Wheel type pipeline inspection robot

Abstract

The utility model discloses a wheel type pipeline inspection robot which comprises a connecting frame, guide columns, walking mechanisms and a tensioning mechanism, a plurality of guide columns are evenly arranged on the outer wall of the connecting frame in the circumferential direction, each guide column is provided with the walking mechanism, each walking mechanism comprises a shell, a driving wheel unit and a driven wheel, and the driving wheel unit and the driven wheel are arranged at the two ends in the shell; tensioning mechanisms used for controlling the walking mechanisms to expand outwards are arranged at the two ends of the connecting frame, each tensioning mechanism comprises a synchronous driving motor and a crank unit, and the crank units are arranged between an output shaft of the synchronous driving motor and a shell of each walking mechanism. According to the utility model, normal operation of the robot in a pipeline is ensured through a plurality of walking mechanisms, and the stability of the robot is enhanced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of pipeline maintenance and cleaning, in particular to a wheeled pipeline inspection robot. Background Technique

[0002] With the development of the times, pipeline robot technology is gradually maturing and widely used in the maintenance and detection of urban infrastructure. In recent years, due to the acceleration of the urbanization process, the construction and maintenance requirements of the pipeline system have increased significantly, prompting domestic scientific research institutions and enterprises to increase their R & D investment in pipeline robot technology. A variety of pipeline robots have emerged, such as: crawling robots, snake robots, balloon robots, screw propulsion robots, rail robots and autonomous navigation robots.

[0003] However, there are still some problems with these robots: for example, existing equipment moves not smoothly enough in pipelines that are wet, muddy or have a lot of debris, showing poor passability, being prone to jamming or losing power. In pipelines that are corroded, aged, narrow and curved, robots often have difficulty maintaining stability, being prone to tipping over or getting stuck, reducing the effect of detection and maintenance. Traditional equipment has poor flexibility and cannot quickly respond to the needs of different working conditions, resulting in low operation efficiency and high maintenance costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to solve the problems of poor passability, low stability and complex operation of the robot, the utility model provides a wheeled pipeline inspection robot. Through the design of multiple walking mechanisms and their suspension structures, the walking mechanisms of the robot can closely adhere to the inner wall of the pipeline, and through the cooperation of the tensioning mechanism and the guiding column, the walking mechanisms can be telescoped, ensuring that the robot can smoothly pass obstacles when encountering them, improving the passability and stability of the robot in a complex pipeline environment, and enhancing the operation efficiency.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution of the utility model is:

[0006] A wheeled pipeline inspection robot, comprising: a connecting frame, guiding columns, walking mechanisms and a tensioning mechanism. A plurality of guiding columns are circumferentially and evenly arranged on the outer wall of the connecting frame, and each guiding column is provided with a walking mechanism. The walking mechanism includes a housing, a driving wheel unit arranged at both ends inside the housing and a driven wheel, facilitating the smooth operation of the robot in the pipeline;

[0007] Tensioning mechanisms for controlling the outward expansion of the walking mechanisms are arranged at both ends of the connecting frame. The tensioning mechanism includes a synchronous driving motor and a crank unit. The crank unit is arranged between the output shaft of the synchronous driving motor and the housing of each walking mechanism, facilitating the adjustment of the tension degree of the walking mechanism.

[0008] Further, the connecting frame includes a triangular prism, a positioning plate, and a mounting base. The triangular prism is provided with positioning plates at both ends, and each positioning plate is provided with a mounting base. The mounting base is a hollow cylinder, and a synchronous drive motor is arranged inside the mounting base. The output shaft of the synchronous drive motor extends outside the mounting base and is used to support the overall structure of the robot.

[0009] Further, a sound wave detector and a wireless communication module are arranged on the triangular prism, which are used to detect abnormal conditions (such as cracks, corrosion, and foreign object blockages, etc.) in the pipeline through the sound wave detector, and connect multiple robots through the wireless communication module.

[0010] Further, the crank unit includes a crank and a connecting rod. The crank includes a disc and an extension rod. A connecting hole is provided in the middle of the disc, and the connecting hole is connected to the output shaft of the synchronous drive motor. A plurality of extension rods are arranged around the disc, and each extension rod is connected to a connecting rod, which is convenient for adjusting the tension of the walking mechanism to adapt to pipelines with different diameters and complex shapes.

[0011] Further, a bolt for hinging is arranged between the extension rod of the crank and the connecting rod.

[0012] Further, it is characterized in that a movable hinge is arranged on the crank, which is used to connect multiple robots end to end, facilitating adaptation to complex terrains and vertical pipelines.

[0013] Further, the guide post includes a fixed head, an adjusting rod, an adjusting sleeve, and a base sleeve. The upper part of the fixed head is fixedly connected to the housing of the walking mechanism, and the lower part is provided with an adjusting rod. The adjusting sleeve is slidably arranged around the adjusting rod, and the base sleeve is slidably arranged around the adjusting sleeve. The lower part of the base sleeve is fixedly connected to the middle part of the connecting frame, which is convenient for fixing and lifting the walking mechanism.

[0014] Further, the driving wheel unit includes a transmission mechanism and a driving wheel. The transmission mechanism includes a fixed seat, a driving box, a transmission rod, a driving bevel gear, a driven bevel gear, a transmission shaft, an output spur gear, a relay spur gear, a driving spur gear, a second transmission shaft, and a fixing washer;

[0015] A transmission shaft and a second transmission shaft are arranged on the housing. A fixing washer is arranged at one end of the second transmission shaft, and a driving wheel is arranged on the fixing washer. A driving spur gear is arranged at the other end of the second transmission shaft, which is used to drive the driving wheel to rotate;

[0016] An output spur gear is arranged at one end of the transmission shaft, and a driven bevel gear is arranged at the other end. A relay spur gear is rotatably arranged on the housing between the driving spur gear and the output spur gear. The driving spur gear, the relay spur gear, and the output spur gear are meshed in sequence, which is convenient for driving the second transmission shaft to rotate through the transmission shaft;

[0017] The fixed seat is arranged at the bottom of the housing. A driving box is arranged on one side of the fixed seat. The driving box is connected to a transmission rod. A driving bevel gear is arranged at the top of the transmission rod. The driving bevel gear meshes with a driven bevel gear, facilitating driving the driven bevel gear to rotate through the driving box, thereby rotating the transmission shaft and the second transmission shaft, and finally rotating the driving wheel.

[0018] The driven wheel is arranged at the bottom of the housing on the other side of the fixed seat, facilitating the driven wheel to rotate following the driving wheel.

[0019] Furthermore, a plurality of rectangular holes are formed in the top of the housing. The driving wheel and the driven wheel pass through the rectangular holes and are located outside the housing, facilitating the rotation of the driving wheel and the driven wheel.

[0020] Advantages of the present utility model:

[0021] (1) Through the telescopic adjustment function of the guiding columns, the present utility model can automatically adapt to pipeline environments with different pipe diameters. The design of the guiding columns enables the robot to adjust according to the change of the inner diameter of the pipeline, ensuring that the traveling mechanism is always in close contact with the inner wall of the pipeline. This flexibility greatly improves the adaptability of the robot under various pipeline conditions, avoiding problems such as reduced inspection efficiency or equipment jamming caused by changes in pipe diameter. And since the present utility model can adapt to pipeline environments with different pipe diameters and inclination angles, the robot can fit more precisely to the inner wall of the pipeline during the inspection process, reducing the possibility of missed inspections and false detections.

[0022] (2) The present utility model adopts a precisely machined transmission mechanism. Its optimized design not only improves the transmission efficiency but also reduces energy loss. Through precisely matched gear meshing and an efficient power transmission path, the robot can convert more of the motor output power into effective driving ability. This optimized design of the transmission mechanism not only extends the continuous working time of the robot in complex pipeline environments but also reduces the overheating problem caused by energy loss, ensuring the long-term stable operation of the equipment.

[0023] (3) The present utility model is designed with a wireless communication module and a sonic detector, enabling the robot to quickly complete various detections according to different task requirements, improving the operation efficiency. Description of the Drawings

[0024] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of a wheeled pipeline inspection robot provided by an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0025] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of a connecting frame of a wheeled pipeline inspection robot provided by an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0026] Figure 3Schematic diagram of a traveling mechanism of a wheeled pipeline inspection robot provided by an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0027] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the internal structure of a traveling mechanism of a wheeled pipeline inspection robot provided by an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0028] Figure 5 One of the schematic diagrams of a transmission mechanism of a wheeled pipeline inspection robot provided by an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0029] Figure 6 Another schematic diagram of a transmission mechanism of a wheeled pipeline inspection robot provided by an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0030] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of a guiding column of a wheeled pipeline inspection robot provided by an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0031] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of a tensioning mechanism of a wheeled pipeline inspection robot provided by an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0032] The reference numerals in the drawings are: 1 is a connecting frame, 2 is a traveling mechanism, 3 is a guiding column, 4 is a tensioning mechanism, 5 is a triangular prism, 6 is a positioning plate, 7 is a synchronous driving motor, 8 is a mounting seat, 9 is a movable hinge, 10 is a housing, 11 is a driving wheel, 12 is a connecting rod, 13 is a fixed seat, 14 is a driving box, 15 is a transmission shaft, 16 is a second transmission shaft, 17 is an output spur gear, 18 is an intermediate spur gear, 19 is a driving spur gear, 20 is a driven wheel, 21 is a transmission rod, 22 is a driving bevel gear, 23 is a driven bevel gear, 24 is a fixing washer, 25 is an adjusting rod, 26 is an adjusting sleeve, 27 is a base sleeve, 28 is a fixing head, 29 is a bolt, 30 is a crank, 31 is a sonic detector, and 32 is a wireless communication module. Detailed implementation manners

[0033] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present utility model clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present utility model will be clearly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are some but not all of the embodiments of the present utility model. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present utility model without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0034] As Figures 1 - 8 shown, a wheeled pipeline inspection robot includes: a connecting frame 1, a guiding column 3, a traveling mechanism 2, and a tensioning mechanism 4, which facilitate the robot to work smoothly in the pipeline.

[0035] The connecting frame 1 includes a triangular prism 5, a positioning plate 6, and a mounting seat 8. The triangular prism 5 is provided with positioning plates 6 at both ends, and a mounting seat 8 is provided on each positioning plate 6. The mounting seat 8 is a hollow cylinder.

[0036] Preferably, an acoustic wave detector 31 is provided on the triangular prism 5 for detecting abnormal conditions (such as cracks, corrosion, and foreign object blockages, etc.) inside the pipeline, facilitating the detection of the pipeline.

[0037] Preferably, a wireless communication module 32 is also provided on the triangular prism 5 for connecting multiple robots through a wireless network in a coordinated manner, enabling multiple robots to enter different branch intersections simultaneously for pipeline inspection in a pipeline with multiple branch intersections, and transmitting data to the upper computer, facilitating the coordinated detection of the pipeline.

[0038] Three guide columns 3 are evenly arranged circumferentially on the outer wall of the connecting frame 1. The guide column 3 includes a fixed head 28, an adjusting rod 25, an adjusting sleeve 26, and a base sleeve 27. The upper part of the fixed head 28 is fixedly connected to the traveling mechanism 2, and the lower part is provided with an adjusting rod 25. The adjusting sleeve 26 is slidably arranged around the adjusting rod 25, and the base sleeve 27 is slidably arranged around the adjusting sleeve 26. The lower part of the base sleeve 27 is fixedly connected to the middle part of the connecting frame 1 for adjusting the height of the traveling mechanism 2. Each component of the guide column 3 is made of a high-strength alloy material to ensure wear resistance and long life in a harsh working environment, and at the same time, it can also effectively reduce deformation caused by mechanical stress, thereby maintaining the accuracy and reliability of the guidance.

[0039] Each guide column 3 is provided with a traveling mechanism 2, which can guide the traveling mechanism 2 to meet the guiding requirements when the traveling mechanism 2 needs to expand and contract in pipelines with different diameters and complex environments. The traveling mechanism 2 includes a housing 10, a driving wheel unit and a driven wheel arranged at both ends inside the housing 10.

[0040] Specifically, the driving wheel unit includes a transmission mechanism and a driving wheel 11. The transmission mechanism includes a fixed seat 13, a driving box 14, a transmission rod 21, a driving bevel gear 22, a driven bevel gear 23, a transmission shaft 15, an output spur gear 17, a relay spur gear 18, a driving spur gear 19, a second transmission shaft 16, and a fixing washer 24.

[0041] The lower part of the housing 10 is fixedly connected to the fixed head 28. The housing 10 is provided with a transmission shaft 15 and a second transmission shaft 16. One end of the second transmission shaft 16 is provided with a fixing washer 24, and a driving wheel 11 is provided on the fixing washer 24. The other end of the second transmission shaft 16 is provided with a driving spur gear 19, and the second transmission shaft 16 drives the driving wheel 11 to rotate.

[0042] One end of the transmission shaft 15 is provided with an output spur gear 17, and the other end is provided with a driven bevel gear 23. A relay spur gear 18 is rotatably arranged on the housing 10 between the driving spur gear 19 and the output spur gear 17. The driving spur gear 19, the relay spur gear 18 and the output spur gear 17 are meshed in sequence, and the transmission shaft 15 drives the second transmission shaft 16 to rotate.

[0043] The fixed seat 13 is arranged at the bottom of the housing 10. A driving box 14 is arranged on one side of the fixed seat 13. A servo motor is assembled inside the driving box 14, and the servo motor drives to realize the forward and backward functions of the robot. The driving box 14 is connected with the transmission rod 21. A driving bevel gear 22 is arranged at the top of the transmission rod 21. The driving bevel gear 22 is meshed with the driven bevel gear 23. The driving box 14 drives the transmission shaft 15 to rotate, the transmission shaft 15 drives the second transmission shaft 16 to rotate, and the second transmission shaft 16 drives the driving wheel 11 to rotate.

[0044] The driven wheel 20 is arranged at the bottom of the housing 10 on the other side of the fixed seat 13 and rotates following the driving wheel 11. The surfaces of the driving wheel 11 and the driven wheel 20 are designed with specific textures or patterns, having a high friction coefficient and excellent wear resistance, and are particularly suitable for complex and harsh pipeline environments. And through the special wheel design, not only the flexibility and passability of the robot on the inner surface of the wet, muddy or debris-containing pipeline are enhanced, but also modifications such as widening the wheels and increasing the number can be made according to different working conditions, so that the robot has good grip on the inner walls of wet, muddy or rough pipelines, ensuring that it can travel stably and reliably during the operation.

[0045] Preferably, two rectangular holes are opened at the top of the housing 10. The driving wheel 11 and the driven wheel 20 pass through the rectangular holes and are located outside the housing 10, facilitating walking in the pipeline.

[0046] Tensioning mechanisms 4 for controlling the outward expansion of the walking mechanism 2 are arranged at both ends of the connecting frame 1. The tensioning mechanisms 4 include synchronous drive motors 7 and crank units. The synchronous drive motors 7 are arranged in the mounting seats 8. The output shafts of the synchronous drive motors 7 extend outside the mounting seats 8. Crank units are arranged between the output shafts of the synchronous drive motors 7 and the housing 10 of each walking mechanism 2.

[0047] The crank unit includes a crank 30 and a connecting rod 12. The crank 30 includes a disc and an extension rod. A connecting hole is opened in the middle of the disc. The connecting hole is connected with the output shaft of the synchronous drive motor 7. A plurality of extension rods are arranged around the disc, and each extension rod is connected with a connecting rod 12. Specifically, a bolt 29 for hinging is arranged between the extension rod of the crank 30 and the connecting rod 12.

[0048] Preferably, a movable hinge 9 is provided on the crank 30. Specifically, the movable hinge 9 is a common connecting member in the assembly of industrial aluminum profiles. The movable hinge 9 is a prior art. Here, the movable hinge 9 only plays a role in connecting multiple robots, facilitating turning when the robots are connected. When a robot needs to overcome gravity and move upward in an inclined or even vertical pipeline, or when the friction on the pipeline surface is large and the power of a single robot is insufficient to complete the movement, multiple robots are connected end to end through the movable hinge 9, enabling them to work together, providing greater climbing and traction capabilities, being able to adapt to complex terrains and vertical pipelines, and the movable hinge 9 allows the robots to pass smoothly at the turning points, enhancing the flexibility of the robots and preventing them from jamming when multiple robots are connected.

[0049] During actual application, the synchronous drive motor 7 is started, driving the crank 30 to rotate, thereby causing the connecting rod 12 to change its position and cooperating with the guide post 3 to adjust the length of the traveling mechanism 2 from the triangular prism 5, achieving a tight fit between the traveling mechanism 2 and the inner wall of the pipeline. The transmission mechanism starts to work, causing the drive box 14 to drive the transmission rod 21 to rotate, and then driving the drive bevel gear 22 on the transmission rod 21 to rotate. The drive bevel gear 22 meshes with the driven bevel gear 23 to cause the driven bevel gear 23 to rotate. The driven bevel gear 23 drives the transmission shaft 15 to rotate, and the output spur gear 17 on the transmission shaft 15 rotates following the driven bevel gear 23. The output spur gear 17 drives the drive spur gear 19 to rotate through the relay spur gear 18. The drive spur gear 19 causes the driving wheel 11 to rotate through the second transmission shaft 16, and the driving wheel 11 drives the driven wheel 20 to rotate, realizing the movement of the traveling mechanism 2.

[0050] When the robot travels in the pipeline, the traveling mechanism 2 will rotate to a position close to the pipeline wall to ensure good stability and fit. When the acoustic detector 31 detects an obstacle, the synchronous drive motor 7 can perform a small-range rotation, causing the tensioning mechanism 4 to rotate to achieve a buffering effect, facilitating crossing the obstacle. The guide post 3 will contract along with the rotation of the traveling mechanism 2 during this process and maintain its stability, ensuring that the robot can pass through the obstacle or uneven surface. After passing through the obstacle, the synchronous drive motor 7 will be started again to restore the traveling mechanism 2 to the preset angle close to the pipeline wall, continuing to keep the robot running smoothly in the pipeline. This design not only improves the adaptability of the robot in complex pipelines but also greatly reduces the risk of damage caused by collisions, extends the service life of the equipment, and ensures the continuity and safety of the operation process.

[0051] When entering a complex multi-level pipeline environment (a complex pipeline system of horizontal pipelines, branch pipes, and turns), when the robots independently inspect or complete tasks in the scattered pipeline branches, they work together through the wireless communication module 32. The host computer can assign different detection tasks to each robot. All robots share the information of the acoustic wave detector 31 to ensure the coverage and synchronization of the entire pipeline system, avoid duplicate work, and all robots will transmit the inspection information and status back to the host computer in real time.

[0052] When the robot is in the scenario of climbing slopes or vertical pipelines inside the pipeline. In this case, a single robot cannot complete the task independently. Multiple robots need to be connected through the movable hinge 9 to achieve stronger traction and stability. The movable hinge 9 connects multiple robots end to end. The multi-robot cooperation provides greater climbing and traction capabilities and can adapt to complex terrains and vertical pipelines. When the robots are connected through the movable hinge 9, the front robot is responsible for exploring the way. When a turn is needed, the rear robots can follow in sequence to complete the turn and will not get stuck due to the change in direction.

[0053] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or perform equivalent replacements for some of the technical features; and these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wheeled pipeline inspection robot, characterized in that, Comprising: A connecting frame (1), guide columns (3), a traveling mechanism (2), and a tensioning mechanism (4). A plurality of guide columns (3) are evenly arranged circumferentially on the outer wall of the connecting frame (1). A traveling mechanism (2) is arranged on each guide column (3). The traveling mechanism (2) includes a housing (10), a driving wheel unit and a driven wheel arranged at both ends inside the housing (10); Tensioning mechanisms (4) for controlling the outward expansion of the traveling mechanisms (2) are arranged at both ends of the connecting frame (1). The tensioning mechanisms (4) include a synchronous drive motor (7) and a crank unit. The crank unit is arranged between the output shaft of the synchronous drive motor (7) and the housing (10) of each traveling mechanism (2).

2. The wheeled pipeline inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting frame (1) includes a triangular prism (5), a positioning plate (6), and a mounting seat (8). Positioning plates (6) are respectively arranged at both ends of the triangular prism (5). A mounting seat (8) is arranged on each positioning plate (6). The mounting seat (8) is a hollow cylinder. A synchronous drive motor (7) is arranged inside the mounting seat (8), and the output shaft of the synchronous drive motor (7) extends outside the mounting seat (8).

3. The wheeled pipeline inspection robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, An acoustic wave detector (31) and a wireless communication module (32) are arranged on the triangular prism (5).

4. The wheeled pipeline inspection robot according to claim 1, wherein, The crank unit includes a crank (30) and a connecting rod (12). The crank (30) includes a disc and an extension rod. A connecting hole is provided in the middle of the disc. The connecting hole is connected to the output shaft of the synchronous drive motor (7). A plurality of extension rods are arranged around the disc, and each extension rod is connected to a connecting rod (12).

5. The wheeled pipeline inspection robot according to claim 4, wherein A bolt (29) for hinging is arranged between the extension rod of the crank (30) and the connecting rod.

6. The wheeled pipeline inspection robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, A movable hinge (9) is arranged on the crank (30).

7. The wheeled pipeline inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide column (3) includes a fixed head (28), an adjusting rod (25), an adjusting sleeve (26), and a base sleeve (27). The upper part of the fixed head (28) is fixedly connected to the housing (10) of the traveling mechanism (2), and the lower part is provided with an adjusting rod (25). An adjusting sleeve (26) is slidably arranged around the adjusting rod (25). A base sleeve (27) is slidably arranged around the adjusting sleeve (26). The lower part of the base sleeve (27) is fixedly connected to the middle of the connecting frame (1).

8. The wheeled pipeline inspection robot according to claim 1, wherein The driving wheel unit includes a transmission mechanism and a driving wheel (11). The transmission mechanism includes a fixed seat (13), a driving box (14), a transmission rod (21), a driving bevel gear (22), a driven bevel gear (23), a transmission shaft (15), an output spur gear (17), a relay spur gear (18), a driving spur gear (19), a second transmission shaft (16), and a fixed washer (24); A transmission shaft (15) and a second transmission shaft (16) are arranged on the housing (10). A fixed washer (24) is arranged at one end of the second transmission shaft (16). A driving wheel (11) is arranged on the fixed washer (24). A driving spur gear (19) is arranged at the other end of the second transmission shaft (16); One end of the transmission shaft (15) is provided with an output spur gear (17), and the other end is provided with a driven bevel gear (23). A relay spur gear (18) is rotatably arranged on the housing (10) between the driving spur gear (19) and the output spur gear (17). The driving spur gear (19), the relay spur gear (18), and the output spur gear (17) are sequentially meshed; The fixing seat (13) is arranged at the bottom of the housing (10). A driving box (14) is arranged on one side of the fixing seat (13). The driving box (14) is connected to a transmission rod (21). A driving bevel gear (22) is arranged at the top of the transmission rod (21). The driving bevel gear (22) is meshed with the driven bevel gear (23); The driven wheel (20) is arranged at the bottom of the housing (10) on the other side of the fixing seat (13).

9. The wheeled pipeline inspection robot according to claim 8, wherein, A plurality of rectangular holes are formed in the top of the housing (10). The driving wheel (11) and the driven wheel (20) pass through the rectangular holes and are located outside the housing (10).

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