Steel rail welding seam flaw detection robot with multi-dimensional position adjusting function

Abstract

The utility model discloses a steel rail welding seam flaw detection robot with a multi-dimensional position adjusting function, which relates to the technical field of steel rail welding seam flaw detection, and comprises the following structures: a walking platform erected on a steel rail; the electric sliding table is transversely arranged at the front end of the walking platform; the mechanical arm is arranged on the electric sliding table in a sliding manner; the probe is arranged at one end of the mechanical arm and is used for scanning a steel rail welding seam; and the controller is matched with the motor driver to realize the movement of the electric sliding table and the mechanical arm. The steel rail welding seam flaw detection robot can replace manual steel rail welding seam flaw detection operation in the prior art to a great extent, and the technical problem that time and labor are wasted in manual operation is effectively solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of rail weld flaw detection, in particular to a rail weld flaw detection robot with a multi-dimensional position adjustment function. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of China's high-speed rail, the country's operating mileage has reached 159,000 kilometers, of which 45,000 kilometers are high-speed rail. my country's high-speed rail has become a new hallmark of Chinese technology. However, these extremely high operating speeds also pose safety risks. Therefore, to ensure the efficient and safe operation of high-speed trains, real-time and periodic inspection of rail damage is crucial. Given this massive workload, manual labor alone is clearly not an option. Current weld inspection procedures require operators to carry equipment and carefully scan the welds using a handheld probe according to the process. This process not only involves moving the equipment but also involves multiple steps such as rust removal and cleaning, resulting in low efficiency. Furthermore, this labor-intensive work model places significant strain on workers and is labor-intensive, necessitating urgent improvements. Utility Model Content

[0003] In response to the technical problems existing in the prior art, the embodiment of the present application provides a rail weld flaw detection robot with a multi-dimensional position adjustment function, which solves the problems of high labor intensity and low operation efficiency in manual operations in the prior art, and achieves the effect of saving time and effort.

[0004] In order to achieve the above objectives, the rail weld flaw detection robot disclosed in the embodiment of the present application includes the following structure:

[0005] A running platform, which is erected on the rails;

[0006] An electric slide is arranged horizontally at the front end of the traveling platform;

[0007] A robotic arm, wherein the robotic arm is slidably arranged on a slide;

[0008] A probe, which is provided at the end of the robotic arm and is used to scan the rail weld;

[0009] The control card cooperates with the motor driver to realize the movement of the electric slide and the robotic arm.

[0010] Furthermore, an L-shaped support frame is provided at the front of the running platform, the vertical frame of the L-shaped support frame is connected to the front of the running platform, and the electric slide is horizontally arranged at the front edge of the bottom frame of the L-shaped support frame.

[0011] Furthermore, the running platform includes a chassis and a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels arranged at the front and rear ends of the chassis, and the running platform adopts a hub motor as a driving motor.

[0012] Preferably, the traveling platform is equipped with a lithium battery for power supply.

[0013] Furthermore, a rim structure is provided on the inner side of the front wheel and the rear wheel, and the diameter of the rim is larger than the diameter of the front wheel and the rear wheel.

[0014] Furthermore, a first support frame is provided on the chassis, the first support frame is provided at the front end of the chassis, a center console is provided on the first support frame, and a control panel for controlling the movement and parking of the running platform is provided on the left side of the center console.

[0015] Furthermore, a second support frame is provided in the middle of the chassis, and a seat cushion is provided on the top of the second support frame.

[0016] Furthermore, the electric slide includes the following structure:

[0017] A ball screw, with two ends connected to bearing 1 and bearing 2 respectively;

[0018] a motor for driving the ball screw;

[0019] A first housing is used to accommodate the ball screw, and the first bearing is connected to the inner end of the first housing;

[0020] a second housing, wherein one end of the second housing is connected to one end of the first housing, the motor is mounted on the outside of the other end of the second housing, the second bearing is connected to the inner end of the second housing, and a third bearing is provided in the second housing, and the third bearing is sleeved on the power output shaft of the motor;

[0021] A slide is sleeved on the ball screw, with extended L-shaped connecting plates provided on both sides of the slide, a slide groove for extending the L-shaped connecting plates is provided on the first housing, and a mounting plate is connected to the tops of the two L-shaped connecting plates, and the bottom end of the robotic arm is connected to the mounting plate;

[0022] The transmission mechanism is arranged in the second housing; the transmission mechanism includes a driving pulley connected to the end of the motor power output shaft, a driven pulley connected to one end of the ball screw, and a transmission belt connecting the driving pulley and the driven pulley.

[0023] Preferably, the robotic arm is a six-axis collaborative robotic arm to achieve six degrees of freedom of the robot.

[0024] Preferably, the probe is a phased array probe to achieve all-round and directional scanning.

[0025] One or more technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application have at least the following technical effects or advantages: due to the use of a self-propelled walking platform, an electric slide arranged at the front end of the walking platform and driving the lateral displacement of the robotic arm, a six-axis collaborative robotic arm, and a probe arranged on the robotic arm, the electric slide and the six-axis collaborative robotic arm are arranged in coordination so that the probe has the function of multi-dimensional position adjustment, which is flexible and practical, and can greatly replace the manual rail weld flaw detection operation in the existing technology, effectively solving the time-consuming and labor-intensive problems of manual operation, and reducing the labor intensity during the flaw detection process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a simplified diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a rail weld flaw detection robot provided in an embodiment of the present application (from the left side);

[0028] Figure 2 This is a simplified three-dimensional structure diagram of a rail weld flaw detection robot provided in an embodiment of the present application (right side perspective);

[0029] Figure 3 It is a partial enlarged view of the position of the slide in the embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 4 It is a structural diagram of the slide in the embodiment of the present application.

[0031] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0032] 1-Traveling platform; 101-Chassis; 102-Front wheel; 103-Rear wheel; 104-Wheel rim; 105-First support frame; 106-Second support frame; 107-Peripheral frame; 108-Center console; 109-Control panel; 110-Seat cushion; 111-L-shaped support frame; 112-Anti-slip platform;

[0033] 2-electric slide; 201-ball screw; 202-motor; 203-first housing; 204-second housing; 205-bearing 1; 206-bearing 2; 207-slide; 208-L-shaped connecting plate; 209-slideway; 210-mounting plate; 211-bearing 3; 212-driving pulley; 213-driven pulley; 214-drive belt;

[0034] 3-Robotic arm;

[0035] 4-Steel rails.

[0036] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The embodiment of the present application provides a rail weld flaw detection robot with a multi-dimensional position adjustment function, which replaces the manual rail weld flaw detection work in the prior art and achieves the effect of saving time and labor.

[0038] The technical solution in the embodiment of the present application is to solve the above-mentioned problem of low efficiency and labor-intensive manual rail weld flaw detection. The overall idea is as follows:

[0039] The manual rail weld flaw detection operation is replaced by setting up a traveling platform on the rail, installing a slide on the traveling platform, setting a robotic arm on the slide, and a probe at one end of the robotic arm. The traveling platform can move along the rail diameter on the rail, the slide is used for the robotic arm to move horizontally between the rails on both sides, and the robotic arm is used to move the probe in space so that the probe can scan the rail weld. The probe is also connected to a display, and the operator can observe the results of the weld flaw detection through the probe display.

[0040] In order to better understand the above technical solution, the above technical solution will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0041] like Figure 1 As shown, a rail weld flaw detection robot comprises a traveling platform 1, a slide 2 arranged at the front end of the traveling platform 1, a robotic arm 3 arranged on the slide 2, and a phased array probe (not shown) arranged at the end of the robotic arm 3. The traveling platform 1 serves as the basic carrier platform of the rail weld flaw detection robot, providing the robot with basic structural support, traveling control, power supply and other functions, replacing human travel. In some instances, in order to reduce the weight of the traveling platform and facilitate the transportation and up and down-tracking of the traveling platform 1, the components on the traveling platform adopt a frame structure as much as possible, and are made of titanium alloy materials with high strength, good corrosion resistance and light weight to achieve the requirements of lightweight equipment. Preferably, the traveling platform of the embodiment of the present application has a load capacity of about 460kg (can carry 2-3 people) and its own weight does not exceed 240kg.

[0042] Combine Figure 2As shown, the traveling platform 1 of the present embodiment comprises a chassis 101 and a pair of front wheels 102 and a pair of rear wheels 103 located at the front and rear ends of the chassis 101. When the device is in use, the front wheels 102 and rear wheels 103 rest on steel rails 4 on either side, enabling the traveling platform 1 to move along the rails. Regarding the powertrain of the traveling platform, the present embodiment preferably utilizes four in-wheel motors. In-wheel motors are designed to integrate the device's power system, transmission system, and braking system. Eliminating the transmission system significantly reduces the weight of the platform compared to differential motors. Because in-wheel motors independently drive each wheel, they can implement a variety of complex drive modes. Whether front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive, these configurations can be easily implemented, providing greater flexibility, reliability, and practicality. For example, during normal operation, the platform defaults to front-wheel drive. If a problem occurs with the front-wheel drive system, it can switch to the backup power system, namely rear-wheel drive, ensuring that the terminal device can successfully complete its operation or safely evacuate within a certain timeframe. Support for four drive modes enhances gradeability. In some instances, a vehicle-mounted lithium battery is used as a power source to power various motors and electrical devices in the embodiments of the present application. Specifically, multiple lithium battery packs (48V / 60Ah) are configured. Preferably, the platform has a battery life of not less than 40km or 3h, and the platform travel speed is 0-20km / hour.

[0043] In the embodiment of the present application, in order to prevent the platform from derailing while running on the rail 4, a wheel rim 104 structure is provided on the inner side of the front wheel 102 and the rear wheel 103, and the diameter of the wheel rim 104 is larger than the diameter of the front wheel 102 and the rear wheel 103 (the front wheel and the rear wheel have the same diameter).

[0044] In this embodiment of the present application, a first support frame 105, a second support frame 106, and a peripheral frame 107 are provided on the chassis 101. The first support frame 105 is located at the front end of the chassis 101 and is provided with a center console 108. A control panel 109 for maneuvering and parking the traveling platform 1 is located on the left side of the center console 108. The second support frame 106 is located in the middle of the chassis 101 and has a seat cushion 110 on top for carrying passengers. The peripheral frame 107 is located at the rear end of the chassis 101 and is used to store items and tools.

[0045] See also Figure 3-Figure 4As shown, in the embodiment of the present application, in order to facilitate the installation of the electric slide 2, an L-shaped support frame 111 is provided at the front of the running platform 1. The vertical frame of the L-shaped support frame 111 is connected to the front of the running platform 1. The electric slide 2 is horizontally arranged at the front edge of the bottom frame of the L-shaped support frame 111. When the equipment is started, the end of the electric slide 2 is located above the rails 4 on both sides. The electric slide 2 described in the embodiment of the present application includes a ball screw 201, a motor 202 for driving the ball screw 201, a first housing 203 for accommodating the ball screw 201, and a second housing 204 for installing the motor 202. One end of the second housing 204 is connected to one end of the first housing 203. The two ends of the ball screw 201 are respectively connected to bearing 1 205 and bearing 2 206. Bearing 1 205 is connected to the inner end of the first housing 203, and bearing 2 206 is connected to the inner end of the second housing 204. The ends are connected, a slide 207 is provided on the ball screw 201 (the slide 207 has a built-in screw nut), and an extended L-shaped connecting plate 208 is provided on both sides of the slide 207. The L-shaped connecting plates 208 on both sides are symmetrically arranged, and a slide groove 209 for extending outward from the L-shaped connecting plate 208 is provided on the first housing 203. The tops of the two L-shaped connecting plates 208 are commonly connected to a mounting plate 210, and the mounting plate 210 is located above the first housing 203. The bottom end of the robotic arm 3 is connected to the mounting plate 210. The motor 202 is mounted on the outside of the other end of the second housing 204. A transmission mechanism is provided within the second housing 204. The transmission mechanism connects the power output shaft of the motor 202 and one end of the ball screw 201. A bearing 3 211 is provided in the second housing 204. The bearing 3 211 is sleeved on the power output shaft of the motor 202. The transmission mechanism includes a driving pulley 212 connected to the end of the power output shaft of the motor 202, a driven pulley 213 connected to one end of the ball screw 201, and a transmission belt 214 connecting the driving pulley 212 and the driven pulley 213. As can be seen from the design of the above structure, when the motor 202 is started, it drives the ball screw 201 to rotate forward and backward, thereby achieving left and right lateral movement of the slide 207, thereby driving the robot arm 3 to move horizontally between the two rails, changing the lateral position of the probe between the two rails, so as to flexibly scan, detect flaws, and adjust the rails on both sides.

[0046] It is worth pointing out and explaining that the robotic arm 3 used in the embodiment of the present application is a six-axis collaborative robotic arm, which is based on a six-degree-of-freedom structure and a high-precision motion control system. This type of robotic arm is usually composed of six joints connected to each other, each joint can rotate along an axis, thereby realizing the six degrees of freedom of the robot. The six-axis collaborative robotic arm can realize the collaborative operation capability of the robot through six-axis collaborative control. In six-axis collaborative control, there is a certain degree of flexibility between each joint, which can achieve more flexible and efficient collaborative control. The probe used in the embodiment of the present application is a phased array probe. The phased array probe is composed of multiple crystals arranged in a certain pattern. The excitation time of each crystal can be individually controlled by software, thereby controlling the shape and direction of the transmitted ultrasonic beam (wavefront), realizing ultrasonic beam scanning, deflection and focusing; it can detect defects of different directions and orientations, which may be randomly distributed in positions far away from the axis of the sound beam. Ordinary single crystal probes are prone to missing defects in unfavorable directions or defects far away from the axis of the sound beam due to their limited movement range and sound beam angle.

[0047] In some instances, to reduce costs, minimize power consumption, and improve performance, the motion control controller uses a TMS320F28335 digital signal processor in conjunction with a motor driver to achieve the movement of the electric slide 2 and the robotic arm 3. In addition, a non-slip platform 112 is provided on the right side of the center console 108 for placing a computer, which is electrically connected to the digital signal processor to enable manual control of the movement of the slide 2 and the robotic arm 3.

[0048] It should be noted that the wheel hub motor, six-axis collaborative robotic arm, phased array probe, TMS320F28335 digital signal processor and other devices described in the embodiments of the present application are all existing technologies and can be purchased directly on the market. The specific details of the structure of the above devices are not repeated here. For those skilled in the art, the functions of the wheel hub motor, six-axis collaborative robotic arm, phased array probe, TMS320F28335 digital signal processor and other devices in the embodiments of the present application should be clear and complete.

[0049] The working process of the rail weld flaw detection robot in the embodiment of the present application is roughly as follows: the platform moves on the rail, and the rail weld on one side is first scanned and inspected. After scanning the rail weld on one side, the probe is moved and adjusted to scan the rail weld on the other side; weld positioning, when the probe moves to a position near the weld, the traveling platform stops; the weld positioning is performed by an electric slide, and when the electric slide moves to the weld position with the traveling platform, the end of the electric slide is aligned with the weld, and the traveling platform stops at this time. Since the robotic arm is arranged on the electric slide, the robotic arm and the weld are also aligned; the weld is cleaned and the coupling agent is sprayed; the controller controls the robotic arm to drive the probe to scan and inspect the weld.

[0050] It is worth noting that all directional indications in the embodiments of the present invention (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the various components under a certain specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0051] In this utility model, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "connection" and "fixation" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "fixation" can mean fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; it can mean mechanical connection or electrical connection; it can mean direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean internal communication between two elements or interaction between two elements, unless otherwise specified. For those skilled in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this utility model can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0052] In addition, in the present utility model, descriptions such as "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. The meaning of "and / or" appearing in the full text is that it includes three parallel schemes. Taking "A and / or B as an example", it includes scheme A, or scheme B, or a scheme in which A and B are satisfied at the same time. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the ability of ordinary technicians in this field to implement. When the combination of technical solutions is mutually contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present utility model.

[0053] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art will be able to modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments or replace some of the technical features therein with equivalents. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A rail weld flaw detection robot with multi-dimensional position adjustment function, characterized in that: Includes the following structures: A running platform, which is erected on the rails; An electric slide is arranged transversely at the front end of the traveling platform; a robotic arm, the robotic arm being slidably disposed on the slide; A probe, which is provided at the end of the robotic arm and is used to scan the rail weld; A controller cooperates with a motor driver to realize the movement of the slide and the robotic arm.

2. The rail weld flaw detection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: An L-shaped support frame is provided at the front of the running platform, the vertical frame of the L-shaped support frame is connected to the front of the running platform, and the slide is horizontally arranged at the front edge of the bottom frame of the L-shaped support frame.

3. The rail weld flaw detection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The running platform includes a chassis and a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels arranged at the front and rear ends of the chassis, and the running platform adopts a hub motor as a driving motor.

4. The rail weld flaw detection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The traveling platform is equipped with a lithium battery for power supply.

5. The rail weld flaw detection robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: A wheel rim structure is provided on the inner side of the front wheel and the rear wheel, and the diameter of the wheel rim is larger than the diameter of the front wheel and the rear wheel.

6. The rail weld flaw detection robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: A first supporting frame is provided on the chassis, the first supporting frame is provided at the front end of the chassis, a center console is provided on the first supporting frame, and a control panel for controlling the movement and parking of the running platform is provided on the left side of the center console.

7. The rail weld flaw detection robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: A second supporting frame is provided in the middle of the chassis, and a seat cushion is provided on the top of the second supporting frame.

8. The rail weld flaw detection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The slide comprises the following structure: A ball screw, with two ends connected to bearing 1 and bearing 2 respectively; a motor, configured to drive the ball screw; A first housing is used to accommodate the ball screw, and the first bearing is connected to the inner end of the first housing; a second housing, wherein one end of the second housing is connected to one end of the first housing, the motor is mounted on the outside of the other end of the second housing, the second bearing is connected to the inner end of the second housing, and a third bearing is provided in the second housing, and the third bearing is sleeved on the power output shaft of the motor; A slide is sleeved on the ball screw, with extended L-shaped connecting plates provided on both sides of the slide, a slide groove for extending the L-shaped connecting plates is provided on the first housing, and a mounting plate is connected to the tops of the two L-shaped connecting plates, and the bottom end of the robotic arm is connected to the mounting plate; The transmission mechanism is arranged in the second housing; the transmission mechanism includes a driving pulley connected to the end of the motor power output shaft, a driven pulley connected to one end of the ball screw, and a transmission belt connecting the driving pulley and the driven pulley.

9. The rail weld flaw detection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The robotic arm is a six-axis collaborative robotic arm.

10. The rail weld flaw detection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The probe is a phased array probe.

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