Four-footed climbing robot for steel structure damage detection

Abstract

The utility model relates to a four-footed climbing robot for steel structure damage detection, which can carry electronic elements for flaw detection to walk on a steel structure, and comprises a robot main body and four walking mechanisms arranged on the robot main body, the walking mechanism comprises a hip joint unit, a thigh joint unit, a shank joint unit and a foot joint unit which are connected in sequence; each hip joint unit comprises a first steering engine, a steering engine base used for installing the first steering engine and a rotating base controlled by the first steering engine. The thigh joint unit comprises a second steering engine and a thigh base used for installing the second steering engine, and an output shaft of the second steering engine is connected with the rotating base. The shank joint unit comprises a third steering engine and a shank base controlled by the third steering engine, and the third steering engine is fixedly connected with the thigh base. The foot joint unit comprises a fourth steering engine and a foot base used for installing the fourth steering engine, an output shaft of the fourth steering engine is connected with the shank base, and an electromagnet is arranged in the foot base. According to the utility model, flexible walking on a complex steel structure can be realized through cooperation of multiple feet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of robotics, and in particular to a quadruped climbing robot for detecting damage to steel structures. Background Technology

[0002] Steel structures are widely used in various applications, such as steel buildings, bridges, and large machinery. However, due to load variations, exceeding the service life, or other reasons, insufficient load-bearing capacity, or unexpected deformation, torsion, and other unpredictable causes, steel structures can be damaged, compromising their quality and performance. Therefore, during the service life of steel structure projects, regular flaw detection is necessary to identify potential safety hazards and address them promptly.

[0003] In the past, flaw detection in steel structure engineering was mostly done manually. Workers walked on the steel structure and used equipment such as ultrasonic testing, eddy current testing, or magnetic particle testing for precise detection. Steel structure engineering is complex, manual flaw detection is labor-intensive, and climbing to heights poses significant safety risks. Furthermore, isolated operations are inefficient and cannot meet the demands of complex and ever-changing steel structure inspection environments. In complex environments such as high-rise buildings and large-span structures, manual inspection faces challenges such as the risks of working at heights and low inspection efficiency.

[0004] Nowadays, flaw detection robots are widely used to replace manual labor for flaw detection. These robots are equipped with corresponding sensors and cameras, and they move on steel structures, performing flaw detection through onboard electronic components. Some robots use wheeled or tracked locomotion structures, but these robots have difficulty moving on complex steel structures.

[0005] For example, the steel structure weld flaw detection robot disclosed in patent publication number CN220584202U moves on the steel structure by rotating a set of wheels driven by a motor. Another example is the magnetic adsorption walking device and magnetic adsorption wall-climbing robot disclosed in patent publication number CN109533054B, which walks on steel structures using a tracked walking mechanism. However, it should be noted that wheeled or tracked robots have difficulty overcoming obstacles in complex steel structure environments, exhibiting weak environmental adaptability. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the problem of some robots struggling to walk on complex and varied steel structures, this invention provides a quadruped climbing robot for detecting damage to steel structures. Through the coordinated operation of multiple legs, the robot can walk conveniently on steel structures, effectively coping with complex and varied steel structure environments.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:

[0008] A quadruped climbing robot for detecting damage to steel structures can carry electronic components for flaw detection and walk on steel structures. It includes a robot body and a walking mechanism for moving the robot body. The robot body is provided with four walking mechanisms arranged in a rectangular shape.

[0009] Each of the walking mechanisms is arranged in an inverted "L" shape. The walking mechanism includes a hip joint unit, a thigh joint unit, a lower leg joint unit and a foot joint unit connected in sequence, which facilitates the robot's flexible walking and obstacle crossing.

[0010] The hip joint unit includes a servo motor, a servo motor mount for mounting the servo motor, and a rotating mount controlled by the servo motor.

[0011] The thigh joint unit includes a second servo motor and a thigh mount for mounting the second servo motor, with the output shaft of the second servo motor connected to the rotating base.

[0012] The lower leg joint unit includes a servo motor three and a lower leg seat controlled by the servo motor three, and the servo motor three is connected and fixed to the thigh seat;

[0013] The foot joint unit includes a fourth servo motor and a foot seat for mounting the fourth servo motor. The output shaft of the fourth servo motor is connected to the lower leg seat. An electromagnet is arranged inside the foot seat to provide variable magnetic force for adsorption and fixation to the steel structure.

[0014] Furthermore, the robot body includes a base plate and a carrying frame. Two carrying frames are positioned above the base plate, arranged horizontally in a "[" shape, with both ends vertically downwards and fixed to the base plate. This facilitates manual movement of the entire robot.

[0015] Furthermore, a reinforcing plate with a "Y"-shaped cross-section is provided in the middle of the main body base plate. The upper end of the reinforcing plate is connected and fixed to two carrying frames respectively, and the lower end of the reinforcing plate is connected and fixed to the main body base plate. This improves the reliability of the connection between the main body base plate and the carrying frames.

[0016] Furthermore, a fixing frame is provided at the front end of the main body base plate, and an angle block with multiple slots is provided inside the fixing frame. A lens mount for installing a miniature camera is inserted into any slot of the angle block, which facilitates the adjustment of the installation position and angle of the lens mount.

[0017] The main body base plate has walking mechanisms arranged at both the front and rear ends, with two walking mechanisms symmetrically arranged at each end.

[0018] Furthermore, all four servos—servo one, servo two, servo three, and servo four—are dual-output-axis servos. Each servo is equipped with a servo drive board, which is electrically connected to the Raspberry Pi. The Raspberry Pi is the control core of the robot, thereby controlling the operation of each servo.

[0019] Furthermore, the servo motor base is arranged on the robot body. The servo motor base includes an upper cover and a lower base that are separate from each other. The lower base is fixedly connected to the robot body with screws. The first servo motor is arranged inside the lower base. The output shaft of the first servo motor is connected to the upper cover and the rotating base respectively. The upper cover is placed above the first servo motor. One end of the upper cover is fixedly connected to the rotating base. The upper cover and the rotating base are simultaneously controlled to rotate by the first servo motor.

[0020] Furthermore, the second servo motor is embedded above the thigh seat, the lower section of the thigh seat is inverted "U" shape, the third servo motor is arranged below the thigh seat, the output shaft of the third servo motor is connected to the upper end of the lower leg seat, and the lower leg seat is in "H" shape.

[0021] Furthermore, the foot seat has a "T" shaped cross section, with the fourth servo motor embedded in one end of the foot seat. The output shaft of the fourth servo motor is connected to the lower end of the lower leg seat, and the electromagnet is embedded in the other end of the foot seat.

[0022] The beneficial effects of this utility model through the above technical solution are:

[0023] This invention features walking mechanisms at each of the four corners of the robot's main body, giving the robot a quadrupedal structure for easier walking and obstacle crossing. The walking mechanisms consist of sequentially connected hip joint units, thigh joint units, lower leg joint units, and foot joint units, providing multi-degree-of-freedom mobility and adaptability to complex steel structure environments. Electromagnets are integrated into the foot joint units to ensure the robot's stable footing on steel structures. Further development by incorporating relevant electronic components for flaw detection on the robot body will expand its application beyond steel structure workshops and factories to include damage detection in infrastructure such as bridges, high-rise buildings, and large machinery, demonstrating promising future applications. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is an isometric drawing of the quadrupedal climbing robot used for steel structure damage detection according to this utility model.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a front view of the quadrupedal climbing robot of this utility model used for steel structure damage detection.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a side view of the quadrupedal climbing robot used for steel structure damage detection according to this utility model.

[0027] Figure 4 This is an isometric view of the main body of the quadrupedal climbing robot used for steel structure damage detection according to this utility model. The mirror mount and the fixing frame are in a separate state in the figure.

[0028] Figure 5This is one of the isometric drawings of the walking mechanism of the quadrupedal climbing robot used for steel structure damage detection in this utility model.

[0029] Figure 6 This is the second isometric drawing of the walking mechanism of the quadrupedal climbing robot used for steel structure damage detection according to this utility model.

[0030] The attached diagram is labeled as follows: 1 Robot body, 101 Main body base plate, 102 Hand-held frame, 2 Walking mechanism, 3 Reinforcing plate, 4 Hip joint unit, 41 Servo motor 1, 42 Servo motor base, 43 Rotary base, 5 Thigh joint unit, 51 Servo motor 2, 52 Thigh base, 6 Lower leg joint unit, 61 Servo motor 3, 62 Lower leg base, 7 Foot joint unit, 71 Servo motor 4, 72 Foot base, 8 Connector mounting cylinder, 9 Top cover, 10 Lower base, 11 Electromagnet, 12 Rotation point A, 13 Rotation point B, 14 Rotation point C, 15 Rotation point D, 16 Fixing frame, 17 Angle block, 171 Slot, 18 Mirror mount. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The specific embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0032] like Figures 1-6 As shown, a quadrupedal climbing robot for steel structure damage detection can carry electronic components for flaw detection and walk on steel structures. This description focuses on the robot's main structure, aiming to achieve flexible movement on complex steel structures. The sensors and other electronic components used for flaw detection mounted on the robot are not described here, and the robot's control system and the principles of using these electronic components for flaw detection are not within the scope of the technical problem this invention aims to solve and will not be explained further.

[0033] The quadrupedal climbing robot includes a robot body 1 and a walking mechanism 2 for moving the robot body 1. The robot body 1 includes a base plate 101 and two handles 102, which are arranged horizontally in a "[" shape. The two ends of the handles 102 are vertically connected and fixed to the base plate 101. The base plate 101 can be lifted upwards using the handles 102.

[0034] To increase the connection strength between the carrying frame 102 and the main body base plate 101, a reinforcing plate 3 with a "Y" shaped cross-section is provided in the middle of the main body base plate 101. The upper end of the reinforcing plate 3 is connected and fixed to the two carrying frames 102 respectively, and the lower end of the reinforcing plate 3 is connected and fixed to the main body base plate 101. The reinforcing plate 3 can improve the deformation resistance of the carrying frame 102 and also reliably lift the entire robot body 1.

[0035] Four walking mechanisms 2 are arranged in a rectangular layout on the robot body 1. Specifically, the walking mechanisms 2 are arranged at both the front and rear ends of the main body bottom plate 101, and the number of walking mechanisms 2 at each end is two symmetrically arranged. The coordinated cooperation of the four walking mechanisms 2 enables the robot body 1 to walk on the steel structure.

[0036] The shapes, structures, and dimensions of the four walking mechanisms 2 are the same. Each walking mechanism 2 is arranged in an inverted "L" shape. The walking mechanism 2 includes a hip joint unit 4, a thigh joint unit 5, a calf joint unit 6, and a foot joint unit 7 connected in sequence. That is, the hip joint unit 4, the thigh joint unit 5, the calf joint unit 6, and the foot joint unit 7 are connected in sequence from top to bottom and arranged in an inverted "L" structure. It can be seen that the robot has flexible limbs and multiple joints, enabling it to easily shuttle through the complex environment of the steel structure and work stably for a long time.

[0037] The hip joint unit 4 includes a servo motor one 41, a servo motor base 42 for installing the servo motor one 41, and a rotating seat 43 controlled by the servo motor one 41. The servo motor base 42 is arranged on the robot body 1. The servo motor base 42 includes an upper cover 9 and a lower seat 10 that are split up and down. The upper cover 9 and the lower seat 10 are two separate components, and these two components are not connected and fixed.

[0038] Among them, the lower seat 10 is fixedly connected to the robot body 1 by screws. The servo motor one 41 is arranged inside the lower seat 来实现舵机一41的安装,舵机一41为双输出轴舵机。舵机一41的输出轴分别连接上盖9和旋转座43,上盖9截面呈“𠃍”形状,上盖9罩设在舵机一41上方,上盖9水平一端与旋转座43连接固定,上盖9竖直一端与舵机一41输出轴连接。由此一来,当舵机一41运行、带动上盖9和旋转座43一同旋转,并以旋转点A12为旋转中心。

[0039] When the output shaft of the servo motor one 41 is connected to the upper cover 9, a connection structure is provided to achieve the connection between the output shaft of the servo motor one 41 and the upper cover 9. The connection structure is not shown in the figure. The connection structure includes a flange ring and a gear. The flange ring is a stepped cylinder with a cross-section in the shape of a "convex" character. A tooth is provided in the center of the flange ring. The gear is inserted into the center of the flange ring and meshes with the flange ring. The flange ring is connected to the upper cover 9 by screws, and the gear is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the servo motor one 41. The same connection structure is also used when the output shaft of the servo motor one 41 is connected to the rotating seat 43, and details are not repeated here.

[0040] It should be noted that there seems to be some incomplete or unclear parts in the original text, especially in the description of the connection in item . I have tried my best to translate it according to the context, but it may need further clarification for a more accurate translation.The thigh joint unit 5 includes a second servo motor 51 and a thigh seat 52 for mounting the second servo motor 51. The second servo motor 51 is also a dual-output shaft servo motor. The output shaft of the second servo motor 51 is connected to the rotating base 43. The second servo motor 51 is embedded in the upper part of the thigh seat 52 to achieve the installation and fixation of the second servo motor 51. When the second servo motor 51 operates, it drives the thigh seat 52 to rotate, with the thigh seat 52 rotating around the rotation point B13 as the center of rotation.

[0041] The lower leg joint unit 6 includes a servo motor 61 and a lower leg seat 62 controlled by the servo motor 61. The servo motor 61 is also a dual-output shaft servo motor, which is connected and fixed to the thigh seat 52. Specifically, the lower cross-section of the thigh seat 52 is inverted "U" shape, and the servo motor 61 is arranged inside the lower part of the thigh seat 52. The output shaft of the servo motor 61 is connected to the upper end of the lower leg seat 62, and the lower leg seat 62 has an "H" shaped cross-section. When the servo motor 61 is running, it can drive the lower leg seat 62 to rotate around the rotation point C14 as the rotation center.

[0042] One side of the lower leg base 62 of the two walking mechanisms 2 is also provided with a hollow connector mounting cylinder 8. With the metal flaw detector mounted on the robot, the probe of the metal flaw detector can be arranged inside the connector mounting cylinder 8. Since the lower leg base 62 can rotate flexibly, it is convenient to drive the probe of the metal flaw detector to swing. With the robot position fixed, the working range of the probe can be increased.

[0043] The foot joint unit 7 includes a servo motor 71 and a foot seat 72 for mounting the servo motor 71. The servo motor 71 is a dual-output shaft servo motor, with its output shaft connected to the lower leg seat 62, specifically, the output shaft of the servo motor 71 is connected to the lower end of the lower leg seat 62. The foot seat 72 has a "T" shaped cross-section and contains an electromagnet 11. Specifically, the servo motor 71 is embedded in one end of the foot seat 72 for mounting and fixing, while an adjustable electromagnet 11 is embedded in the other end. The electromagnet 11 attracts the robot body 1, securing it firmly to the steel structure, allowing the robot to more easily climb large metal structures for operation. When the servo motor 71 operates, it drives the foot seat 72 to rotate around the rotation point D15.

[0044] This invention uses a lithium battery pack to power the entire robot, including the various servo motors in the walking mechanism 2. The lithium battery pack is mounted on the main body base plate 101 and is not shown in the figure. Servo motor 41 controls the thigh joint unit 5, lower leg joint unit 6, and foot joint unit 7 to rotate forward and backward together around rotation point A12, enabling the robot to walk forward and backward. Servo motor 51 controls the thigh joint unit 5, lower leg joint unit 6, and foot joint unit 7 to rotate inward and outward together around rotation point B13, enabling the robot to walk sideways. Servo motor 61 controls the lower leg joint unit 6 and foot joint unit 7 to rotate forward and backward together around rotation point C14. Servo motor 71 can individually control the foot joint unit 7 to rotate forward and backward together around rotation point D15. It can be seen that the robot's walking mechanism exhibits both flexibility and stability.

[0045] The entire quadruped climbing robot uses a Raspberry Pi as its controller and is equipped with a gyroscope module, a servo drive board, and a GPS module. The Raspberry Pi drives the servo drive board, which in turn controls the operation of the servos on each walking mechanism to realize the robot's movement. The gyroscope module can monitor the robot's acceleration and direction of movement, and the GPS module is used to monitor the robot's location in real time.

[0046] When the robot is subsequently used for flaw detection operations, it can be equipped with ultrasonic sensors and miniature camera electronic components to facilitate real-time monitoring and analysis of the metal surface condition. During installation, the miniature camera has a fixing frame 16 at the front end of the main base plate 101. The fixing frame 16 contains an angle block 17 with multiple slots 171. A lens mount 18 for mounting the miniature camera is inserted into any slot 171 of the angle block 17, facilitating adjustment of the miniature camera's mounting angle.

[0047] The embodiments described above are merely preferred embodiments of this utility model and are not intended to limit the scope of implementation of this utility model. Therefore, all equivalent changes or modifications made to the structure, features and principles described in the patent claims of this utility model should be included within the scope of the patent application of this utility model.

Claims

1. A quadrupedal climbing robot for detecting damage to steel structures, capable of carrying electronic components for flaw detection while walking on steel structures, characterized in that, It includes a robot body (1) and a walking mechanism (2) for moving the robot body (1), wherein the robot body (1) is provided with four walking mechanisms (2) arranged in a rectangular shape. Each of the walking mechanisms (2) is arranged in an inverted "L" shape. The walking mechanism (2) includes a hip joint unit (4), a thigh joint unit (5), a lower leg joint unit (6), and a foot joint unit (7) connected in sequence. The hip joint unit (4) includes a servo motor (41), a servo motor mount (42) for mounting the servo motor (41), and a swivel mount (43) controlled by the servo motor (41). The thigh joint unit (5) includes a second servo motor (51) and a thigh seat (52) for mounting the second servo motor (51). The output shaft of the second servo motor (51) is connected to the rotating seat (43). The lower leg joint unit (6) includes a servo motor three (61) and a lower leg seat (62) controlled by the servo motor three (61). The servo motor three (61) is connected and fixed to the thigh seat (52). The foot joint unit (7) includes a servo motor four (71) and a foot seat (72) for mounting the servo motor four (71). The output shaft of the servo motor four (71) is connected to the lower leg seat (62), and an electromagnet (11) is arranged inside the foot seat (72).

2. The quadrupedal climbing robot for steel structure damage detection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robot body (1) includes a main body base plate (101) and a carrying frame (102). The carrying frame (102) is arranged above the main body base plate (101). There are two carrying frames (102). The carrying frames (102) are arranged horizontally in the shape of "[". The two ends of the carrying frames (102) are vertically downward and connected and fixed to the main body base plate (101).

3. The quadrupedal climbing robot for steel structure damage detection according to claim 2, characterized in that, The main base plate (101) is also provided with a reinforcing plate (3) with a "Y" shaped cross section in the middle. The upper end of the reinforcing plate (3) is connected and fixed to two handles (102) respectively, and the lower end of the reinforcing plate (3) is connected and fixed to the main base plate (101).

4. The quadrupedal climbing robot for steel structure damage detection according to claim 2, characterized in that, The main body base plate (101) has a fixed frame (16) at the front end. An angle block (17) with multiple slots (171) is provided in the fixed frame (16). A lens mount (18) for installing a miniature camera is inserted into any slot (171) of the angle block (17). The main body base plate (101) has walking mechanisms (2) arranged at both the front and rear ends, with two walking mechanisms (2) arranged symmetrically at each end.

5. The quadrupedal climbing robot for steel structure damage detection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first servo (41), the second servo (51), the third servo (61) and the fourth servo (71) are all dual-output shaft servos.

6. The quadrupedal climbing robot for steel structure damage detection according to claim 5, characterized in that, The servo mount (42) is arranged on the robot body (1). The servo mount (42) includes an upper cover (9) and a lower base (10) that are split into upper and lower parts. The lower base (10) is fixedly connected to the robot body (1) with screws. The servo motor (41) is arranged inside the lower base (10). The output shaft of the servo motor (41) is connected to the upper cover (9) and the rotating base (43) respectively. The upper cover (9) covers the servo motor (41) and one end of the upper cover (9) is fixedly connected to the rotating base (43).

7. The quadrupedal climbing robot for steel structure damage detection according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second servo motor (51) is embedded above the thigh seat (52). The lower section of the thigh seat (52) is in the shape of an inverted "U". The third servo motor (61) is arranged inside the lower part of the thigh seat (52). The output shaft of the third servo motor (61) is connected to the upper end of the lower leg seat (62). The lower leg seat (62) has an "H" shaped cross section.

8. The quadrupedal climbing robot for steel structure damage detection according to claim 7, characterized in that, The foot seat (72) has a "T" shaped cross section. The servo motor (71) is embedded in one end of the foot seat (72). The output shaft of the servo motor (71) is connected to the lower end of the leg seat (62). The electromagnet (11) is embedded in the other end of the foot seat (72).

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