Self-adaptive ground gripping mechanism and pipe diameter cleaning robot formed by self-adaptive ground gripping mechanism

Abstract

The utility model discloses a self-adaptive ground gripping mechanism and a pipe diameter cleaning robot formed by the self-adaptive ground gripping mechanism. The robot comprises the self-adaptive ground gripping mechanism, a supporting module, a cleaning module and a driving module. The self-adaptive ground gripping mechanism automatically adjusts the ground gripping force and the stretching angle in the pipeline through a clamping ring and a ground gripping unit which are driven by a tension spring, and it is ensured that the robot stably operates in the pipelines with different pipe diameters and shapes. The cleaning module efficiently cleans the inner wall of the pipeline by driving cleaning blades, and the supporting module ensures that the robot stably operates in the pipeline through cooperation of a lifting column and a lifting barrel. And the driving module drives the cleaning module to rotate through the motor, so that the efficient cleaning effect is achieved. The robot can adapt to changes of the inner diameters of different pipelines, has high self-adaptive capacity and stability, can be widely applied to cleaning operation of various pipelines, and is particularly suitable for complex pipeline structures such as bent pipeline structures and variable-diameter pipeline structures.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of pipeline cleaning technology, specifically to an adaptive gripping mechanism and a pipe diameter cleaning robot composed thereof. Background Technology

[0002] With the widespread adoption and development of industrial pipeline systems, pipeline cleaning has become a crucial aspect of ensuring their normal operation. Traditional pipeline cleaning methods, including manual and mechanized cleaning, are often unable to meet the cleaning needs of pipelines with varying inner diameters, shapes, and complex internal fouling. Especially for pipelines with bends, diameter changes, or narrow sections, traditional cleaning equipment suffers from poor adaptability and ineffective cleaning, impacting the efficiency and quality of pipeline cleaning work.

[0003] In recent years, researchers have proposed various pipeline cleaning robots based on different driving principles to address the problem of pipeline cleaning. The School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at Kunming University of Science and Technology invented a wheeled pneumatic pipeline cleaning robot with adaptive diameter adjustment based on a helical drive principle. [1] This robot, through the coordinated action of its front spiral walking mechanism, cleaning mechanism, intermediate power transmission mechanism, and rear support walking mechanism, can adapt to cleaning the inner walls of pipes with an inner diameter ranging from 360 to 440 mm. In this technology, the robot's gripping wheels are wrapped in flexible material to adapt to different pipe inner wall sizes. However, when the robot contacts the pipe inner wall, the wheels cannot tightly grip the pipe's inner diameter, resulting in insufficient grip, especially when the pipe inner wall is uneven or has some dirt. Insufficient grip can affect the robot's stable operation within the pipe. Therefore, this invention proposes an adaptive gripping mechanism and the resulting pipe-diameter cleaning robot. Through an innovative adaptive gripping structure, while maintaining good grip, the robot's adaptability to different pipe inner diameters and shapes is improved, achieving efficient and stable pipe cleaning operations.

[0004] [1] Li Jian. Research on dynamic characteristics of spiral-driven pipeline inspection and cleaning robot [D]. North University of China, 2023. DOI:10.27470 / d.cnki.ghbgc.2023.000948. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an adaptive gripping mechanism and a pipe cleaning robot composed thereof. The adaptive gripping mechanism can work stably in various pipe diameters, shapes and pipe inner wall conditions.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve the above problems is: an adaptive gripping mechanism and a pipe diameter cleaning robot composed thereof, including a base, a retaining ring, an upper cover plate and a lower cover plate. One end of the base is fixed to the lower cover plate and the upper cover plate is slidably sleeved on it. The upper cover plate and the lower cover plate are connected by several tension springs. Several sets of gripping units are evenly distributed on the outer periphery of the base and are threadedly fitted and adapted to the retaining ring. The retaining ring is rotatably connected to one end of the upper cover plate. The tension spring drives the upper cover plate to move the retaining ring along the base to the lower cover plate and drives the gripping units to extend outward while applying pressure.

[0007] Preferably, the gripping unit includes an upper pull rod hinged to the upper cover plate at one end, a lower pull bar hinged to the lower cover plate at one end, and the two ends of the upper pull rod and the lower pull bar are hinged to each other. The other ends of the upper pull rod and the lower pull rod 22 are slidably adapted to a double groove plate. The double groove plate has two arc-shaped grooves that are respectively adapted to slide and connect with the sliders set at the ends of the upper pull rod and the lower pull bar.

[0008] Preferably, both ends of the double-groove plate are provided with rotatable wheels, and the wheels are adapted to a servo motor to drive their rotation.

[0009] A pipe cleaning robot includes the aforementioned adaptive gripping mechanism, support module, cleaning module, and drive module for driving the cleaning module to rotate and achieve cleaning. The cleaning module and drive module are respectively disposed at the front and rear ends of the adaptive gripping mechanism, and the support module is disposed at the rear end of the drive module.

[0010] Preferably, the support module includes a support body that is fixedly connected to the housing of the drive module. Several sets of support units are arranged around the outer periphery of the support body. Each support unit includes a lifting barrel fixed to the outside of the support body. A lifting column is slidably passed through the lifting barrel. A compression spring for driving the lifting column to push outward is built into the lifting barrel. The lifting column has a guide groove. A pin shaft that is slidably connected and adapted to the guide groove is installed and fixed on the lifting barrel. A wheel frame is connected and fixed to one end of the lifting column. A tire is installed on the wheel frame by a bolt.

[0011] Preferably, the cleaning module includes a support wheel frame, a rotating shaft, a pressure plate, a connecting block, and cleaning blades. The rotating shaft is located at the center of the support wheel frame, and the support wheel frame has a cleaning blade mounting position circumferentially arranged. The mounting position is threadedly connected to the connecting block, and the cleaning blades are disposed between the connecting block and the pressure plate.

[0012] Preferably, the drive module includes a motor connector, a motor stabilizer, and a drive motor. The motor connector and the motor stabilizer are connected and fixed by four sets of connecting rods and round-head bolts. The two ends of the connecting rods are provided with internal threads that are compatible with the round-head bolts. The drive motor is located between the motor connector and the motor stabilizer, and its motor shaft passes through the motor connector and is connected to the rotating shaft of the cleaning module.

[0013] Preferably, one end of the motor stabilizing component is provided with a connecting shaft, the connecting shaft is connected and fixed to the support body by a pin, the support body has a shaft groove adapted to the connecting shaft, the outer side of the support body has a pin hole communicating with the shaft groove, and the outer periphery of the connecting shaft has a limit hole, the pin passes through the pin hole and is inserted into the limit hole.

[0014] Preferably, the drive motor is provided with a battery housing on its outer side, and a slot for placing the power supply battery, motor controller and driver is provided on one side of the battery housing, and a battery cover is provided on the slot.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, this utility model has the following advantages and effects:

[0016] This invention, through the optimized structural design of an adaptive gripping mechanism, enables the pipe cleaning robot to operate efficiently and stably within pipes of varying inner diameters, shapes, and surface complexities. This adaptive gripping mechanism, using a spring-driven retaining ring and gripping unit design, automatically adjusts the gripping pressure and extension angle according to changes in the pipe's inner diameter, ensuring the robot's grip on different pipe inner walls and effectively preventing slippage or detachment due to insufficient grip.

[0017] Furthermore, the coordination between the wheels and the servo drive system ensures stable crawling of the robot. The spherical design of the wheels allows them to automatically adjust the contact angle according to the shape of the pipe's inner wall, providing uniform contact force and grip, effectively improving the robot's adaptability and motion stability. The coordinated work of the support module, cleaning module, and drive module ensures that the robot can not only effectively clean inside the pipe but also adapt to pipes of different diameters, shapes, and surface complexities, greatly improving work efficiency and stability. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the gripping mechanism in Embodiment 1 of this utility model.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pipeline cleaning robot in Embodiment 2 of this utility model.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support module in Embodiment 2 of this utility model.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the cleaning module in Embodiment 2 of this utility model.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the drive module in Embodiment 2 of this utility model.

[0023] Figure Numbers: Grip Mechanism 1, Base 11, Snap Ring 12, Upper Cover Plate 13, Lower Cover Plate 14, Tension Spring 15, Grip Unit 16, Upper Pull Rod 21, Lower Pull Rod 22, Double Groove Plate 23, Slider 24, Arc Groove 25, Wheel Body 26, Servo Motor 27, Support Module 3, Support Body 31, Support Unit 32, Lifting Bucket 33, Lifting Column 34, Guide Groove 35, Pin Shaft 36, Wheel Frame 37, Tire 38, Cleaning Module 4, Support Wheel Frame 41, Rotating Shaft 42, Pressure Plate 43, Connecting Block 44, Cleaning Blade 45, Mounting Position 46, Drive Module 5, Motor Connector 51, Motor Stabilizer 52, Drive Motor 53, Motor Shaft 54, Connecting Rod 55, Round Head Bolt 56, Battery Housing 57, Groove 58, Battery Cover Plate 59, Connecting Shaft 61, Pin 62, Shaft Groove 63, Pin Hole 64, Limiting Hole 65. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and through embodiments. The following embodiments are explanations of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0025] Example 1:

[0026] See Figure 1 In this embodiment, an adaptive gripping mechanism 1 is involved, which is specifically used in a pipe cleaning robot. It can provide sufficient gripping force in pipes with different inner diameters to ensure stable operation of the robot. Specifically, it includes a base 11, a retaining ring 12, an upper cover plate 13, and a lower cover plate 14. One end of the base 11 is fixed to the lower cover plate 14 and the upper cover plate 13 is slidably sleeved on it. The upper cover plate 13 and the lower cover plate 14 are connected by several tension springs 15. Several sets of gripping units 16 are evenly distributed on the outer periphery of the base 11 and are threadedly fitted and adapted to the retaining ring 12. The retaining ring 12 is rotatably connected to one end of the upper cover plate 13. The tension springs 15 drive the upper cover plate 13 to move the retaining ring 12 along the base 11 to the lower cover plate 14 and drive the gripping units 16 to extend outward while applying pressure.

[0027] Specifically, in this embodiment, an adaptive gripping mechanism 1 is designed to effectively provide sufficient gripping force in the pipe cleaning robot, ensuring stable operation of the robot in pipes of different inner diameters. Specifically, the tension spring 15 drives the upper cover plate 13 to move the retaining ring 12 along the base 11 to the lower cover plate 14, thereby driving the gripping units 16 evenly distributed around the outer periphery of the base 11 to extend outwards and apply pressure. When the robot enters the pipe, the tension of the tension spring 15 ensures that the gripping units 16 automatically expand outwards, making good contact with the inner wall of the pipe, enhancing the friction with the inner wall, and thus improving the robot's gripping force.

[0028] This structure can automatically adjust the pressure and extension angle of the gripping unit 16 according to changes in the pipe's inner diameter. Through the synergistic action of the retaining ring 12 and the tension spring 15, the gripping unit 16 can adapt to different pipe sizes, thus maintaining sufficient grip even in pipes with significant diameter variations. The extension mechanism driven by the tension spring 15 ensures that the gripping unit 16 maintains stable outward pressure, preventing the robot from slipping or falling off due to insufficient grip inside the pipe. This is especially important when the pipe's inner wall is uneven or contains dirt, ensuring efficient cleaning by the robot.

[0029] The gripping unit 16 includes an upper pull rod 21 with one end hinged to the upper cover plate 13, a lower pull rod 22 with one end hinged to the lower cover plate 14, and the two ends of the upper pull rod 21 and the lower pull rod 22 are hinged to each other. The other ends of the upper pull rod 21 and the lower pull rod 22 are slidably adapted to a double groove plate 23. The double groove plate 23 has two arc-shaped grooves 25 that are slidably adapted to the sliders 24 disposed at the ends of the upper pull rod 21 and the lower pull rod 22, respectively. Specifically, when the tension spring 15 pulls the upper cover plate 13 and the lower cover plate 14 closer together, the included angle between the upper pull rod 21 and the lower pull rod 22 decreases, and the two sliders 24 (located at the ends of the upper pull rod 21 and the lower pull rod 22 respectively) slide closer along the arc groove 25, causing the double groove plate 23 to push outward, thereby enhancing the contact force with the inner wall of the pipe and providing a more stable grip. This ensures that the gripping unit 16 can adaptively adjust the outward pressure under different pipe inner diameters, ensuring the stability of the pipe cleaning robot inside the pipe.

[0030] In this embodiment, wheels 26 are rotatably mounted at both ends of the double-groove plate 23, and each wheel 26 is equipped with a servo motor 27 to drive its rotation. The wheels 26 are in contact with the inner wall of the pipe, and the rotation of the wheels 26 driven by the servo motor 27 enables the robot to crawl along the inner wall of the pipe. During operation, when the servo motor 27 receives a control signal, it drives the wheels 26 to rotate, ensuring close contact between the wheels 26 and the inner wall of the pipe, generating sufficient friction to propel the entire structure forward along the inner wall of the pipe. The wheels 26 adopt a near-spherical design, ensuring uniform contact with the inner wall of the pipe during rotation, exhibiting good adaptability and automatically adjusting the contact angle according to the shape of the inner wall of the pipe.

[0031] Example 2:

[0032] See Figure 2 - Figure 5 This embodiment also relates to a pipe cleaning robot, including the adaptive gripping mechanism 1, support module 3, cleaning module 4, and drive module 5 that drives the cleaning module 4 to rotate and achieve cleaning, as described in Embodiment 1. The cleaning module 4 and drive module 5 are respectively located at the front and rear ends of the adaptive gripping mechanism 1, and the support module 3 is located at the rear end of the drive module 5. The specific structure is as follows:

[0033] Support Module 3: See Figure 3 The support module 3 includes a support body 31 fixedly connected to the housing of the drive module 5. Several support units 32 are arranged around the outer periphery of the support body 31. Each support unit 32 includes a lifting barrel 33 fixed to the outside of the support body 31. A lifting column 34 is slidably inserted through the lifting barrel 33. A compression spring for driving the lifting column 34 outwards is built into the lifting barrel 33. The lifting column 34 has a guide groove 35. A pin 36, which is slidably connected and adapted to the guide groove 35, is installed and fixedly mounted on the lifting barrel 33. A wheel frame 37 is fixedly connected to one end of the lifting column 34, and a tire 38 is mounted on the wheel frame 37 via bolts. Through the cooperation of the lifting column 34 and the lifting barrel 33, the support module 3 allows the support unit 32 to be adjusted in height within the pipe according to actual conditions. The tire 38 installed at one end of the lifting column 34 ensures the stability of the support module 3 within the pipe, guaranteeing smooth movement of the robot in pipes of different diameters and shapes during the cleaning process.

[0034] Cleanup Module 4: See Figure 4 In this embodiment, the cleaning module 4 uses a mechanical cleaning method. It includes a support wheel frame 41, a rotating shaft 42, a pressure plate 43, a connecting block 44, and cleaning blades 45. The rotating shaft 42 is located at the center of the support wheel frame 41. The support wheel frame 41 has mounting positions 46 for the cleaning blades 45 circumferentially arranged. The mounting positions 46 are threadedly connected to the connecting block 44, and the cleaning blades 45 are positioned between the connecting block 44 and the pressure plate 43. The cleaning module 4 is connected to the drive module 5 via the rotating shaft 42. The cleaning blades 45 have a curved structure. The drive module 5 rotates, causing the mechanical cleaning module to rotate, which in turn causes the cleaning blades 45 to rotate, cleaning impurities from the inner wall of the pipe through a scraping action. This method is mainly for cleaning relatively easy-to-clean dirt inside the pipe, but it can only perform preliminary cleaning of the pipe wall and cannot achieve complete cleaning. Therefore, for stubborn dirt, rust layers, rust spots, protrusions, etc., inside the pipe, complete cleaning still needs to be achieved through jet cleaning.

[0035] Drive Module 5: See Figure 5 The drive module 5 includes a motor connector 51, a motor stabilizer 52, and a drive motor 53. The motor connector 51 and the motor stabilizer 52 are connected and fixed by four sets of connecting rods 55 and round head bolts 56. The two ends of the connecting rods 55 are provided with internal threads that are compatible with the round head bolts 56. The drive motor 53 is located between the motor connector 51 and the motor stabilizer 52. Its motor shaft 54 ​​passes through the motor connector 51 and is connected to the rotating shaft 42 of the cleaning module 4, driving the rotation of the cleaning module 4 to ensure the cleaning effect.

[0036] One end of the motor stabilizer 52 is provided with a connecting shaft 61. The connecting shaft 61 is connected and fixed to the support body 31 by a pin 62. The support body 31 has a shaft groove 63 adapted to the connecting shaft 61, and a pin hole 64 communicating with the shaft groove 63 is opened on the outer side of the support body 31. A limit hole 65 is opened on the outer periphery of the connecting shaft 61, and the pin 62 passes through the pin hole 64 and is inserted into the limit hole 65. This structure can ensure that the motor stabilizer 52 and the support body 31 are firmly connected, preventing the support module 3 from rotating relative to the drive module 5, so that the cleaning robot remains stable during operation and improves the overall reliability of the robot.

[0037] A battery housing 57 is provided on the outer side of the drive motor 53. A slot 58 for housing the power supply battery, motor controller, and driver is provided on one side of the battery housing 57, and a battery cover 59 is provided on the slot 58. This allows the robot's power supply system to operate efficiently and facilitates battery replacement and maintenance, ensuring the robot's endurance during long-term operation. Furthermore, the battery cover 59 is boltlessly connected to the battery housing 57, reducing the overall size of the drive module 5, minimizing the space occupied by the robot within the pipe, and facilitating the robot's passage.

[0038] The above description in this specification is merely illustrative of the present invention. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains may make various modifications or additions to the described specific embodiments or use similar methods to replace them, as long as they do not depart from the content of this specification or exceed the scope defined in the claims, all of which shall fall within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. An adaptive gripping mechanism, characterized in that, It includes a base, a retaining ring, an upper cover plate, and a lower cover plate. One end of the base is fixed to the lower cover plate and the upper cover plate is slidably sleeved on it. The upper cover plate and the lower cover plate are connected by several tension springs. Several sets of gripping units are evenly distributed on the outer periphery of the base and are threadedly fitted and adapted to the retaining ring. The retaining ring is rotatably connected to one end of the upper cover plate. The tension spring drives the upper cover plate to move the retaining ring along the base to the lower cover plate and drives the gripping units to extend outward while applying pressure.

2. The adaptive gripping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gripping unit includes an upper pull rod with one end hinged to the upper cover plate, a lower pull rod with one end hinged to the lower cover plate, and the two ends of the upper pull rod and the lower pull rod are hinged to each other. The other ends of the upper pull rod and the lower pull rod are slidably adapted to a double groove plate. The double groove plate has two arc-shaped grooves that are respectively adapted to slide and connect with the sliders set at the ends of the upper pull rod and the lower pull rod.

3. The adaptive gripping mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: Both ends of the double-groove plate are equipped with rotatable wheels, and the wheels are fitted with servo motors to drive their rotation.

4. A pipe cleaning robot, comprising the adaptive gripping mechanism, support module, cleaning module, and drive module for driving the cleaning module to rotate and achieve cleaning, as described in any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that: The cleaning module and the drive module are respectively located at the front and rear ends of the adaptive gripping mechanism, while the support module is located at the rear end of the drive module.

5. The pipe cleaning robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The support module includes a support body that is fixedly connected to the housing of the drive module. Several sets of support units are arranged around the outer periphery of the support body. Each support unit includes a lifting bucket fixed to the outside of the support body. A lifting column is slidably inserted through the lifting bucket. A compression spring for driving the lifting column to push outward is built into the lifting bucket. The lifting column has a guide groove. A pin shaft that is slidably connected and adapted to the guide groove is installed and fixed on the lifting bucket. A wheel frame is connected and fixed to one end of the lifting column. A tire is installed on the wheel frame by a bolt.

6. The pipe cleaning robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: The cleaning module includes a support wheel frame, a rotating shaft, a pressure plate, a connecting block, and cleaning blades. The rotating shaft is located at the center of the support wheel frame, and the support wheel frame has a cleaning blade mounting position circumferentially arranged. The mounting position is threadedly connected to the connecting block, and the cleaning blades are located between the connecting block and the pressure plate.

7. The pipe cleaning robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The drive module includes a motor connector, a motor stabilizer, and a drive motor. The motor connector and the motor stabilizer are connected and fixed by four sets of connecting rods and round-head bolts. The two ends of the connecting rods are provided with internal threads that are compatible with the round-head bolts. The drive motor is located between the motor connector and the motor stabilizer, and its motor shaft passes through the motor connector and is connected to the rotating shaft of the cleaning module.

8. The pipe cleaning robot according to claim 7, characterized in that: One end of the motor stabilizing component is provided with a connecting shaft. The connecting shaft is connected and fixed to the support body by a pin. The support body has a shaft groove that matches the connecting shaft. A pin hole communicating with the shaft groove is provided on the outer side of the support body. A limit hole is provided on the outer periphery of the connecting shaft. The pin passes through the pin hole and is inserted into the limit hole.

9. The pipe cleaning robot according to claim 7, characterized in that: The drive motor is provided with a battery housing on its outer side, and a slot is provided on one side of the battery housing, with a battery cover plate provided on the slot.

Images