Box girder inspection robot with light supplementing and illumination sensing structure
By setting up a ring-shaped light fixture and a light sensor on the inspection robot, and adjusting the brightness and angle of the supplementary light, the problems of poor lighting conditions and diverse materials in the internal inspection of box girders were solved, achieving efficient and accurate inspection results.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202520060221.1
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-01-10
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-23
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-01-10
AI Technical Summary
Existing methods for inspecting the interior of box girders suffer from poor lighting conditions, diverse surface materials, and large differences in space size, resulting in high labor intensity and large deviations in results for manual inspection. Inspection robots struggle to accurately identify defects and lack effective lighting sensing structures.
A ring-shaped light frame is installed on the inspection robot, with multiple supplementary lights and light sensors deployed on it. The light sensors detect the lighting conditions and adjust the brightness and angle of the supplementary lights to adapt to changes in lighting inside the box girder, thereby achieving precise supplementary lighting and image acquisition.
It improves the image clarity and defect identification accuracy of internal box girder inspection, reduces the labor intensity of manual inspection, and enhances the robot's adaptability in complex environments.
Smart Images
Figure CN223820573U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of box girder inspection technology, specifically to a box girder inspection robot with supplementary lighting and light sensing structure. Background Technology
[0002] Currently, the inspection of the interior of continuous box girders falls under the category of inspecting concealed parts of bridge structures. This inspection work faces challenges such as working at heights, limited access to power and network, crossing mountains and rivers, and limited window working time, posing certain safety hazards to the workers. Furthermore, due to the wide distribution of bridges and the large geographical span, the box girders require inspection for numerous items, including water seepage, cracks, and hollow areas, resulting in a heavy, demanding, and time-consuming manual task.
[0003] Box girders have poor lighting conditions, diverse surface materials, and significant differences in space size. Currently, the detection of defects inside box girders mainly relies on two methods: manual inspection and inspection robots.
[0004] The manual method involves using a camera to perform a long-distance coarse scan to determine the location of fatigue cracks. This method is not only labor-intensive but also prone to errors in the test results. In addition, the internal structure of the box girder is inconvenient to walk on, some parts lack lighting, and the top plate, in particular, cannot be observed at close range, making it difficult to mark and record data. Manual inspection is subject to many objective interferences and is also greatly influenced by human subjectivity.
[0005] The inspection robot method involves using an image acquisition device mounted on the inspection robot to scan the inside of the box girder. However, it often faces challenges such as poor lighting conditions inside the box girder, diverse surface materials, and large differences in space size, which can lead to blurry images with low contrast, making it difficult to accurately identify cracks and other defects.
[0006] Meanwhile, existing box girder inspection robots lack a light sensing structure that can fully perceive the lighting conditions inside the box girder, making them unsuitable for array-type supplementary lighting structures. Utility Model Content
[0007] To address the aforementioned problems in the existing technology, this utility model provides a box girder inspection robot with supplementary lighting and light sensing structure.
[0008] This utility model discloses a box girder inspection robot with supplementary lighting and light sensing structure, including: an inspection robot body, an image acquisition device for inspecting and photographing box girders on the inspection robot body, a ring light frame around the image acquisition device, the ring light frame being connected to the inspection robot body, and multiple independent supplementary lights and light sensors evenly distributed on the ring light frame.
[0009] The number of light sensors is the same as the number of fill lights, and the light sensors are installed at the front end of the corresponding fill lights.
[0010] As a further improvement of this utility model, all the supplementary lights and light sensors are connected to the control system of the inspection robot body; the illumination area formed by the N supplementary lights is divided into N small areas, and the N light sensors detect the light intensity of their corresponding small areas; the control system adjusts the brightness and illumination angle of the corresponding supplementary light based on the light intensity detected by each light sensor.
[0011] As a further improvement of this utility model, the image acquisition device is a camera, the fill light is an LED light, a xenon light or a laser light, and the light sensor is a photodiode, a phototransistor or a photoresistor.
[0012] As a further improvement of this utility model, the ring-shaped light frame is a U-shaped bracket with the opening facing downwards and both ends are detachably connected to the main body of the inspection robot through a quick-release structure. A reinforcing bracket is installed in the middle of the ring-shaped light frame. The top end of the reinforcing bracket is screwed to the crossbar of the ring-shaped light frame, and the bottom end is detachably connected to the main body of the inspection robot through a quick-release structure. The quick-release structure includes one of a buckle structure and a plug and slot mating structure.
[0013] As a further improvement of this utility model, the supplementary light is mounted on an electric pan-tilt head, the electric pan-tilt head is mounted on the ring-shaped lamp holder, the light sensor is mounted on the lampshade of the supplementary light or on the electric pan-tilt head of the supplementary light, and the control system of the main body of the inspection robot is connected to the controller of each electric pan-tilt head to realize the angle adjustment of each supplementary light.
[0014] As a further improvement of this utility model, the control system of the main body of the inspection robot is connected to the controller of each supplementary light to realize the brightness adjustment of each supplementary light.
[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:
[0016] This utility model provides an ambient light detection function for the inspection robot by setting up a ring-shaped light frame around the image acquisition device. The ring-shaped light frame is equipped with multiple supplementary lights and light sensors. The light sensing structure of the ring-shaped multi-light sensor set around the image acquisition device can provide ambient light detection function for the inspection robot, which can sense the lighting conditions inside the box girder, so that the robot can adjust the brightness and angle of the supplementary lights and the focus of the camera based on the lighting conditions.
[0017] The circular light fixture of this utility model adopts a quick-release structure and is installed on the main body of the inspection robot, which facilitates the disassembly of the circular light fixture and the main body of the inspection robot, so that both can be conveniently accessed from the manhole at the bottom of the box girder. Attached Figure Description
[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the box girder inspection robot with supplementary lighting and light sensing structure disclosed in this utility model;
[0019] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a circular light fixture;
[0020] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Installation diagram of the center fill light.
[0021] In the picture:
[0022] 1. Inspection robot body; 2. Image acquisition device; 3. Ring light stand; 4. Fill light; 5. Electric pan-tilt head; 6. Light sensor; 7. Control system. Detailed Implementation
[0023] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this utility model. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.
[0024] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings:
[0025] like Figure 1-3As shown, this utility model provides a box girder inspection robot with supplementary lighting and light sensing structure, which improves the supplementary lighting structure of existing box girder inspection robots. Existing box girder inspection robots include walking components (chassis, wheel set, etc.), control system and carrying components (image acquisition device, sensors, etc.). The main body 1 of the box girder inspection robot uses a lightweight and miniaturized wheeled or tracked mobile robot chassis, which facilitates the inspection robot to move from the manhole at the bottom of the box girder to the inside of the box girder. The chassis is surrounded by mechanical devices that can be quickly disassembled (such as bayonet structure, plug and slot and plug matching structure, etc., existing conventional quick-release structures). This utility model has a ring light frame 3 around the image acquisition device. The ring light frame 3 is connected to the inspection robot body 1 through the above-mentioned quick-release structure. Multiple independent supplementary lights 4 and light sensors 6 are evenly distributed on the ring light frame 3. Specifically: the image acquisition device 2 is a camera, the supplementary light 4 is an LED light, xenon light, or laser light, and the light sensor 6 is a photodiode, phototransistor, or photoresistor, etc. The light sensor 6 measures the light intensity in the current environment and converts it into an electrical signal. These sensors typically have high sensitivity and a wide dynamic range, accurately sensing various lighting conditions from dark to bright. The ring-shaped light frame 3 is preferably a portal frame (U-shaped frame), a circular frame, or a C-shaped frame with the opening facing downwards, forming a ring-shaped lighting area around the image acquisition device 2. The material of the ring-shaped light frame 3 is selected according to actual needs to meet the requirements of the inspection robot. The image acquisition device 2 is located at the center of the ring-shaped light frame 3, such as... Figure 2 The center position is shown. Further, when the ring-shaped light frame is a U-shaped bracket with its opening facing downwards, its two ends are detachably connected to the main body of the inspection robot via a quick-release structure. A reinforcing bracket is installed in the middle of the ring-shaped light frame, with its top end screwed to the crossbar of the ring-shaped light frame and its bottom end detachably connected to the main body of the inspection robot via a quick-release structure. The quick-release device of this utility model can be a buckle-like quick-release device, with a latch installed at a preset position on the main body of the box girder inspection robot, and a plug installed at the tail end of the ring-shaped light frame 3. When the plug is inserted into the latch, the ring-shaped light frame 3 can be stably installed on the main body of the box girder inspection robot.
[0026] The supplementary light 4 of this invention is mounted on the ring-shaped light frame 3 via an electric pan-tilt head 5. Specifically, the supplementary light 4 is mounted on the movable end of the electric pan-tilt head 5, and the fixed end of the electric pan-tilt head 5 is fixedly mounted on the ring-shaped light frame 3. The electric pan-tilt head 5 allows for angle adjustment of the supplementary light in both horizontal and vertical directions. The electric pan-tilt head involved in this invention is a conventional structure and will not be described in detail here; for example, a home security camera is a common combination of a camera and an electric pan-tilt head. Furthermore, the control system of the main body of the inspection robot of this invention is connected to the controller of each electric pan-tilt head to achieve angle adjustment of each supplementary light. Each supplementary light in this invention can achieve independent control of brightness and angle to adapt to the environment and target objects at different positions inside the box girder, avoiding overexposure due to excessive brightness or loss of image details due to excessive darkness.
[0027] The supplementary lighting of this invention is evenly distributed across different parts of the robot, providing multi-angle illumination to achieve optimal lighting effects in various inspection scenarios. The supplementary lighting system is powered by an internal battery and centrally managed through the robot's control system. It features a quick-release mechanism for rapid deployment and retrieval, and can be easily moved from outside the box girder through the manhole at the bottom of the box girder into the interior.
[0028] The number of light sensors 6 in this invention is the same as the number of supplementary lights 4. The illumination area formed by N supplementary lights is divided into N smaller areas, and the N light sensors detect the light intensity of their corresponding smaller areas. The light sensors 6 are installed at the front end of the corresponding supplementary light 4, either on the lampshade of the supplementary light 4 or on the movable end of the electric pan-tilt head of the supplementary light. The control system 7 of the inspection robot body 1 is connected to the controller of each supplementary light 4 (controlling the brightness of the supplementary light and the movement of the electric pan-tilt head) and each light sensor 6, so as to adjust the brightness and illumination angle of the corresponding supplementary light based on the light intensity detected by each light sensor. Figure 2 For example, the control system of the inspection robot body 1 of this utility model connects all the controllers of the supplementary lights in parallel through wires. The controllers can realize the switching on and off of the supplementary lights and the brightness adjustment, thereby realizing the switching on and off of each supplementary light and the brightness adjustment through the control system of the inspection robot body 1.
[0029] The control system 7 adjusts the brightness and illumination angle of the corresponding supplementary light based on the light intensity detected by each light sensor, specifically including:
[0030] S1. Divide the area illuminated by the fill light into N small areas equal to the number of fill lights. The center of each small area is the illumination center of the fill light. Number the fill lights and the small areas in the division one by one. Install a light sensor in the small area where the fill light is located to detect the light intensity of the surrounding area.
[0031] S2. In the laboratory environment, adjust the supplementary light on the electric pan-tilt head to the reference position (the central axis of the supplementary light is parallel to the normal of the area being tested), adjust the brightness of the supplementary light to make the image obtained by the camera of the box girder robot as clear as possible, and record the brightness value of the light sensor in each small area. Take the average value of the brightness value of each light sensor as the brightness adjustment reference value.
[0032] S3. In the actual detection environment, the light sensor detects the light intensity of its local area and obtains the light intensity value of the local area; it calculates the light intensity difference between the light intensity detected by each light sensor and its reference light intensity value, and compares the light intensity difference (absolute value) with the light intensity threshold. If it is greater than the light intensity threshold, it calculates the drive current value of the supplementary light that needs to be adjusted and sends a dimming command to the control system. The control system controls the corresponding supplementary light to adjust its brightness. Furthermore, according to different light intensities, multiple thresholds can be set to distinguish different lighting conditions. For example, several levels such as "bright", "medium", "dim", and "dark" can be defined. The IF-THEN rule is used to determine the light source adjustment strategy. For example, if the light intensity difference (absolute value) is greater than the threshold X, the light source brightness is increased by Y%. At the same time, a closed-loop control system using a PID controller continuously adjusts the light source brightness through the light source compensation device based on the data fed back by the light sensor, and automatically turns on or adjusts the brightness of the supplementary light based on the data fed back by the light sensor, while maintaining the image quality within the ideal range.
[0033] S4. The image acquisition device acquires images of the inner wall of the box girder, calibrates the relationship between the image coordinates and the actual coordinates of the inner wall of the box girder, and draws the corresponding supplementary lighting area in the image coordinate area. According to the computer image processing algorithm, the color image acquired by the image acquisition device is converted into a grayscale image, and each divided image area is divided into several small color blocks of appropriate size. The average pixel value of each small color block is calculated, i.e., the brightness value. The average brightness value of each small color block in the divided image area is taken as the average brightness value of the image area. The brightness value of each small color block is compared with the average brightness value of the image area. If the brightness value of M consecutive small color blocks is less than the average brightness value, the center point of the center color block among the M color blocks is taken as the reference (e.g., if the brightness value of 5 consecutive small color blocks is less than the average brightness value, the center point of the third color block among the 5 color blocks is taken as the reference). According to the relationship between the image coordinates and the actual coordinates of the inner wall of the box girder, the rotation angle of the supplementary lighting is calculated, and the angle of the supplementary lighting is adjusted by the control system to supplement the lighting of the image area.
[0034] The advantages of this utility model are:
[0035] This utility model provides an ambient light detection function for the inspection robot by setting up a ring-shaped light frame around the image acquisition device. The ring-shaped light frame is equipped with multiple supplementary lights and light sensors. The light sensing structure of the ring-shaped multi-light sensor set around the image acquisition device can provide ambient light detection function for the inspection robot, which can sense the lighting conditions inside the box girder, so that the robot can adjust the brightness and angle of the supplementary lights and the focus of the camera based on the lighting conditions.
[0036] The circular light fixture of this utility model adopts a quick-release structure and is installed on the main body of the inspection robot, which facilitates the disassembly of the circular light fixture and the main body of the inspection robot, so that both can be conveniently accessed from the manhole at the bottom of the box girder.
[0037] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this utility model and are not intended to limit the scope of this utility model. Various modifications and variations can be made to this utility model by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model.
Claims
1. A box girder inspection robot with supplementary lighting and light sensing structure, comprising: The main body of the inspection robot is equipped with an image acquisition device for inspecting and photographing box girders. The image acquisition device is characterized by having a ring-shaped light frame around it, which is connected to the main body of the inspection robot. Multiple independent supplementary lights and light sensors are evenly distributed on the ring-shaped light frame. The number of light sensors is the same as the number of fill lights, and the light sensors are installed at the front end of the corresponding fill lights.
2. The box girder inspection robot with supplementary lighting and illumination sensing structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, All the supplementary lights and light sensors are connected to the control system of the inspection robot body; the illumination area formed by the N supplementary lights is divided into N small areas, and the N light sensors detect the light intensity of their corresponding small areas; the control system adjusts the brightness and illumination angle of the corresponding supplementary light based on the light intensity detected by each light sensor.
3. The box girder inspection robot with supplementary lighting and illumination sensing structure as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The image acquisition device is a camera, the fill light is an LED light, a xenon light or a laser light, and the light sensor is a photodiode, a phototransistor or a photoresistor.
4. The box girder inspection robot with supplementary lighting and illumination sensing structure as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The ring-shaped light fixture is a U-shaped bracket with its opening facing downwards, and both ends are detachably connected to the main body of the inspection robot via quick-release structures. A reinforcing bracket is installed in the middle of the ring-shaped light fixture. The top of the reinforcing bracket is screwed to the crossbar of the ring-shaped light fixture, and the bottom is detachably connected to the main body of the inspection robot via a quick-release structure. The quick-release structure includes one of a buckle structure and a plug and slot mating structure.
5. The box girder inspection robot with supplementary lighting and illumination sensing structure as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The supplementary light is mounted on an electric pan-tilt head, which is mounted on the ring-shaped light frame. The light sensor is mounted on the lampshade of the supplementary light or on the electric pan-tilt head of the supplementary light. The control system of the main body of the inspection robot is connected to the controller of each electric pan-tilt head to realize the angle adjustment of each supplementary light.
6. The box girder inspection robot with supplementary lighting and illumination sensing structure as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The control system of the main body of the inspection robot is connected to the controller of each fill light to adjust the brightness of each fill light.