Water strider imitating water surface cleaning robot

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of water surface cleaning equipment, in particular to a water strider imitating water surface cleaning robot which comprises a machine body capable of walking on land and moving on the water surface and a cleaning device arranged on the machine body, and the cleaning device comprises a driving assembly, a sliding assembly, a pair of execution arms and a transmission connecting rod. The driving assembly is arranged on the machine body and comprises a lead screw and a third motor driving the lead screw to rotate. The sliding assembly comprises a sliding table arranged on the lead screw in a sleeving mode. The executing arms are symmetrically distributed on the two sides of the machine body, intercepting pieces are arranged on the executing arms, and the executing arms are hinged to the machine body; one end of the transmission connecting rod is hinged to the sliding table, and the other end is hinged to one end of the execution arm. The sliding table is driven by the lead screw and the motor, and the cleaning device is folded and unfolded in cooperation with the connecting rod and the execution arm. During cleaning, the operation breadth is increased, and the efficiency is improved; and during moving, the device is folded to reduce the size and resistance, so that efficient cleaning and flexible passing ability are both considered.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of water surface cleaning equipment technology, and more specifically, to a water surface cleaning robot that mimics a water strider. Background Technology

[0002] With the acceleration of urbanization and the enhancement of environmental awareness, higher requirements are being placed on the water quality maintenance of small static water bodies such as urban landscape lakes, park ponds, river tributaries, and aquaculture farms. In these water bodies, floating pollutants such as fallen leaves, algae, and domestic waste not only affect aesthetics but may also disrupt the ecological balance of the aquatic body.

[0003] Currently, water surface cleaning operations for the aforementioned small bodies of water mainly rely on the following two methods:

[0004] One option is to use large salvage vessels. While these vessels can handle large volumes of work in a single operation, they are bulky, have a deep draft, and consume a lot of energy. They are also difficult to operate in narrow, shallow waters or tributaries, and their mobility is poor in complex terrain.

[0005] Secondly, manual retrieval is used. This is currently the most common method for small bodies of water, with workers using handheld nets on the shore or in small boats to retrieve debris. This method has obvious drawbacks: First, it is labor-intensive, with repetitive and mechanical movements; second, it is inefficient, as small bodies of water are often scattered or irregular, and workers often need to spend a lot of time moving their work positions or transporting boats after cleaning each area; finally, manual retrieval easily overlooks blind spots, resulting in incomplete cleaning.

[0006] To address these issues, some small water surface cleaning robots have emerged on the market. However, existing small cleaning robots typically use cleaning openings or nets of fixed width. This presents a challenge in achieving a balance: if the cleaning opening is designed to be wide to improve cleaning efficiency, the robot experiences greater drag when not in operation and struggles to navigate narrow waterways or culverts; if the cleaning opening is designed to be narrow, while passage is better, the area covered per cleaning cycle is small, resulting in low operational efficiency. Furthermore, most existing small robots lack autonomous amphibious mobility, requiring manual handling and deployment when transported from land to water or transferred between different ponds, indicating insufficient automation.

[0007] Therefore, for small water bodies that operate in multiple water areas and are unattended, it is necessary to develop a water surface cleaning device that can balance mobility and cleaning efficiency and is more suitable for small water bodies, in order to solve the problems existing in the current technology. Utility Model Content

[0008] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this utility model provides a water strider-inspired water surface cleaning robot. Through its variable-form cleaning mechanism design, this robot can both deploy over large areas of water to improve cleaning efficiency and reduce resistance and travel width when retracted.

[0009] This utility model provides a water strider-inspired water surface cleaning robot, including a body capable of walking on land and moving on water, and a detection device and a cleaning device mounted on the body. The cleaning device includes a drive assembly, a sliding assembly, a pair of actuators, and a transmission link. The drive assembly is mounted on the body and includes a lead screw and a third motor for driving the lead screw to rotate. The sliding assembly includes a slide plate sleeved on the lead screw and threadedly engaged with it, configured to reciprocate axially as the lead screw rotates. The pair of actuators are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the body, each actuator having an interceptor for intercepting floating debris, and the middle section of each actuator is hinged to the body or a fixed structure on the body. One end of the transmission link is hinged to the slide plate, and the other end is hinged to one end of each actuator, allowing the actuator to synchronously open or close the pair of actuators outward or inward when the slide plate moves along the lead screw, thereby changing the working width of the cleaning device.

[0010] By adopting the above solution, the sliding table is reciprocated using a lead screw and motor, and in conjunction with the transmission linkage and actuator arm, the cleaning device can automatically switch between folded and unfolded states. When cleaning is required, the actuator arm unfolds to increase the working width and improve cleaning efficiency. When moving or encountering narrow waters, the actuator arm retracts to reduce volume and travel resistance, thus balancing efficient cleaning with flexible passage and solving the problem that traditional fixed cleaning equipment cannot simultaneously meet the requirements of large working area and high passability.

[0011] In some embodiments, the portion of the actuator arm near one end is hinged to both sides of the front end of the body, so that when the slide pushes the actuator arm outward via the transmission link, the actuator arms on both sides together with the front end of the body form a V-shaped trapping area with the opening facing forward.

[0012] By using a front-end hinge and an outward-opening motion, the two side actuators cooperate with the front of the robot body to form a forward-facing V-shaped collection area. This V-shaped structure guides and gathers floating objects during the robot's forward movement, effectively concentrating scattered floating objects in front of the robot body for centralized processing, preventing pollutants from slipping off from both sides, and improving the collection rate of a single operation.

[0013] In some embodiments, the detection device includes a front frame and a camera; the front frame is disposed at the front end of the body and is fixedly connected to the body; the camera is disposed above the front frame and is used to collect image data in front, and the camera is communicatively connected to the control module inside the body; this allows for real-time acquisition of images in front, making control operations more convenient, and also provides a data acquisition hardware foundation for subsequent path planning instructions and even automatic control based on image data.

[0014] In some embodiments, the interceptor is a mesh or grid structure extending along the length of the actuator arm. Setting the interceptor as a mesh or grid structure allows water flow while effectively intercepting solid floating objects such as fallen leaves and debris. Compared to a solid baffle, this design significantly reduces water resistance experienced by the actuator arm during propulsion and deployment, reduces energy consumption of the drive mechanism, and ensures the robot's stability on the water surface.

[0015] In some embodiments, the fixed structure on the body is a crossbar located at the front end of the body, the axial direction of which is perpendicular to the length direction of the body; the middle sections of the pair of actuators are respectively hinged to the two ends of the crossbar. By arranging a crossbar perpendicular to the length direction of the body at the front end of the body as a hinge mounting base for the actuators, a stable support span is provided for the actuators; this layout facilitates the reasonable distribution of forces at the hinge points, ensuring that the actuators maintain stable connection rigidity when extended to withstand water flow and debris resistance, and avoiding structural deformation or damage caused by stress concentration.

[0016] In some embodiments, the distance between the hinge point of the crossbar and the actuator arm is greater than the distance between the hinge point of the transmission link and the slide. This allows the actuator arm, in its extended state, to form a stable triangular truss-like force-bearing structure with the transmission link, the actuator arm, and the machine body. It also allows the movement of the slider to determine the minimum retracted position and the maximum extended position of the actuator arm, ensuring that the movement trajectory of the arm always presents a fan shape in the open state.

[0017] In some embodiments, this water strider-inspired surface cleaning robot further includes a land-walking component, which comprises a pair of front support arms and a pair of rear support arms extending outward from both sides of the robot body. The ends of the pair of front support arms are respectively provided with wheel drive units and drive wheels driven by the wheel drive units; the ends of the pair of rear support arms are respectively provided with driven wheels. This arrangement of the land-walking component endows the robot with the ability to move on land, achieving amphibious functionality. Through the cooperation of the front drive wheels and the rear driven wheels, the robot can not only be transported on land, but also autonomously enter the water from the shore or land on the water surface, solving the problems of difficult deployment and retrieval of traditional surface cleaning equipment and reliance on manual handling.

[0018] In some embodiments, the wheel drive unit includes a support body, one end of which is connected to the end of the front support arm. A first motor connected to the drive wheel is mounted on the support body. This simplifies the transmission chain, reduces power loss, and allows walking and steering (achieved through speed difference between the two sides) to be completed by controlling the wheel drive unit, ensuring the robot's walking power on land.

[0019] In some embodiments, the other end of the aforementioned support body is connected to a front wheel rod via a spring hinge, and an auxiliary wheel is provided on the front wheel rod; the aforementioned spring hinge can elastically flip upwards. The configuration of the auxiliary wheel and the spring hinge enables the wheel assembly to have adaptive adjustment capabilities when facing complex terrains such as slopes, potholes, or obstacles; the spring hinge can provide elastic cushioning and upward flipping avoidance action, effectively preventing the front support arm from jamming or tipping over due to rigid impact, significantly improving the robot's passability and stability when walking on the shore or moving at the water-land interface.

[0020] In some embodiments, the aforementioned body includes a base plate, an upper shell, and a lower shell; the drive assembly, sliding assembly, actuator arm, and transmission link are all connected to the base plate; the upper shell is detachably disposed on the upper side panel of the base plate, and the inner cavity of the upper shell forms a chamber for arranging control elements; the lower shell is detachably disposed on the lower side panel of the base plate, and the lower shell is provided with through slots for the drive assembly, sliding assembly, and transmission link to extend out respectively. Both the upper and lower shells are streamlined structures. The split structure design of the base plate and the upper and lower shells effectively separates the mechanical motion area from the electronic control area, wherein the upper shell provides a sealed waterproof space for the control elements, ensuring electrical safety; the streamlined design of the upper and lower shells conforms to fluid dynamics and aerodynamics, effectively reducing wind resistance and water flow resistance during movement, improving energy utilization efficiency, and making the robot's appearance more similar to the biomimetic form of a water strider.

[0021] In some embodiments, this water strider-like surface cleaning robot further includes an underwater propulsion assembly mounted on the aforementioned body. The underwater propulsion assembly includes: a steering drive unit, a movable seat, a second motor, and a propeller. The steering drive unit is mounted on a base plate. The movable seat is connected to the power output end of the steering drive unit, enabling it to swing relative to the aforementioned body under the drive of the steering drive unit. The second motor is mounted on the portion of the movable seat extending beyond the body. The propeller is connected to the output shaft of the second motor. By driving the movable seat to swing through the steering drive unit, which in turn drives the second motor and propeller to swing relative to the body, a vector change in the underwater thrust direction is achieved. Compared to traditional rudder steering or differential steering, this active vector propulsion method allows the robot to have a smaller turning radius and higher steering response speed in water. Even under water flow interference, it can flexibly adjust its attitude to target pollutants, improving the flexibility of surface cleaning and better adapting to small bodies of water. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a top oblique view of the structure of a water strider-inspired water surface cleaning robot used to illustrate the embodiments;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of a water surface cleaning robot that mimics a water strider, viewed from below, used to illustrate the embodiments.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the lower structure of a water strider-inspired water surface cleaning robot after removing the upper and lower shells, used to illustrate the embodiments.

[0025] 100-Fuselage; 110-Baseboard; 111-Crossbar; 120-Upper Shell; 130-Lower Shell; 140-Front Frame; 200-Cleaning Device; 210-Drive Assembly; 211-Lead Screw; 212-Third Motor; 220-Sliding Assembly; 223-Slide Table; 230-Actuating Arm; 231-Interceptor; 240-Transmission Link; 300-Front Support Arm; 310-Wheel Drive Unit; 311-Support Body; 320-Drive Wheel; 330-Front Wheel Rod; 340-Auxiliary Wheel; 400-Rear Support Arm; 410-Driven Wheel; 510-Modible Seat; 520-Second Motor; 530-Propeller; 600-Camera. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0027] It should be noted that in the description of this utility model, the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", and "outer" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0028] Furthermore, it should be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various components shown in the accompanying drawings are not drawn to actual scale; for example, the thickness or width of some layers may be exaggerated relative to other layers.

[0029] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined or described in one figure, it will not need to be discussed or described in detail in the description of the subsequent figures.

[0030] Example 1, as Figures 1 to 3A water strider-inspired surface cleaning robot includes a body 100 capable of walking on land and moving on water, and a cleaning device 200 mounted on the body 100. The cleaning device 200 includes a drive assembly 210, a sliding assembly 220, a pair of actuators 230, and a transmission link 240. The drive assembly 210, mounted on the body 100, includes a lead screw 211 and a third motor 212 for driving the lead screw 211 to rotate. The sliding assembly 220 includes a slide 223 sleeved on and threadedly engaged with the lead screw 211, the slide 223 being configured to move with the lead screw 211. The device rotates and reciprocates axially; a pair of actuator arms 230 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the body 100. Each actuator arm 230 is equipped with an interceptor 231 for intercepting floating objects on the water surface, and the middle section of the actuator arm 230 is hinged to the body 100 or a fixed structure on the body 100; one end of the transmission link 240 is hinged to the slide table 223, and the other end is hinged to one end of the actuator arm 230. When the slide table 223 moves along the lead screw 211, the transmission link 240 drives the pair of actuator arms 230 to open outward or retract inward synchronously, thereby changing the working width of the cleaning device 200. The sliding assembly 220 may also include a guide rod or guide rail provided on the body 100, and the slide table 223 is also sleeved on the guide rod or embedded in the guide rail to limit the circumferential movement of the slide table 223. In this embodiment, the core structure of this water strider-inspired surface cleaning robot lies in its cleaning device 200, which features a variable width function. This device cleverly transforms linear drive into a rotary opening and closing motion. Specifically, the aforementioned drive assembly 210 is fixedly mounted on the body 100 (e.g., the base plate 110 of the body 100) as a power source. The drive assembly 210 preferably uses a lead screw stepper motor, or a geared motor coupled with a coupling to drive a long lead screw 211 extending along the front-rear axial direction of the body 100. The slide 223 in the sliding assembly 220 has a thread that matches the lead screw 211, and the bottom or side of the slide 223 is fitted with a guide structure (such as a groove or guide rail) of the body 100, so that when the motor drives the lead screw 211 to rotate, the slide 223 performs a reciprocating linear motion along the axis of the lead screw 211. A pair of actuator arms 230 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the body 100. These actuator arms 230 serve as the arms for cleaning operations. Their structure adopts a lever connection method, that is, the middle section of each actuator arm 230 is movably connected to the body 100 or the fixed bracket of the body 100 through hinges such as pins or bearing seats, forming a stable rotation fulcrum. The end of the actuator arm 230 located inside the body 100 is hinged to the slide table 223 through the transmission link 240, thus forming a linkage mechanism of slide table 223-linkage link-actuator arm 230.During operation, the control motor rotates forward or backward, driving the slide 223 to move axially along the lead screw 211. The slide 223 pushes and pulls the inner end of the actuator arm 230 through the transmission link 240, causing the entire actuator arm 230 to deflect around the hinge point in its middle section. When the slide 223 moves in a specific direction (e.g., backward), it pulls the inner end of the actuator arm 230 through the link, forcing the outer side of the actuator arm 230 (the end with the interceptor 231) to open outward synchronously, thereby greatly increasing the working width to efficiently capture floating objects. Conversely, when the slide 223 moves in the opposite direction, the actuator arm 230 retracts inward and closes to the body 100, significantly reducing the overall width and travel resistance of the robot, so as to flexibly pass through narrow waters.

[0031] Furthermore, the portion of the aforementioned actuator 230 near one end is hinged to both sides of the front end of the body 100, so that when the slide 223 pushes the actuator 230 outward via the transmission link 240, the actuator 230 on both sides and the front end of the body 100 together form a forward-opening V-shaped collection area. In this embodiment, in order to achieve a highly efficient collection effect, the hinge layout of the actuator 230 is specifically defined. The hinge point between the actuator 230 and the body 100 is deliberately arranged at the two side edges of the front end of the body 100, and this hinge point is located near the inner end of the actuator 230, so that the main body of the actuator 230 can extend forward of the body 100. When the drive assembly 210 operates, causing the slide 223 to push the actuator arm 230 through the transmission link 240, the actuator arms 230 on both sides rotate outward synchronously around the front hinge point. At this time, the actuator arms 230 on both sides are not fully extended to be perpendicular to the body 100 (180 degrees), but maintain a certain tilt angle, thus forming a V-shaped collection area with the front of the body 100 facing the direction of the robot's movement. In the actual water surface cleaning operation, as the robot moves forward, this V-shaped structure physically forms a funnel effect (the size of the "funnel" can be controlled as needed). The tilted surfaces of the two arms guide and gather the floating objects (such as fallen leaves and algae) that were originally scattered on the wide water surface along the direction of water flow towards the central area directly in front of the body 100, effectively preventing pollutants from slipping off from both sides. This allows the robot to concentrate and control a large area of ​​garbage in front for pushing or collecting, just like a water strider catching prey.

[0032] Specifically, the interceptor 231 is a mesh or grid-like structure extending along the length of the actuator 230. In this embodiment, the specific structure of the interceptor 231 has been optimized. The interceptor 231 is designed as a mesh or grid-like structure extending along the length of the actuator 230 (for example, a nylon filter, stainless steel wire mesh, or a 3D-printed grid plate can be used). By utilizing the mesh or grid gaps, it is possible to effectively block and intercept solid floating objects such as fallen leaves and household waste while allowing water to flow smoothly through the interception surface. Compared to a completely enclosed solid baffle, the above-mentioned permeable design significantly reduces the water resistance experienced by the actuator 230 when it propels in water and performs opening / closing actions, thereby effectively reducing the load on the drive mechanism, reducing battery power consumption, and also preventing the fuselage 100 from tilting or deviating due to excessive water resistance.

[0033] In Example 2, based on any of the above embodiments, the fixing structure on the fuselage 100 is a crossbar 111 located at the front end of the fuselage 100, the axial direction of which is perpendicular to the length direction of the fuselage 100; the middle sections of the pair of actuator arms 230 are respectively hinged to the two ends of the crossbar 111. Specifically, the fixing structure on the fuselage 100 adopts a single crossbar 111 located at the front end of the fuselage 100, the axial direction of which is perpendicular to the length direction of the fuselage 100. The middle sections of the aforementioned pair of actuator arms 230 are respectively hinged to the left and right ends of the crossbar 111, thereby forming a support structure for a wide base. By arranging a crossbar 111 perpendicular to the length direction of the fuselage 100 at the front end of the fuselage 100 as a hinge mounting seat for the actuator arm 230, a stable support span is provided for the actuator arm 230. This layout facilitates the reasonable distribution of force at the hinge point, ensuring that the actuator arm 230 can maintain stable connection rigidity when it is deployed in water and withstands continuous water flow impact and debris resistance.

[0034] Specifically, the distance between the hinge point of the aforementioned crossbar 111 and the actuator arm 230 is greater than the distance between the hinge point of the transmission link 240 and the slide 223. In this embodiment, the geometric dimensions of the mechanism are specifically set such that the lateral distance between the hinge point of the aforementioned crossbar 111 and the actuator arm 230 is greater than the lateral distance between the hinge point of the transmission link 240 and the slide 223. For example, in actual manufacturing, the crossbar 111 can be designed as a wider shoulder support, with the distance between the pin seats at both ends designed as 'a', while the slide 223 is designed as a compact structure, with the connection point of the link and the slide 223 close to the central axis of the lead screw 211, and the distance between them is 'b'. The ratio of 'b' to 'a' can be between (1 / 10) and (1 / 2). When the actuator arm 230 is in the extended state, the transmission link 240, the inner section of the actuator arm 230, and the baseline of the body 100 form a stable triangular truss-like force-bearing structure, which can improve the rigidity of the mechanism against the impact of lateral water flow. At the same time, this defined geometric link relationship ensures that each axial position of the slide table 223 on the lead screw 211 strictly corresponds to a specific angle of the actuator arm 230. Thus, the stroke of the lead screw 211 physically limits the minimum retracted position and the maximum open position of the actuator arm 230 (forming a large-angle V-shape), ensuring that the actuator arm 230 always opens and closes smoothly along the preset fan-shaped trajectory during operation, avoiding dead points or motion interference.

[0035] Example 3: Based on any of the above embodiments, this water strider-inspired water surface cleaning robot further includes a land walking component. This land walking component includes a pair of front support arms 300 and a pair of rear support arms 400 extending outwards from both sides of the body 100. The ends of the pair of front support arms 300 are respectively provided with wheel drive units 310 and drive wheels 320 driven by the wheel drive units 310. The ends of the pair of rear support arms 400 are respectively provided with driven wheels 410. To give the robot all-terrain operation capabilities, a dedicated land walking component is provided. This component mainly consists of a pair of front support arms 300 and a pair of rear support arms 400 extending outwards from both sides of the body 100, forming a wide base support structure similar to an insect's foot. Specifically, the length and outward angle of the front support arms 300 and rear support arms 400 are designed so that the width of the support area formed by the four wheels touching the ground is significantly greater than the width of the body 100, ensuring anti-tipping stability on uneven shore surfaces. At the end of the front support arm 300, an independent wheel drive unit 310 (e.g., a high-torque DC geared motor) is integrated. This drive unit is directly connected to and drives the drive wheel 320. The outer surface of the drive wheel 320 is preferably provided with deep tooth anti-slip texture or made of rubber material with a high coefficient of friction to adapt to the slippery muddy environment of the shore. At the end of the rear support arm 400, a driven wheel 410 with built-in bearing is provided, which plays a role in auxiliary support and following movement. This front-drive and rear-drive power layout, combined with the differential speed control logic of the left and right drive wheels 320, not only enables the robot to walk flexibly in a straight line on land or turn by speed difference, but more importantly, it gives it autonomous amphibious transition capability, allowing it to rely on the grip of the drive wheel 320 to glide from land into water, or use the traction of the front wheel to climb up slopes and land in shallow water, thus completely getting rid of the limitation of traditional water surface cleaning equipment that must rely on manual handling and placement.

[0036] Furthermore, the aforementioned wheel drive unit 310 includes a support body 311, one end of which is connected to the end of the front support arm 300. A first motor, which is driven and connected to the drive wheel 320, is mounted on the support body 311. In this embodiment, the specific structure of the wheel drive unit 310 is integrated. The wheel drive unit 310 is mainly composed of a wheel drive body, which includes a robust support body 311 (e.g., an injection-molded motor mount or an aluminum alloy bracket). One end of the support body 311 is firmly connected to the end of the front support arm 300, serving as the base for power output. The first motor (e.g., preferably a DC geared motor with a high reduction ratio gearbox, i.e., a TT motor) is directly mounted on the support body 311. The power output shaft of the first motor is directly inserted into the hub hole of the drive wheel 320 or is fastened to the drive wheel 320 via a coupling, thereby forming an integrated drive structure where the motor directly connects to the wheel. This compact design greatly simplifies the complex drive shaft or chain drive structure of traditional vehicles, significantly reducing power loss in the mechanical transmission process, and enabling the limited battery power to be converted into driving force more efficiently. At the same time, in terms of control logic, by adjusting the voltage or duty cycle of the first motor on the left and right sides through independent motor drive modules, and utilizing the speed difference generated by the two active wheels 320 (i.e., differential steering principle), the robot can accurately and flexibly achieve straight-line driving, differential turning, and even turning around on the spot, thus ensuring the robot's mobility in terrestrial environments.

[0037] In Example 4, based on any of the above embodiments, the other end of the support body 311 is connected to a front wheel rod 330 via a spring hinge, and an auxiliary wheel 340 is provided on the front wheel rod 330; the spring hinge can elastically flip upwards. To further enhance the robot's obstacle-crossing ability and driving stability in complex terrain, the wheel assembly structure has been adaptively improved. Specifically, a forward-extending front wheel rod 330 is connected to the front end (or outer end) of the support body 311 of the wheel assembly drive body via a spring hinge, and an auxiliary wheel 340 (e.g., a small-diameter nylon guide wheel or rubber omnidirectional wheel) is installed at the end of the front wheel rod 330. The internal structure of the spring hinge can be designed to include a torsion spring or a tension spring, giving the front wheel rod 330 a preload that always keeps it pressed against the ground, while allowing it to elastically flip upwards around the hinge axis when subjected to a vertical external force exceeding a preset threshold. In practical applications, when the robot rushes from the water towards a steep slope on the shore, or encounters protruding rocks or potholes on land, the auxiliary wheel 340 at the foremost end will make contact with the obstacle first. At this time, the spring hinge plays an energy-absorbing role similar to the suspension system of a vehicle, allowing the front wheel rod 330 to be instantly flipped upward to avoid the obstacle, thereby converting the rigid mechanical impact into elastic potential energy. This flexible contact mechanism can not only provide a buffer to protect the front support arm 300 from being rigidly broken or stuck in the gap, but also use the supporting and guiding role of the auxiliary wheel 340 to help lift the front of the robot, preventing the body 100 from plunging or tipping over due to excessive forward tilt angle, and ensuring that the robot can smoothly and steadily complete the alternating water and land driving.

[0038] Example 5: Based on any of the above embodiments, the body 100 includes a base plate 110, an upper shell 120, and a lower shell 130; the drive assembly 210, the sliding assembly 220, the actuator arm 230, and the transmission link 240 are all connected to the base plate 110; the upper shell 120 is detachably disposed on the upper side plate of the base plate 110, and the inner cavity of the upper shell 120 forms a chamber for arranging control elements; the lower shell 130 is detachably disposed on the lower side plate of the base plate 110, and the lower shell 130 is provided with through slots for the drive assembly 210, the sliding assembly 220, and the transmission link 240 to extend out. Both the upper shell 120 and the lower shell 130 have streamlined structures. In this embodiment, the body 100 adopts a three-part layered structure with clearly defined functional areas. The base plate 110 (e.g., a high-strength carbon fiber plate or a thickened acrylic plate) serves as the core load-bearing frame. All mechanical moving parts, including the drive assembly 210, lead screw 211, slide 223, actuator arm 230 support, and transmission linkage 240, are directly and securely mounted on the base plate 110 via bolts or brackets. A removable upper shell 120 covers the upper side panel of the base plate 110. The joint between the two is provided with a rubber sealing ring or coated with waterproof sealant and secured with screws, thereby forming a watertight sealed chamber inside the upper shell 120. This chamber is specifically designed to house water-sensitive electronic components such as microcontrollers, motor drive boards, battery packs, and communication modules, effectively isolating the electrical control area from the external humid environment. The lower side panel of the base plate 110 is fitted with a similarly detachable lower shell 130. The lower shell 130 has several through slots reserved according to the movement trajectory of the mechanical structure, allowing components such as the lead screw 211, slide table 223, and connecting rod to extend or reciprocate, while protecting the internal precision components from direct impacts from underwater reefs or hard objects. In addition, the shapes of the upper shell 120 and the lower shell 130 have been optimized by fluid simulation, and are designed as streamlined curved surfaces with low wind resistance and low water resistance (such as biomimetic teardrop or beetle shell shape). This shape design not only visually highly replicates the biological form of a water strider, but also significantly reduces the fluid resistance of the robot when cruising at high speed on the water surface, thereby improving the overall energy utilization efficiency and endurance of the machine.

[0039] Example 6: Based on any of the above embodiments, this water strider-like surface cleaning robot further includes an underwater propulsion assembly disposed on the aforementioned body 100. The underwater propulsion assembly includes: a steering drive unit, a movable seat 510, a second motor 520, and a propeller 530. The steering drive unit is disposed on the base plate 110. The movable seat 510 is connected to the power output end of the steering drive unit, enabling the movable seat 510 to swing relative to the aforementioned body 100 under the drive of the steering drive unit. The second motor 520 is disposed on the portion of the movable seat 510 extending out of the body 100. The propeller 530 is connected to the output shaft of the second motor 520. In this embodiment, to give the robot precise maneuverability in the underwater environment, an underwater propulsion assembly based on the vector propulsion principle is specifically configured. In terms of specific structure, the aforementioned steering drive unit (preferably a servo motor with position closed-loop control function, such as the SG90 model) is firmly mounted at the tail of the base plate 110 of the fuselage 100, and its power output shaft extends vertically downward through a pre-reserved waterproof sealing hole in the lower shell 130 to the underwater surface. A movable seat 510 (e.g., a U-shaped or L-shaped motor bracket) is rigidly connected to the end of the output shaft. A second motor 520 (e.g., a high-speed, low-inertia hollow cup motor) is horizontally locked onto the movable seat 510, and a miniature propeller 530 is mounted on the shaft of the second motor 520. In terms of operating logic, when the control system issues a steering command, the steering drive unit immediately actuates, causing the movable seat 510 and the propeller 530 to swing left and right in the horizontal plane (e.g., achieving a 45-degree deflection to the left and right), thereby directly changing the direction vector of the thrust generated by the propeller 530. This active vector propulsion design, compared to the passive steering torque generated by the water flow passing through the rudder of traditional ships or the weak steering torque generated by the 530 differential speed of twin propellers, can generate a significant lateral thrust component. This allows the robot to achieve extremely small-radius turns and even turn in place at low speeds or even zero speeds. It has a high steering response speed and can quickly adjust its attitude to accurately target floating pollutants even in dynamic environments with water flow interference, improving its flexibility in operating in narrow and small waters.

[0040] Based on any of the above embodiments, the detection device includes a front frame 140 and a camera 600. The front frame 140 is disposed at the front end of the body and is fixedly connected to the body. The camera 600 is disposed above the front frame 140 and is used to collect image data from the front. The camera 600 is communicatively connected to the control module inside the body. This allows for real-time acquisition of images from the front, and continuous capture of environmental information through a high-performance camera or vision sensor, enabling more intuitive and precise control operations, significantly improving response speed and ease of operation. Simultaneously, this real-time image data stream provides a solid hardware foundation for subsequent generation of path planning instructions based on computer vision algorithms, and even the realization of fully automatic control. This includes key components such as image processing units, data storage and transmission modules, ensuring that the system can efficiently and reliably support intelligent decision-making and autonomous operation.

[0041] The electronic components located within the upper casing 120 can be arranged as follows: the system uses a microcontroller (e.g., an Arduino control board) as the core processing unit, and is equipped with an independent power supply module (e.g., a battery box consisting of two 18650 batteries) and a motor drive module (e.g., an L298N motor drive board). The power supply module provides power to the microcontroller and various motors through a voltage regulator circuit. At the signal input end, the front-end visual recognition module (OpenMV camera) and wireless communication module (HC-06 Bluetooth module) are electrically connected to the communication pins of the microcontroller through a UART serial interface, respectively, for real-time transmission of image coordinate data or receiving manual remote control commands. At the control output end, the microcontroller's GPIO pins and PWM pins establish control connections with each actuator. Specifically, the microcontroller is electrically connected to the lead screw stepper motor through the motor drive module, and controls the forward and reverse rotation of the lead screw 211 by sending pulse signals to realize the opening and closing of the cleaning arm. The microcontroller is connected to the land walking motors (first motor) on the left and right sides through the H-bridge circuit of the motor drive module, and realizes differential steering and forward and backward movement by adjusting the duty cycle. The microcontroller directly outputs PWM signals to the underwater steering servo (steering drive unit) to control the deflection angle of the thruster, and connects to the underwater hollow cup motor (second motor 520) through the power drive tube to control the thrust of the propeller 530, so as to realize the automatic control closed loop from environmental perception to mechanical execution.

Claims

1. A water surface cleaning robot imitating a water strider, comprising a body capable of walking on land and moving on a water surface, and a detection device and a cleaning device arranged on the body, characterized in that, The cleaning device comprises: a driving assembly arranged on the machine body, the driving assembly comprising a lead screw and a third motor for driving the lead screw to rotate; a sliding assembly comprising a sliding table sleeved on the lead screw and threadedly matched with the lead screw, the sliding table being configured to reciprocate along the axial direction with the rotation of the lead screw; a pair of execution arms symmetrically distributed on both sides of the machine body, the execution arms being provided with intercepting members for intercepting water surface floating objects, and the middle segment portions of the execution arms being hinged to the machine body or a fixed structure on the machine body; a transmission connecting rod, one end of the transmission connecting rod being hinged to the sliding table, the other end of the transmission connecting rod being hinged to the end head of one end of the execution arm, for driving the pair of execution arms to synchronously open outwards or fold inwards when the sliding table moves along the lead screw.

2. The water surface cleaning robot imitating water striders according to claim 1, wherein the detection device comprises: a front frame arranged at the front end of the machine body, the front frame being fixedly connected to the machine body; a camera arranged above the front frame, for collecting front image data, the camera being in communication connection with the control module in the machine body.

3. The water surface cleaning robot imitating water striders according to claim 1, wherein the intercepting members are net-like or grid-like structures arranged along the length direction of the execution arms.

4. The water surface cleaning robot imitating water striders according to claim 1, wherein the fixed structure on the machine body is a horizontal rod arranged at the front end of the machine body, the axial direction of the horizontal rod being perpendicular to the length direction of the machine body; and the middle segment portions of the pair of execution arms are respectively hinged to the two ends of the horizontal rod.

5. The water surface cleaning robot imitating water striders according to claim 4, wherein the distance between the horizontal rod and the hinge point of the execution arm is greater than the distance between the transmission connecting rod and the hinge point of the sliding table.

6. The water surface cleaning robot imitating water striders according to claim 1, further comprising a land walking assembly, the land walking assembly comprising a pair of front support arms and a pair of rear support arms respectively extending outward from both sides of the machine body; the ends of the pair of front support arms are respectively provided with a wheel set driving unit and a driving wheel driven by the wheel set driving unit; the ends of the pair of rear support arms are respectively provided with driven wheels.

7. The water surface cleaning robot imitating water striders according to claim 6, wherein the wheel set driving unit comprises a support body, one end of the support body being connected to the end of the front support arm, and a first motor being arranged on the support body and in transmission connection with the driving wheel.

8. The water surface cleaning robot imitating water striders according to claim 7, wherein the other end of the support body is connected to a front wheel rod through a spring hinge, the front wheel rod being provided with an auxiliary wheel; and the spring hinge can be elastically flipped upward.

9. The water surface cleaning robot imitating water striders according to claim 1, wherein the machine body comprises: a base plate, the driving assembly, the sliding assembly, the execution arms and the transmission connecting rod being connected to the base plate; ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ An upper shell is detachably arranged on the upper side of the base plate, and a cavity is formed in the inner cavity of the upper shell for arranging the control elements. A lower shell is detachably arranged on the lower side of the base plate, and the lower shell is provided with through-slots for the driving assembly, the sliding assembly and the transmission connecting rod to extend out of the lower shell. The upper shell and the lower shell are both streamline structures.

10. The water strider-like water surface cleaning robot according to claim 9, further comprising an underwater propulsion assembly arranged on the body, wherein the underwater propulsion assembly comprises: a steering driving unit arranged on the base plate; a movable seat in transmission connection with the power output end of the steering driving unit, for enabling the movable seat to swing relative to the body under the driving of the steering driving unit; a second motor arranged on the part of the movable seat extending out of the body; and a propeller connected to the output shaft of the second motor. ​

Images