsorption self-adaptive curved surface adsorption device provided by the present invention can be used for structural cleaning of steel structures, tanks, oil platforms, preservative detection, and other equipment maintenance work, and has high application value and good application prospects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the curved surface adsorption device in Example 1.

[0043] Figure 2 This is the front view of the curved surface adsorption device in Example 1.

[0044] Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the third side surface of the first base plate in Example 1.

[0045] Figure 4This is a bottom view of the curved surface adsorption device in Example 1.

[0046] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the adsorption of the curved surface adsorption device.

[0047] Markings in the figure: 1. first base plate, 2. second fixed bracket, 3. second motor, 4. second driving wheel, 5. second driving cable, 6. third supporting seat, 7. connecting pin, 8. third fixed bracket, 9. third adsorption magnet, 10. third connecting spring, 11. third spring fixing seat, 12. third wire through hole. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] The utility model is described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0049] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the utility model more clear, the utility model is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described here are only used to explain the utility model and are not used to limit the utility model.

[0050] Example 1

[0051] As shown in the figure, this embodiment provides a curved surface adsorption device, which includes a first base plate, a plurality of adsorption units, and a control system.

[0052] As shown in the figure, the adsorption unit includes a second fixed bracket, a second motor connected to the control system, a second driving wheel disc, a second driving flexible rope, and a third adsorption component. There are two third adsorption components in a single adsorption unit. The second fixed bracket is connected to the first bottom plate, the second motor is connected to the second fixed bracket, and the second driving wheel disc is arranged on the output shaft of the second motor. The side on the first bottom plate connected to the second fixed bracket is recorded as the second side surface, and the side on the first bottom plate parallel to the second side surface is recorded as the third side surface. In this structure, the first bottom plate can provide support for the second fixed bracket, the second fixed bracket can provide support for the second motor, and the second motor can drive the second driving wheel disc to rotate.

[0053] The third adsorption assembly includes a third support seat, a connecting pin, a third swing arm, a third fixed frame, a third adsorption magnet, and a third connecting spring. Furthermore, in a single third adsorption assembly, there are two third swing arms, and the two third swing arms are arranged parallel to each other. The third support seat is connected to the third side surface of the first base plate, one end of the third swing arm is hinged to the third support seat through the connecting pin, the other end of the third swing arm is connected to the third fixed frame, and the third adsorption magnet is connected to the third fixed frame. At the same time, one end of the third connecting spring is connected to the third side surface, and the other end of the third connecting spring is connected to the third fixed frame. In this structure, the first base plate can provide support for the third support seat, the third swing arm can rotate relative to the third support seat, the third swing arm can drive the third fixed frame to rotate synchronously, the third fixed frame can drive the third adsorption magnet to move synchronously, and the third connecting spring can play a corresponding connecting and supporting role.

[0054] The first bottom plate is provided with a third wire-passing through hole. In a single adsorption unit, one end of the second driving flexible cable passes through a third wire-passing through hole and is connected to the corresponding third fixing frame, and the other end of the second driving flexible cable passes through another third wire-passing through hole and is connected to the corresponding third fixing frame. The second driving flexible cable is connected to the second driving wheel disc, and the second driving wheel disc can realize synchronous contraction or synchronous expansion of both ends of the second driving flexible cable.

[0055] Furthermore, the second motor adopts a reduction motor, the third adsorption magnet is an electrified electromagnet, and the third adsorption magnet is connected to the control system; preferably, the third adsorption magnet is fixed to the third fixing frame by bolts or screws. Furthermore, it also includes a third spring fixing seat arranged on the third side, one end of the third connecting spring is connected to the third fixing frame, and the other end of the third connecting spring is connected to the first bottom plate through the third spring fixing seat; preferably, the third spring fixing seat is conical. In this scheme, the third wire through hole passes through the third spring fixing seat, and the second driving cable passes through the third wire through hole, the third connecting spring and the third fixing frame in sequence. Preferably, the third connecting spring is fixed between the third fixing frame and the first bottom plate by gluing.

[0056] In a specific example, it contains two adsorption units, and the adsorption units are evenly distributed on the first base plate, that is, it contains four third adsorption components. Specifically, the curved surface adsorption device as a whole includes a first base plate, four energized electromagnets, four third fixing frames, four third connecting springs, four connecting pins, two second driving flexible cables, four third spring fixing seats, four third wire through holes, four third supporting seats, two second fixing brackets, two reduction motors, and two second driving wheels. As shown in the figure, the four third adsorption components in the two adsorption units are arranged in a cross shape.

[0057] Furthermore, the third fixing frame includes a fixing frame bottom plate 1 and a fixing frame side plate 1, the fixing frame side plate 1 is connected to the fixing frame bottom plate 1, and a fixing frame groove 1 for placing the third adsorption magnet is formed between the fixing frame side plate 1 and the fixing frame bottom plate 1, and the third adsorption magnet is arranged in the fixing frame groove 1. In a specific example, the fixing frame bottom plate 1 is triangular, the fixing frame side plates 1 are three and the fixing frame side plates 1 are evenly distributed on the fixing frame bottom plate 1. Preferably, the two third swing arms are connected to two vertices of the triangle on the fixing frame bottom plate 1, and the third connecting spring is connected to the remaining vertex of the triangle on the fixing frame bottom plate 1.

[0058] In a specific example, a second flange is also included, and the second drive wheel is connected to the output shaft of the second motor through the second flange. The second drive wheel and the second flange are manufactured in an integrated manner using 3D printing. In a specific example, the second drive wheel is composed of three parallel circular rings and two connecting rods arranged between two adjacent circular rings; using this structure, the second drive cable is fixed to the middle circular ring, and the two ends of the second drive cable are respectively arranged in a mirror image relative to the middle circular ring, so that synchronous contraction or synchronous expansion can be achieved.

[0059] Furthermore, the second fixing bracket is fixed to the first bottom plate by bolts or screws, and the second driving wheel is connected to the output shaft of the second motor by means of jackscrews. Preferably, a power supply connected to the control system is also included.

[0060] The working process of the curved surface adsorption device is as follows:

[0061] When the curved surface adsorption device needs to be adsorbed on a plane, the second motor controls the retraction and extension of the second driving flexible rope, so that the adsorption surface of the energized electromagnet is parallel to the adsorbed plane, and then the energized electromagnet is connected to a power source, so that the curved surface adsorption device can be adsorbed on the plane;

[0062] When the curved surface adsorption device needs to be adsorbed on the curved surface, under the action of the supporting force of the third connection spring, the second motor is controlled to drive the retraction and extension of the second driving cable, thereby further controlling the angle between the upper surface of the electrified electromagnet and the adsorbed surface; when the angle between the upper surface of the electrified electromagnet and the adsorbed surface is small enough, the four electrified electromagnets are connected to the power supply, so that the electrified electromagnets are adsorbed on the curved surface, thereby completing the adsorption action on the curved surface;

[0063] When the curved surface adsorption device needs to adsorb on the cylindrical surface, the upper surfaces of the two electrified electromagnets in the vertical direction of the curved surface are kept parallel to the adsorbed plane, and the two electrified electromagnets in the horizontal direction drive the second driving flexible rope through the second motor according to the curvature of the curved surface, thereby pulling the third fixing frame, and making the adsorption surface of the electrified electromagnet fit with the adsorbed curved surface, and then connecting the four electrified electromagnets to the power supply, so that the electrified electromagnets generate magnetic adsorption force and adsorb on the curved surface;

[0064] When the power supply to the energized electromagnet is stopped, the energized electromagnet will no longer generate magnetic adsorption force, and the curved surface adsorption device will be separated from the adsorbed surface.

[0065] In summary, the adaptive curved surface magnetic adsorption module of the present application mainly adopts the decentralization and miniaturization of the adsorption module, and the adsorption angle of the adsorption module can be adjusted to achieve controllable magnetic adsorption of curved surfaces with a certain curvature.

[0066] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A curved surface adsorption device, characterized in that: It includes a first bottom plate, a plurality of adsorption units, and a control system; The adsorption unit comprises a second fixed bracket, a second motor, a second driving wheel disc, a second driving flexible cable, and a third adsorption component. There are two third adsorption components in a single adsorption unit. The second fixing bracket is connected to the first bottom plate and the first bottom plate can provide support for the second fixing bracket, the second motor is connected to the second fixing bracket and the second fixing bracket can provide support for the second motor, the second driving wheel disc is arranged on the output shaft of the second motor and the second motor can drive the second driving wheel disc to rotate; The side surface of the first bottom plate connected to the second fixing bracket is recorded as the second side surface, and the side surface of the first bottom plate parallel to the second side surface is recorded as the third side surface; The third adsorption assembly includes a third support seat, a connecting pin, a third swing arm, a third fixed frame, a third adsorption magnet, and a third connecting spring. The third support seat is connected to the third side surface of the first base plate, and the first base plate can provide support for the third support seat; one end of the third swing arm is hinged to the third support seat through the connecting pin, and the third swing arm can rotate relative to the third support seat, and the other end of the third swing arm is connected to the third fixed frame, and the third swing arm can drive the third fixed frame to rotate synchronously. The third adsorption magnet is connected to the third fixed frame, and the third fixed frame can drive the third adsorption magnet to move synchronously; One end of the third connecting spring is connected to the third side surface, and the other end of the third connecting spring is connected to the third fixing frame; A third wire-passing through hole is provided on the first bottom plate; In a single adsorption unit, one end of the second driving flexible cable passes through a third wire-passing through hole and is connected to the corresponding third fixing frame, and the other end of the second driving flexible cable passes through another third wire-passing through hole and is connected to the corresponding third fixing frame; the second driving flexible cable is connected to the second driving wheel disc, and the second driving wheel disc can realize synchronous contraction or synchronous expansion of both ends of the second driving flexible cable; The second motor is connected to a control system.

2. The curved surface adsorption device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a third spring fixing seat arranged on the third side surface, one end of the third connecting spring is connected to the third fixing frame, and the other end of the third connecting spring is connected to the first bottom plate through the third spring fixing seat.

3. The curved surface adsorption device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The third wire-passing through hole passes through the third spring fixing seat, and the second driving flexible cable passes through the third wire-passing through hole and the third connecting spring in sequence to be connected with the third fixing frame.

4. The curved surface adsorption device according to claim 1, characterized in that: In a single third adsorption assembly, there are two third swing arms, and the two third swing arms are arranged parallel to each other.

5. The curved surface adsorption device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The third fixing frame includes a fixing frame bottom plate 1 and a fixing frame side plate 1, wherein the fixing frame side plate 1 is connected to the fixing frame bottom plate 1 and a fixing frame groove 1 is formed between the fixing frame side plate 1 and the fixing frame bottom plate 1 for placing the third adsorption magnet, and the third adsorption magnet is arranged in the fixing frame groove 1.

6. The curved surface adsorption device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The fixing frame bottom plate 1 is triangular, the fixing frame side plates 1 are three and the fixing frame side plates 1 are evenly distributed on the fixing frame bottom plate 1; The two third swing arms are connected to two vertices of the triangle on the bottom plate of the fixing frame respectively, and the third connecting spring is connected to the remaining vertex of the triangle on the bottom plate of the fixing frame.

7. The curved surface adsorption device according to claim 1, characterized in that: There are two adsorption units, and the adsorption units are evenly distributed on the first bottom plate.

8. The curved surface adsorption device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also included is a power supply connected to the control system.

9. A robot, characterized in that: It comprises the curved surface adsorption device as described in any one of the preceding claims 1-8.

10. The robot according to claim 9, characterized in that: It includes an operating arm and the aforementioned curved surface adsorption device, wherein the curved surface adsorption device is connected to the operating arm and can serve as an end effector of the operating arm; Or it includes a crawling foot and the aforementioned curved surface adsorption device, wherein the curved surface adsorption device is connected to the crawling foot and the curved surface adsorption device can serve as an attachment foot of the crawling foot.

Images