Underwater detection robot

Abstract

The utility model discloses an underwater detection robot. The underwater detection robot comprises a robot body and a multi-beam assembly, the multi-beam assembly is arranged on a frame of the robot body, the multi-beam assembly comprises a plurality of mutually connected multi-beam depth sounder, and the multi-beam depth sounder is respectively connected with an energy system and a control system of the robot body; the multi-beam depth sounder is provided with beam emergent surfaces, the directions of the beam emergent surfaces are different, the multiple multi-beam depth sounder are matched, and the emitted beams can perform 360-degree annular acoustic detection on the diversion tunnel to be detected. When the robot is applied, the defect detection precision of the diversion tunnel can be improved, and tunnel defects can be easily distinguished in a turbid water environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of robotics technology, and in particular to an underwater detection robot. Background Art

[0002] Long-distance and large-diameter water diversion tunnels refer to water diversion tunnels with long tunnel lines and large tunnel diameters. During long-term operation, typical defects such as cracks, landslides, falling blocks and exposed reinforcement will appear, and regular defect detection is required.

[0003] In related technologies, China Southern Power Grid Peaking and Frequency Regulation Power Generation Co., Ltd. has developed a hybrid underwater robot ARV. The robot uses forward and single-beam sonar to perceive the local environment in real time, realize automatic cable detachment and autonomous return, and complete the inspection tasks of the 8.40m diameter and 1.20km length water diversion tunnel of the Haishang Hydropower Station and the 10.00m diameter and 1.80km length water diversion tunnel of the Tianshengqiao Secondary Power Station. It is also placed through the surge tank at the lower end of the 12.00m diameter water diversion tunnel of the Jinping Secondary Power Station for a 2.50km length inspection. Although the single-beam sonar it uses can obtain The depth data of the water diversion tunnel can be obtained, but only partial data on the inner surface of the water diversion tunnel can be obtained. The data volume is small and the detection accuracy is low. China General Nuclear Power Research Institute Co., Ltd. has developed a crawler underwater crawling robot. The robot realizes real-time three-dimensional reconstruction by carrying an underwater three-dimensional laser sensor. It can adapt to the inspection of long-distance underwater tunnels in dynamic water conditions. The underwater cable inspection distance reaches 5.00km. Although the three-dimensional laser sensor it uses can obtain more depth data of the water diversion tunnel, the detection accuracy is easily affected by the turbidity of the water environment. It is difficult to distinguish tunnel defects in turbid water environments.

[0004] Therefore, how to provide a solution to overcome or alleviate the above-mentioned defects is still a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently by those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide an underwater inspection robot to improve the accuracy of water diversion tunnel defect detection, and to easily identify tunnel defects in turbid water environments.

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, the present application provides an underwater inspection robot, comprising a robot body and a multi-beam assembly;

[0007] The multi-beam assembly is provided on the frame of the robot body, and the multi-beam assembly includes a plurality of interconnected multi-beam depth sounders, and the multi-beam depth sounders are respectively connected to the energy system and control system of the robot body;

[0008] The multi-beam echo sounder has a beam emitting surface, and each beam emitting surface has a different orientation. When a plurality of multi-beam echo sounders are coordinated, the emitted beams can perform 360-degree circular acoustic detection of the diversion tunnel to be detected.

[0009] Optionally, the multi-beam assembly further includes a mounting bracket;

[0010] The mounting frame has the same number of first mounting surfaces as the multi-beam echo sounders and corresponds one to one. The multi-beam echo sounder has a second mounting surface facing away from the beam exit surface. The multi-beam echo sounder is mounted on the corresponding first mounting surface through the second mounting surface, and the beam exit surface faces the outside of the mounting frame.

[0011] Optionally, the mounting frame includes a connecting frame and a plurality of mounting plates;

[0012] A plurality of the mounting plates are connected via the connecting frame, and the mounting plates have the first mounting surface.

[0013] Optionally, the connecting frame includes a plurality of first connecting plates; the first connecting plates are equal in number and correspond one to one with the mounting plates, one end of the plurality of first connecting plates are connected to each other, and the other ends are respectively connected to the corresponding mounting plates, and the surface of the mounting plate facing away from the first connecting plates forms the first mounting surface; and / or,

[0014] The multi-beam assembly further includes a first buoyancy block; the first buoyancy block is embedded in the interior of the connecting frame and / or between any two of the multi-beam echo sounders.

[0015] Optionally, there are three multi-beam echo sounders;

[0016] The three multi-beam echo sounders are evenly distributed along the same circumference, and the angle between the beam exit surfaces of any two multi-beam echo sounders is 120 degrees.

[0017] Optionally, a rotation drive mechanism is also included;

[0018] The rotation drive mechanism is provided on the frame and is connected to the multi-beam assembly. The rotation drive mechanism can drive the multi-beam assembly to rotate, so as to at least rotate the multi-beam assembly downward from the emitted beam being parallel to the vertical plane to the emitted beam being parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0019] Optionally, the rotation drive mechanism includes a driving member and a rotating arm;

[0020] The driving member is arranged on the frame, one end of the rotating arm is connected to the driving member, and the other end is connected to the multi-beam assembly. The driving member can drive the rotating arm to rotate, thereby driving the multi-beam assembly to rotate.

[0021] Optionally, the frame has a bottom plate; one side of the bottom plate is opened to form a rotation channel, the rotating arm is located above the rotation channel, and during the rotation of the multi-beam assembly, part of the rotating arm can enter or exit the rotation channel; and / or,

[0022] The rotating arm is a hollow structure, and a second buoyancy block is embedded in the rotating arm.

[0023] Optionally, the rotation drive mechanism further includes a first support and a second support;

[0024] The first support and the second support are both arranged on the frame and are respectively located on both sides of the rotating channel. The driving member has a shell and a rotating shaft. The two ends of the shell are respectively fixed to the first support and the second support. The rotating shaft is rotatably arranged on the second support, and the rotating shaft is connected to the other end of the rotating arm.

[0025] Optionally, the second support includes a first support plate, a second support plate and a limiting rod;

[0026] There are two first support plates, the two first support plates are parallel to each other and the tops are connected by the second support plate, the tops of the second support plates are connected to the frame, the two first support plates are connected by the limiting rod, and the rotating arm is located below the limiting rod.

[0027] The underwater inspection robot provided in this application has a multi-beam assembly mounted on the robot's frame. Multiple multi-beam echo sounders in the multi-beam assembly are interconnected and separately connected to the robot's energy system and control system. The beam emission surfaces of each multi-beam echo sounder face differently. During use, the multi-beam echo sounders cooperate with each other, and the emitted beams are capable of performing a 360-degree circular acoustic detection of the diversion tunnel to be inspected. This allows for the acquisition of bathymetric data and side-scan image data over a large area of ​​the tunnel's inner surface. The large amount of data acquired is beneficial for improving the accuracy of diversion tunnel defect detection. Furthermore, the assembly can provide reliable acoustic data even in turbid waters, making it easier to identify tunnel defects even in turbid water environments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the robot body in the underwater inspection robot according to the embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the underwater inspection robot according to the embodiment of the present application in the first working state;

[0030] Figure 3 for Figure 2Right view;

[0031] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a portion of the structure of the multi-beam assembly shown;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the underwater inspection robot according to the embodiment of the present application operating in a horizontal diversion tunnel;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the underwater inspection robot in the second working state according to the embodiment of the present application;

[0034] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Right view;

[0035] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the underwater inspection robot according to the embodiment of the present application operating in an inclined diversion tunnel;

[0036] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the underwater inspection robot according to the embodiment of the present application in the third working state;

[0037] Figure 10 for Figure 9 Right view;

[0038] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the underwater inspection robot according to the embodiment of the present application operating in a vertical diversion tunnel;

[0039] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the connection between the multi-beam assembly and the rotation drive mechanism in the underwater inspection robot according to the embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 13 for Figure 12 Front view of

[0041] Figure 14 for Figure 12 Rear view;

[0042] Figure 15 for Figure 12 Left view of;

[0043] Figure 16 for Figure 12 Right view;

[0044] Figure 17 for Figure 12 A top view of

[0045] Figure 18 for Figure 12 Bottom view of .

[0046] The reference numerals in the above drawings are described as follows:

[0047] 1-frame, 11-bottom plate, 11a-rotating channel, 12-side plate, 13-grid plate, 14-lifting frame;

[0048] 2-propulsion system, 21-main thruster, 22-side thruster;

[0049] 3-Energy system, 31-Battery tank;

[0050] 4-control system, 41-controller;

[0051] 5-multi-beam assembly, 51-multi-beam echo sounder, 51a-beam exit surface, 51b-second mounting surface, 52-mounting frame, 52a-first mounting surface, 521-connecting frame, 5211-first connecting plate, 5212-second connecting plate, 522-mounting plate, 53-first buoyancy block;

[0052] 6 - Rotational drive mechanism, 61 - Driving member, 611 - Housing, 612 - Rotating shaft, 62 - Rotating arm, 62a - Through hole, 621 - Arm plate, 622 - Second buoyancy block, 623 - Fixed plate, 63 - First support, 64 - Second support, 641 - First support plate, 642 - Second support plate, 643 - Limit rod;

[0053] 7-third buoyancy block;

[0054] 81-Camera, 82-Searchlight, 83-Collision Avoidance Sonar;

[0055] 9-Inertial navigation system;

[0056] a-water diversion tunnel, b-planned survey line, c-center line. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the present application is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0058] It should be noted that: in this application, the direction of the underwater inspection robot is defined as "front", the direction opposite to "front" is "back", and the two sides corresponding to the front and back directions are left and right directions. For details, please refer to Figures 1 to 18 Direction indicated by the arrow.

[0059] The terms "first", "second", etc. mentioned in this application are only used to facilitate the description of two or more structures or components with the same or similar structures and / or functions, and do not mean any special limitation on the order and / or importance.

[0060] The term "several" as used in this application refers to an indefinite number of multiple components, usually more than two; and when "several" is used to indicate the number of certain components, it does not indicate the quantitative relationship between these components.

[0061] In this application, unless otherwise specified or limited, the term "connection" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can mean a mechanical connection or a communication connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean internal communication between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0062] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the robot body in the underwater inspection robot of the embodiment provided in this application. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the underwater inspection robot in the first working state according to the embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 for Figure 2 Right view of .

[0063] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the underwater detection robot includes a robot body and a multi-beam component 5; the multi-beam component 5 is arranged on the frame 1 of the robot body, and the multi-beam component 5 includes a plurality of interconnected multi-beam echo sounders 51, and the multi-beam echo sounders 51 are respectively connected to the energy system 3 and the control system 4 of the robot body; the multi-beam echo sounder 51 has a beam exit surface 51a, and each beam exit surface 51a has a different orientation. The multiple multi-beam echo sounders 51 cooperate with each other, and the emitted beams can perform 360-degree circular acoustic detection on the water diversion tunnel a to be inspected.

[0064] With such an arrangement, when in use, each multi-beam echo sounder 51 cooperates with each other, and the beams emitted can cover the radial range of 360 degrees of the inner surface of the water diversion tunnel a to be inspected, thereby obtaining echo sounding data and side-scan image data within a larger range on the inner surface of the water diversion tunnel a. The amount of data obtained is large, which is conducive to improving the defect detection accuracy of the water diversion tunnel a. The data acquisition speed is also fast, which is conducive to improving the defect detection efficiency of the water diversion tunnel a.

[0065] Not only that, the multi-beam echo sounder 51 can also provide reliable acoustic data in turbid waters, making it easy to identify tunnel defects in turbid water environments, so that the underwater detection robot provided in the embodiment of the present application can be used in turbid water working environments and has high adaptability.

[0066] Please combine Figure 1It is understood that the robot body is the main part of the underwater inspection robot, which includes a frame 1 and a propulsion system 2, an energy system 3, and a control system 4 arranged on the frame 1. The energy system 3 and the control system 4 are both connected to the propulsion system 2. The energy system 3 can provide energy for the propulsion system 2 and the multi-beam component 5. The control system 4 is used to control the action of the propulsion system 2 to drive the movement of the robot body. The data collected by the multi-beam component 5 can be transmitted to the control system 4 for subsequent defect detection.

[0067] Please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the partial structure of the multi-beam component shown.

[0068] In actual configuration, the connection structure between the multi-beam echo sounders 51 in the multi-beam assembly 5 is not limited.

[0069] Please combine Figure 2 and Figure 4 It is understood that in the embodiment provided herein, the multi-beam assembly 5 may further include a mounting frame 52; the mounting frame 52 has the same number of first mounting surfaces 52a as the multi-beam echosounders 51 and corresponds one-to-one with each other. The multi-beam echosounders 51 have second mounting surfaces 51b facing away from the beam exit surface 51a. The multi-beam echosounders 51 are mounted on the corresponding first mounting surfaces 52a via the second mounting surfaces 51b, with the beam exit surface 51a facing outward from the mounting frame 52. In this way, the integration of each multi-beam echosounder 51 into the mounting frame 52 makes the structure of the multi-beam assembly 5 compact, which is beneficial for improving the operating stability and data acquisition accuracy of the multi-beam assembly 5.

[0070] The specific structure of the mounting frame 52 in the embodiment of the present application is not limited. For example, please refer to Figure 4 The mounting frame 52 includes a connecting frame 521 and multiple mounting plates 522; the mounting plate 522 has a first mounting surface 52a, and the multiple mounting plates 522 are connected by the connecting frame 521, so that the structure of the mounting frame 52 is more compact. At the same time, it also makes the mounting frame 52 more lightweight, which is conducive to reducing the weight of the multi-beam component 5, so that the setting of the multi-beam component 5 has less impact on the navigation process of the robot body, which can further improve the stability of the tunnel detection work and the data acquisition accuracy.

[0071] In the embodiment provided herein, the connecting frame 521 includes a plurality of first connecting plates 5211. The first connecting plates 5211 are identical in number to the mounting plates 522, and correspond one to one. One end of each of the plurality of first connecting plates 5211 is interconnected, and the other end is connected to a corresponding mounting plate 522. The surface of the mounting plate 522 facing away from the first connecting plate 5211 forms a first mounting surface 52a. Thus, the connecting frame 521 has a simple, compact, and highly stable structure. The mounting frame 52 formed by connecting the connecting frame 521 to the mounting plates 522 is highly stable and can even form a hollow structure. This cleverly balances the stability of the multi-beam echo sounder 51 installation with the lightweight multi-beam assembly 5, further enhancing the stability and accuracy of tunnel inspections.

[0072] Please combine Figure 2 and Figure 4 It is understood that in the embodiment of the present application, the multi-beam assembly 5 further includes a first buoyancy block 53 ; the first buoyancy block 53 is embedded inside the connecting frame 521 and between any two multi-beam echo sounders 51 .

[0073] It is not difficult to understand that the first buoyancy block 53 can be made of non-metallic material with a density less than that of water, for example, inorganic lightweight filling material, which can provide buoyancy for the underwater detection robot and facilitate flexible adjustment of the robot's floating state.

[0074] It is worth noting that in the multi-beam assembly 5, the first buoyancy block 53 can be set only between two adjacent first connecting plates 5211, or the first buoyancy block 53 can be set only between two adjacent multi-beam echo sounders 51. Obviously, in the embodiment of the present application, the first buoyancy block 53 is set between the two adjacent first connecting plates 5211 and between the two adjacent multi-beam echo sounders 51, which can fully utilize the space formed by the above-mentioned similar hollow structure of the multi-beam assembly 5, not only can it bring greater buoyancy, but also can improve the integration of the multi-beam assembly 5, making the structure of the multi-beam assembly 5 more compact.

[0075] It should be noted that the first buoyancy block 53 embedded between any two adjacent first connecting plates 5211 and the first buoyancy block 53 embedded between any two adjacent multi-beam echo sounders 51 can be separately provided, or can be as follows: Figure 4 The integrated configuration shown is not limited to this. Figure 4 The first buoyancy block 53 is integrally formed, which is easier to manufacture and has a more stable structure.

[0076] In actual configuration, the number of multibeam echosounders 51 in the multibeam assembly 5 is not limited, and can be multiple, that is, three or more, depending on the beam angle range of the multibeam echosounders 51 in use. The arrangement of the multibeam echosounders 51 is not limited, and can be arranged along the same circumference or not. Accordingly, the number and specific arrangement of the first connecting plates 5211 and mounting plates 522 in the mounting frame 52 are also not limited, and can be determined based on the number and arrangement of the multibeam echosounders 51.

[0077] As an alternative, please combine Figure 2 and Figure 4 It is understood that three multi-beam echosounders 51 can be provided, and the three multi-beam echosounders 51 can be evenly distributed along the same circumference, with the angle between the beam exit surfaces 51a of any two multi-beam echosounders 51 being 120 degrees. During use, the type of multi-beam echosounder 51 is not limited, and the beam opening angle of each multi-beam echosounder 51 can be selected to be greater than 120 degrees, so that the beam emitted by the multi-beam assembly 5 can be evenly distributed on the inner surface of the water diversion tunnel a and cover a 360-degree sweep width, thereby achieving uniform scanning of the water diversion tunnel a and obtaining bathymetric data and side-scan image data within a radial range of 360 degrees on the inner surface of the water diversion tunnel a, thereby further improving the defect detection accuracy and efficiency of the water diversion tunnel a.

[0078] Accordingly, if Figure 4 As shown, the number of first connecting plates 5211 and mounting plates 522 in the mounting frame 52 can each be three. Each first connecting plate 5211 can extend along the diameter of the aforementioned circle and be evenly spaced 120 degrees along the aforementioned circle. That is, the angle between any two first connecting plates 5211 can be 120 degrees. A line perpendicular to the aforementioned circle and passing through the center of the circle is defined as the centerline c of the multi-beam assembly 5. Each beam exit surface 51a is parallel to the centerline c. One end of the three first connecting plates 5211 is connected, and the straight line at the connection coincides with the centerline c. The mounting plates 522 can be disposed at the other end of the corresponding first connecting plates 5211. The first connecting plates 5211 can be perpendicularly positioned in the middle of the corresponding mounting plates 522, so that the three mounting plates 522 are also evenly spaced along the aforementioned circle. In this way, after the three multi-beam echo sounders 51 are respectively fixed to the first mounting surfaces 52 a of the three mounting plates 522 , each multi-beam echo sounder 51 can be more firmly integrated.

[0079] It is worth noting that each first connecting plate 5211 in the connecting frame 521 can be provided separately or as Figure 4 The integrated arrangement shown is not limited to the specific one; the connection method between the multi-beam echo sounder 51 and the mounting plate 522 is not limited, and can be connected by a snap connection, or as Figure 4 As shown, it is connected by bolts to facilitate disassembly and assembly.

[0080] The underwater inspection robot provided in the embodiment of the present application can be used to inspect a water diversion tunnel a. The structural form of the water diversion tunnel a is not limited. It can be a horizontal water diversion tunnel, an inclined water diversion tunnel, or a vertical water diversion tunnel. Here, horizontal, inclined, and vertical respectively refer to the axis of the water diversion tunnel a being parallel to, inclined to, and perpendicular to the horizontal plane. When using the underwater inspection robot provided in the embodiment of the present application to inspect the water diversion tunnel a, the robot generally navigates along the planned survey line b, which can specifically be the axis of the water diversion tunnel a. To better perform the scanning function of the multi-beam assembly 5, each beam exit surface 51a of the multi-beam assembly 5 should be roughly parallel to the axis of the water diversion tunnel a, and thus the centerline c of the multi-beam assembly 5 should be roughly parallel to the planned survey line b.

[0081] In order to make the underwater inspection robot more suitable for the inspection of inclined water diversion tunnels and vertical water diversion tunnels, please refer to Figure 2 In an embodiment of the present application, the underwater inspection robot further includes a rotation drive mechanism 6; the rotation drive mechanism 6 is provided on the frame 1, and the rotation drive mechanism 6 is connected to the multi-beam assembly 5, and the rotation drive mechanism 6 can drive the multi-beam assembly 5 to rotate in a vertical plane.

[0082] During specific configuration, the rotation angle of the multi-beam assembly 5 is not limited.

[0083] As an optional solution, the multi-beam component 5 can rotate downward from emitting a beam parallel to the vertical plane to emitting a beam parallel to the horizontal plane, so that the multi-beam component 5 can flexibly adjust the rotation angle according to the inclination of the water diversion tunnel a to give full play to the detection function.

[0084] In specific configuration, the structural form of the rotation drive mechanism 6 is not limited.

[0085] As an alternative, please combine Figure 2 It is understood that the rotation drive mechanism 6 includes a driving member 61 and a rotating arm 62; the driving member 61 is arranged on the frame 1, one end of the rotating arm 62 is connected to the driving member 61, and the other end is connected to the multi-beam component 5. The driving member 61 can drive the rotating arm 62 to rotate, thereby driving the multi-beam component 5 to rotate.

[0086] It is understood that the position of the rotating arm 62 is determined according to the position of the multi-beam assembly 5. The specific position of the multi-beam assembly 5 on the frame 1 is not limited. For example, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3The multi-beam assembly 5 can be located in front of the frame 1 to facilitate control of the robot's navigation and detection work. Accordingly, each beam exit surface 51a of the multi-beam assembly 5 can be parallel to the front and rear squares, the length direction of the rotating arm 62 can be parallel to the front and rear directions, and the rotating arm 62 can be fixed to the middle of the rear side of the multi-beam assembly 5. The type of the driving member 61 is not limited. For example, it can be a rotary motor having a rotating shaft 612. The rear end of the rotating arm 62 can be fixedly connected to the rotating shaft 612. The axis of the rotating shaft 612 can be perpendicular to the length direction of the rotating arm 62, that is, extending in the left and right direction. In this way, the rotation of the rotating shaft 612 of the rotating motor can drive the rotating arm 62 to rotate in the vertical plane around the axis of the rotating shaft 612, thereby realizing the rotation of the multi-beam assembly 5 around the axis of the rotating shaft 612 in the vertical plane, causing each beam exit surface 51a to change its direction.

[0087] Please refer to Figures 5 to 11 , Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the underwater inspection robot according to the embodiment of the present application operating in a horizontal diversion tunnel. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the underwater inspection robot in the second working state according to the embodiment of the present application. Figure 7 for Figure 6 Right view, Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the underwater inspection robot according to the embodiment of the present application operating in an inclined diversion tunnel. Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the underwater inspection robot in the third working state according to the embodiment of the present application. Figure 10 for Figure 9 Right view, Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the underwater inspection robot according to the embodiment of the present application operating in a vertical water diversion tunnel.

[0088] When the diversion tunnel a is a horizontal diversion tunnel, please refer to Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 5 , the rotating arm 62 can be controlled to be approximately horizontal, that is, the center line c of the multi-beam assembly 5 is approximately horizontal and can roughly coincide with the planned survey line b. At this time, the underwater inspection robot is in the first working state, sailing along the horizontal planned survey line b to inspect the horizontal diversion tunnel a;

[0089] When the diversion tunnel a is an inclined diversion tunnel, please refer to Figures 6 to 8 The rotating arm 62 can be controlled to rotate downward by a certain angle. The rotation angle can be roughly equal to the inclination angle of the axis of the water diversion tunnel a relative to the horizontal plane, so that the center line c of the multi-beam assembly 5 and the planned survey line b can roughly coincide. At this time, the underwater inspection robot is in the second working state, sailing along the inclined planned survey line b to inspect the inclined water diversion tunnel a.

[0090] When the diversion tunnel a is a vertical diversion tunnel, please refer to Figures 9 to 11 , the rotating arm 62 can be controlled to rotate downward approximately 90 degrees, so that the center line c of the multi-beam assembly 5 is approximately vertical and can roughly coincide with the planned survey line b. At this time, the underwater inspection robot is in the third working state, sailing along the vertical planned survey line b to inspect the vertical diversion tunnel a.

[0091] In the examples provided in this application, please refer to Figure 1 、 Figure 2 、 Figure 6 and Figure 9 Frame 1 includes a base plate 11. One side of base plate 11, specifically the front side, is open to form a rotation channel 11a. Rotating arm 62 is positioned above rotation channel 11a. During the rotation of multi-beam assembly 5, portions of rotating arm 62 can enter or exit rotation channel 11a. This allows rotation channel 11a to make way for downward rotation of rotating arm 62, making the entire robot more compact and improving detection accuracy and efficiency.

[0092] Please refer to Figures 12 to 18 , Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the connection between the multi-beam assembly and the rotation drive mechanism in the underwater inspection robot according to the embodiment of the present application. Figure 13 for Figure 12 Front view of Figure 14 for Figure 12 The rear view, Figure 15 for Figure 12 Left view of Figure 16 for Figure 12 Right view, Figure 17 for Figure 12 A top view of Figure 18 for Figure 12 Bottom view of .

[0093] In actual configuration, the structural form of the rotating arm 62 is not limited.

[0094] As an optional solution, the rotating arm 62 can be a hollow structure, and a second buoyancy block 622 can be embedded in the rotating arm 62. This is an ingenious design that can not only enable the rotating arm 62 to provide a stable force for the rotation of the multi-beam assembly 5, but also make the rotating arm 62 lighter. In addition, the second buoyancy block 622 can be embedded in the rotating arm 62 to increase the buoyancy of the rotating arm 62, further providing buoyancy for the underwater inspection robot, and facilitating the flexibility of the underwater inspection robot in adjusting its floating state.

[0095] Please combine Figure 12It is understood that in the embodiment of the present application, the main part of the rotating arm 62 can be surrounded by four arm plates 621, and each arm plate 621 can be provided with a number of through holes 62a, so that the main part of the rotating arm 62 can form the above-mentioned hollow structure, and the second buoyancy block 622 can fill the interior of the rotating arm 62, and with the cooperation of the through holes 62a, the buoyancy of the rotating arm 62 can be increased.

[0096] It is worth noting that the front end of the main body of the rotating arm 62 can be connected to the rear end of the mounting bracket 52. The specific connection method is not limited. For example, please refer to Figure 4 The connecting frame 521 in the mounting frame 52 may further include a second connecting plate 5212, and the rear end of each first connecting plate 5211 and the rear end of each mounting plate 522 may be connected via the second connecting plate 5212. Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown, a fixing plate 623 may be provided at the front end of the main body of the rotating arm 62 , and the fixing plate 623 may be connected to the second connecting plate 5212 by bolts to facilitate the installation and disassembly of the multi-beam assembly 5 and the rotating arm 62 .

[0097] In actual installation, the manner of installing the driving member 61 on the frame 1 is not limited.

[0098] For example, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 12 The rotary drive mechanism 6 may further include a first support 63 and a second support 64. The first support 63 and the second support 64 may be disposed on the frame 1 and respectively located on both sides of the rotary channel 11a. The driving member 61 includes a housing 611 and a rotating shaft 612. The two ends of the housing 611 may be fixed to the first support 63 and the second support 64, respectively. The rotating shaft 612 may be rotatably disposed on the second support 64 and may be connected to the rear end of the rotary arm 62. With this arrangement, the rotary drive mechanism 6 may be arranged from one side of the rotary channel 11a to the other side, thereby balancing the weight of the entire underwater detection robot, reducing the impact of the arrangement of the multi-beam assembly 5 and the rotary drive mechanism 6 on the weight distribution of the robot body, and relatively ensuring the stability of the robot body during navigation.

[0099] For specific settings, please refer to Figure 2 The first support 63 can be arranged on the right part of the base plate 11, the second support 64 can be arranged in the frame 1 and located on the left side of the first support 63, the right end of the shell 611 of the driving member 61 can be fixed to the first support 63, and the left end is the output end, which can be fixed to the second support 64.

[0100] In the examples of this application, please refer to Figure 12The second support 64 may include a first support plate 641, a second support plate 642 and a limiting rod 643. Two first support plates 641 may be provided, and the two first support plates 641 may be parallel to each other and connected at the top by the second support plate 642. The top of the second support plate 642 may be fixed to the top of the frame 1. The two first support plates 641 may be coaxially provided with a rotating hole. The left end of the shell 611 of the driving member 61 may be fixed to the outer side wall of the first support plate 641 on the right side. The rotating shaft 612 of the driving member 61 may pass through the two rotating holes to the left in sequence and be rotatably set in the two rotating holes. The rear end of the main part of the rotating arm 62 may be fixedly connected to the rotating shaft 612 so that the rotating arm 62 can rotate with the rotation of the rotating shaft 612; the two first support plates 641 may be connected by a limiting rod 643, and the limiting rod 643 may be located above the rotating arm 62 to limit the rotation of the rotating arm 62 from bottom to top. With such an arrangement, the second support 64 has a compact structure and high strength. The driving member 61 and the rotating arm 62 are installed on the frame 1 through the first support 63 and the second support 64. The structure of the entire rotation drive mechanism 6 is more compact, which is more conducive to flexible and stable driving of the rotation of the multi-beam assembly 5.

[0101] When the underwater inspection robot provided in the embodiment of the present application is used, it navigates along the water diversion tunnel a and uses the multi-beam component 5 to perform a 360-degree large-scale rapid scan of the water diversion tunnel a. At the same time, the suspected defects inside the water diversion tunnel a are preliminarily identified in combination with the acquired sonar images.

[0102] In the examples provided in this application, please refer to Figures 1 to 3 It is understood that the underwater inspection robot may also include a camera 81 and a searchlight 82; at least one camera 81 and at least one searchlight 82 may be respectively provided on the front, rear, left, right, top, and bottom sides of the frame 1. Thus, for the suspected defects initially identified above, the control system 4 can control the propulsion system 2 to move the robot body toward the location of the suspected defect, allowing the camera 81 to approach for detailed observation, thereby confirming the defect and further improving the defect detection accuracy of the water diversion tunnel a.

[0103] like Figure 2 As shown, the underwater inspection robot may also include a collision avoidance sonar 83, which may be located at the front end top of the frame 1 to collect sonar images of suspended objects or tunnel walls in the surrounding environment, thereby avoiding collisions with suspended objects or tunnel walls during the operation of the robot and improving the safety and stability of the robot during operation.

[0104] It is not difficult to understand that the role of the above-mentioned camera 81 is not limited to close inspection of suspected defects, but can also be used to observe the surrounding environment, further avoid collisions between the robot and tunnel walls or suspended objects, and further improve the safety and stability of the robot's operation process.

[0105] In the examples of this application, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The frame 1 can be specifically a rectangular parallelepiped frame, with side panels 12 provided on the left and right sides of the frame 1, respectively. The side panels 12 can be made of a buoyant material. The top of the frame 1 can be configured as a groove structure, within which a plurality of third buoyancy blocks 7 can be provided. In this way, the side panels 12 on both sides of the frame 1, the third buoyancy blocks 7 on the top, the first buoyancy blocks 53 in the multi-beam assembly 5, and the second buoyancy blocks 622 in the rotating arm 62 work together to provide the underwater inspection robot with greater buoyancy, allowing the underwater inspection robot to flexibly adjust its buoyancy state to a greater extent.

[0106] In addition, a lifting frame 14 can be provided in the middle of the top of the frame 1 to facilitate lifting the entire frame 1 and the components thereon; a grid plate 13 can be laid on the upper surface of the base plate 11, and the first support 63 of the rotary drive mechanism 6, the energy system 3 and at least part of the control system 4 can be provided on the grid plate 13. The grid plate 13 is not only light in weight, but also has a strong load-bearing capacity, which can ensure the stability and safety of the installation of the above-mentioned components and reduce the resistance of the robot when sailing underwater.

[0107] The propulsion system 2 provided in the embodiment of the present application can drive the frame 1 to move in any direction including forward, backward, left, right, up and down. Specifically, it may include a main propeller 21, a side propeller 22 and a vertical propeller (not shown in the figure). Figures 1 to 3 It is understood that the main thruster 21 can be arranged at the rear of the frame 1, and its pushing direction is the longitudinal direction of the frame 1, that is, the front-to-back direction, and is used to push the frame 1 forward or backward; the side thruster 22 can be arranged at the side of the frame 1, and its pushing direction is the transverse direction of the frame 1, that is, the left-right direction, and is used to push the frame 1 to move left or right; the vertical thruster can be arranged at the top of the frame 1, and its pushing direction is the vertical direction of the frame 1, that is, the up-down direction, and is used to push the frame 1 to move upward or downward.

[0108] The number of propellers is not limited. As an optional solution, two main propellers 21 can be provided, and the two main propellers 21 can be distributed left and right on the frame 1. Two side propellers 22 can also be provided, and the two side propellers 22 can be distributed front and back on the frame 1. The two main propellers 21 and the two side propellers 22 can be arranged in a vectored arrangement. Four vertical propellers can be provided, and the four vertical propellers can be arranged in a square array on the top of the frame 1. This can provide stable and balanced power for the movement of the frame 1 and achieve flexible adjustment of the movement of the frame 1.

[0109] The energy system 3 provided in the embodiment of the present application is used to provide electrical energy to various components of the robot. Its structure is not limited. For example, please refer to Figure 1The energy system 3 may include a battery and a battery can 31 . The battery may be sealed in the battery can 31 , and the battery can 31 may be fixed to the grid plate 13 .

[0110] In the embodiment of the present application, the underwater detection robot also includes: Figure 1 The inertial navigation system 9 and Doppler velocity recorder DVL (not shown) are shown. The inertial navigation system 9 is used to obtain the underwater inspection robot's acceleration and angular velocity data to estimate the underwater inspection robot's position, posture, and velocity data. The DVL is used to obtain the underwater inspection robot's velocity data to correct the velocity data estimated by the inertial navigation system 9. In this way, accurate navigation of the underwater inspection robot can be achieved.

[0111] The control system 4 provided in the embodiment of the present application is used to detect and identify tunnel defects based on the data collected by the multi-beam component 5 and other data collection components, and can control the action of the propulsion system 2 to control the movement of the entire robot. In the embodiment of the present application, please refer to Figure 1 The control system 4 may include a data acquisition module, a time synchronization module, a controller 41 and a computer. The controller 41 may be arranged on the grid plate 13 and may be connected to data acquisition components such as the multi-beam echo sounder 51, the camera 81, the collision avoidance sonar 83, the inertial navigation system 9 and the DVL. At the same time, it may be connected to controlled components such as the drive 61 and the propulsion system 2. The computer may be a host computer and may be arranged on the shore. The controller 41 may be connected to the computer through a communication cable.

[0112] During use, the data acquisition module can obtain data collected by the corresponding data acquisition components and transmit it to the computer using a switch. The computer can then perform route planning, defect detection and identification, obstacle determination, etc. based on the received data. Specifically, the computer can plan the robot's navigation route and control each propeller through the controller 41 in combination with the inertial navigation data corrected by the DVL, achieving automatic or manual control of the robot within the water diversion tunnel a. The computer can control the rotation of the driving member 61 through the controller 41 according to the structural form of the water diversion tunnel a being tested, thereby adjusting the posture of the rotating arm 62 and driving the multi-beam assembly 5 to rotate to adapt to the structure of the water diversion tunnel a. The computer can also send corresponding commands to the controller 41 when a suspected defect is detected, and the controller 41 can control the corresponding propeller to move the camera 81 on the side of the suspected defect close to the suspected defect for defect confirmation. The computer can also control the propulsion system 2 through the controller 41 when an obstacle is detected to avoid collisions. The computer can also control the three multi-beam echo sounders 51 to operate independently and in a time-sharing manner by controlling the time synchronization module.

[0113] In an embodiment of the present application, the underwater inspection robot may further include a winch and a relay station. The winch may provide a communication cable for the robot body, and the relay station is used to assist the navigation of the robot body. The water diversion tunnel a may have straight sections and non-straight sections. For the inspection of the straight section, when the inspection operation begins, the computer may control the robot to navigate along the tunnel, and the multi-beam component 5 may perform a full-scale scan of the tunnel to obtain inspection data. For the inspection of the non-straight section, the robot body may first be placed in the relay station, and the computer may control the relay station to inspect while navigating. When reaching the turning section, the multi-beam component 5 may be controlled to rotate to a suitable position and slowly navigate to the bottom. After the relay station is parked at the bottom, the multi-beam component 5 may be controlled to rotate to a designated position. The robot body may depart from the relay station, navigate along the tunnel and obtain inspection data. The data may be transmitted to the computer in real time through the communication cable and recorded. In addition, the communication cable can be equipped with a length exceeding 20 km, which can realize long-distance, large-scale, high-efficiency, and high-precision underwater inspection.

[0114] This document uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only intended to help understand the device and its core concept of this application. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, without departing from the principles of this application, various improvements and modifications can be made to this application, and such improvements and modifications also fall within the scope of protection of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. An underwater inspection robot, characterized in that: including a robot body and a multi-beam assembly (5); The multi-beam assembly (5) is provided on the frame (1) of the robot body, and the multi-beam assembly (5) includes a plurality of interconnected multi-beam depth sounders (51), and the multi-beam depth sounders (51) are respectively connected to the energy system (3) and the control system (4) of the robot body; The multi-beam echo sounder (51) has a beam exit surface (51a), and each beam exit surface (51a) has a different orientation. When a plurality of multi-beam echo sounders (51) are coordinated, the emitted beams can perform 360-degree circular acoustic detection on the diversion tunnel (a) to be detected.

2. The underwater inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multi-beam assembly (5) further includes a mounting frame (52); The mounting frame (52) has the same number of first mounting surfaces (52a) as the number of the multi-beam echo sounders (51) and corresponds one to one with each other; the multi-beam echo sounder (51) has a second mounting surface (51b) facing away from the beam exit surface (51a); the multi-beam echo sounder (51) is mounted on the corresponding first mounting surface (52a) via the second mounting surface (51b); and the beam exit surface (51a) faces the outside of the mounting frame (52).

3. The underwater inspection robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The mounting frame (52) includes a connecting frame (521) and a plurality of mounting plates (522); A plurality of the mounting plates (522) are connected via the connecting frame (521), and the mounting plates (522) have the first mounting surface (52a).

4. The underwater inspection robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The connecting frame (521) comprises a plurality of first connecting plates (5211); the first connecting plates (5211) and the mounting plates (522) are equal in number and correspond one to one, one ends of the plurality of first connecting plates (5211) are connected to each other, and the other ends are respectively connected to the corresponding mounting plates (522), and the surface of the mounting plate (522) facing away from the first connecting plate (5211) forms the first mounting surface (52a); and / or, The multi-beam assembly (5) further comprises a first buoyancy block (53); the first buoyancy block (53) is embedded in the interior of the connecting frame (521) and / or between any two of the multi-beam echo sounders (51).

5. The underwater inspection robot according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: There are three multi-beam echo sounders (51); The three multi-beam echo sounders (51) are evenly distributed along the same circumference, and the angle between the beam exit surfaces (51a) of any two multi-beam echo sounders (51) is 120 degrees.

6. The underwater inspection robot according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: Also includes a rotation drive mechanism (6); The rotation drive mechanism (6) is provided on the frame (1), and the rotation drive mechanism (6) is connected to the multi-beam assembly (5). The rotation drive mechanism (6) can drive the multi-beam assembly (5) to rotate, so as to at least rotate the multi-beam assembly (5) downward from the state where the emitted beam is parallel to the vertical plane to the state where the emitted beam is parallel to the horizontal plane.

7. The underwater inspection robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The rotary drive mechanism (6) comprises a drive member (61) and a rotary arm (62); The driving member (61) is provided on the frame (1), one end of the rotating arm (62) is connected to the driving member (61), and the other end is connected to the multi-beam assembly (5), and the driving member (61) can drive the rotating arm (62) to rotate, thereby driving the multi-beam assembly (5) to rotate.

8. The underwater inspection robot according to claim 7, characterized in that: The frame (1) has a bottom plate (11); one side of the bottom plate (11) is opened to form a rotation channel (11a); the rotation arm (62) is located above the rotation channel (11a); during the rotation of the multi-beam assembly (5), part of the rotation arm (62) can enter or exit the rotation channel (11a); and / or, The rotating arm (62) is a hollow structure, and a second buoyancy block (622) is embedded in the rotating arm (62).

9. The underwater inspection robot according to claim 8, characterized in that: The rotary drive mechanism (6) further includes a first support (63) and a second support (64); The first support (63) and the second support (64) are both arranged on the frame (1) and are respectively located on both sides of the rotating channel (11a). The driving member (61) has a shell (611) and a rotating shaft (612). The two ends of the shell (611) are respectively fixed to the first support (63) and the second support (64). The rotating shaft (612) is rotatably arranged on the second support (64). The rotating shaft (612) is connected to the other end of the rotating arm (62).

10. The underwater inspection robot according to claim 9, characterized in that: The second support (64) comprises a first support plate (641), a second support plate (642) and a limiting rod (643); There are two first support plates (641), the two first support plates (641) are parallel to each other and are connected at the top via the second support plate (642), the top of the second support plate (642) is connected to the frame (1), the two first support plates (641) are connected via the limiting rod (643), and the rotating arm (62) is located below the limiting rod (643).

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