Air duct cleaning obstacle crossing robot

Abstract

An obstacle crossing robot for air pipe cleaning relates to the technical field of pipeline cleaning and comprises a vehicle body, crawlers arranged on the two sides of the vehicle body respectively and a cleaning mechanism arranged on the front side of the vehicle body, a swing arm is hinged to the middle of each crawler, and one end of each swing arm is provided with a supporting wheel abutting against the inner side face of the corresponding crawler so that the corresponding crawler can form a triangular shape. A swing arm motor used for driving the two swing arms to swing synchronously is arranged in the vehicle body. The structure is simplified, obstacle crossing fluency and compactness of the robot are improved, stability and cleaning efficiency are enhanced, the robot is more intelligent and high in adaptability when executing tasks, and safety and efficiency of air pipe cleaning operation are remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of pipeline cleaning technology, and in particular to a duct cleaning and obstacle-crossing robot. Background Technology

[0002] In modern buildings, ventilation duct systems are an indispensable part, responsible for indoor air circulation and quality control. However, over time, dust, dirt, and other particulate matter accumulate inside these ducts, affecting not only airflow efficiency but also potentially becoming breeding grounds for bacteria and mold, posing a threat to human health. In ventilation systems of buildings such as workshops and nuclear power plants, the accumulation of large amounts of dust and debris within the ducts is even more pronounced, impacting airflow quality and consequently threatening the stable operation of electrical control cabinets within the plant. Therefore, regular cleaning and maintenance of ventilation ducts is essential.

[0003] Traditional ventilation duct cleaning methods rely primarily on manual labor, which is not only inefficient but also poses safety risks, especially in complex duct environments requiring ladder climbing and obstacle crossing. With technological advancements, some automated cleaning equipment has been introduced to the market, but these devices often have limitations. For example, many robots are designed for linear movement, lacking flexibility and adaptability in complex duct environments, particularly when faced with ladder climbing and obstacle crossing. Chinese patent CN220738883 U discloses an obstacle-crossing duct cleaning robot for nuclear power plants, which increases the obstacle-crossing height and avoids obstruction by the cleaning mechanism during obstacle crossing. However, this robot has a relatively complex structure and cumbersome operating mechanism, requiring separate front and rear cylinders that drive the front and rear support wheels at appropriate times to provide support. Moreover, compared to the large contact surface of tracks, the independent support wheels have a smaller contact surface when extended, resulting in a slower response speed and lower reliability in providing support, thus reducing cleaning efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a duct cleaning and obstacle-crossing robot that achieves a more reliable obstacle-crossing effect with a simpler structure, thereby enhancing stability and cleaning efficiency.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a duct cleaning and obstacle-crossing robot, comprising a vehicle body, tracks respectively disposed on both sides of the vehicle body, and a cleaning mechanism disposed on the front side of the vehicle body. Each track has a swing arm hinged in the middle, and one end of the swing arm is provided with a support wheel that abuts against the inner side of the track so that the track can form a triangular shape. The vehicle body is provided with a swing arm motor for driving the two swing arms to swing synchronously.

[0006] Preferably, the cleaning mechanism includes a disc brush and a disc brush motor for driving the disc brush to rotate, and the front end of the vehicle body is provided with a lifting mechanism for driving the disc brush to move up and down.

[0007] More preferably, the lifting mechanism includes a guide rail and a rack vertically mounted at the front end of the vehicle body, the disc brush is mounted at the bottom end of a lifting housing, the lifting housing is slidably connected to the guide rail, a lifting motor is installed inside the lifting housing, and the lifting motor is driven by a gear and the gear meshes with the rack.

[0008] More preferably, the number of the disc brushes is two, and they are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the lifting housing.

[0009] More preferably, the front end face of the lifting housing is also provided with a camera and a distance sensor.

[0010] More preferably, a track wheel is provided at each of the front and rear ends of the track, and the track wheel at the rear end of each track is driven by a track motor.

[0011] More preferably, a baffle is provided on the outer side of the track, and the two ends of the baffle are respectively installed on the track wheels at both ends of the track, and the swing arm is hinged to the middle of the baffle.

[0012] More preferably, a cooling fan is arranged inside the vehicle body and cooling holes are provided on the rear side panel of the vehicle body.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, this utility model, by hinged a swing arm in the middle of each track and setting a support wheel at one end of the swing arm, enables the track to form a triangular shape. When moving in the duct, the position of the support wheel can be changed by rotating the swing arm, thereby adjusting the triangular shape of the track, thus adapting to obstacles of different shapes and sizes. This significantly enhances the robot's obstacle-crossing ability in complex duct environments and improves the flexibility and efficiency of cleaning work. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure in the embodiment;

[0015] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the vehicle body in the embodiment;

[0016] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the lifting housing and guide rail in the embodiment;

[0017] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the change process of the track shape in the embodiment;

[0018] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the change process of the track shape in the embodiment.

[0019] In the picture:

[0020] 1 - Vehicle body; 2 - Tracks; 3 - Swing arm

[0021] 4 - Support wheel 5 - Swing arm motor 6 - Disc brush

[0022] 7 - Guide rail; 8 - Rack; 9 - Lifting housing

[0023] 10 - Gear 11 - Camera 12 - Distance Sensor

[0024] 13 - Baffle plate 14 - Track motor Detailed Implementation

[0025] To facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art, the present invention will be further described below with reference to embodiments and accompanying drawings. The content mentioned in the embodiments is not intended to limit the present invention.

[0026] It should be noted in advance that, in this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances. Furthermore, in this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "on" or "below" a second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features not in direct contact but through another feature between them.

[0027] like Figure 1 As shown, the duct cleaning and obstacle-crossing robot includes a vehicle body 1, tracks 2 respectively set on both sides of the vehicle body 1, and a cleaning mechanism set on the front side of the vehicle body 1. Each track 2 has a swing arm 3 hinged in the middle. One end of the swing arm 3 is provided with a support wheel 4 that abuts against the inner side of the track 2 so that the track can form a triangular shape. The vehicle body 1 is provided with a swing arm motor 5 for driving the two swing arms 3 to swing synchronously.

[0028] In the above structure, the cleaning mechanism includes a disc brush 6 and a disc brush motor for driving the disc brush 6 to rotate, enabling the disc brush 6 to rotate continuously and efficiently, enhancing its cleaning ability on the inner wall of the air duct and improving cleaning efficiency. Furthermore, a lifting mechanism is provided at the front end of the vehicle body 1 to move the disc brush 6 up and down. This allows the disc brush 6 to move up and down, and to be raised in advance when climbing slopes or over obstacles, increasing the flexibility and adaptability of the cleaning mechanism.

[0029] like Figure 3As shown, the lifting mechanism includes a guide rail 7 and a rack 8 vertically mounted at the front end of the vehicle body 1. A disc brush 6 is mounted at the bottom of a lifting housing 9, which is slidably connected to the guide rail 7. A lifting motor is installed inside the lifting housing 9, and the lifting motor is driven by a gear 10 that meshes with the rack 8. Two disc brushes 6 are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the lifting housing 9. Those skilled in the art should know that the disc brush 6 can adopt an existing structure, for example, by connecting a disc brush motor via a rotating shaft and connecting the disc brush 6 to one end of the shaft. The disc brush 6 is rotatable and has bristles at its bottom for cleaning. After cleaning, the disc brush 6 can be removed for cleaning or replacement.

[0030] In this embodiment, a camera 11 and a distance sensor 12 are also provided on the front end face of the lifting housing 9. This can prevent the robot from colliding with the internal structure of the air duct, improving the safety of the operation and the accuracy of cleaning.

[0031] Regarding the specific structure of track 2, a track wheel is provided at both the front and rear ends of track 2, and the track wheel at the rear end of each track 2 is driven by a track motor 14 (e.g., Figure 2 (As shown). A baffle 13 is provided on the outer side of the track 2. The two ends of the baffle 13 are respectively installed on the track wheels at both ends of the track 2. The swing arm 3 is hinged to the middle of the baffle 13.

[0032] In addition, the vehicle body 1 in this embodiment is equipped with electronic components such as controllers and energy storage devices. Furthermore, a cooling fan is arranged inside the vehicle body 1, and heat dissipation holes are provided on the rear side panel of the vehicle body 1. This helps to dissipate the heat generated inside the robot, ensuring that the electronic components and motors work at a suitable temperature, avoiding performance degradation or damage caused by overheating, and ensuring that the robot operates stably for a long time.

[0033] The duct cleaning and obstacle-crossing robot provided in the above embodiments, when working, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the robot moves along a cleaning path inside the duct. The disc brush 6 cleans the inside of the duct. When it approaches a step or obstacle, the lifting mechanism raises the disc brush 6, and the control system commands the swing arm motor 5 to start, driving the two swing arms 3 to swing synchronously. The swing of the swing arms 3 changes the position of the support wheels 4, thereby changing the vertex position of the triangle formed by the track 2. Specifically, the swing arms 3 swing forward, causing the support wheels 4 to move towards the front of the track 2, allowing the track 2 to form an inclined contact surface forward, thus contacting the step earlier, and forming an inclined obtuse-angled triangular structure. After contacting the step, the robot begins to climb the slope through the operation of track 2. During the climb, the swing arm 3 can be finely adjusted to keep the position of the support wheel 4 above the front step. When the track wheel at the front of track 2 climbs onto the step, the swing arm 3 can swing backward to move the support wheel 4 backward, thereby adjusting the robot's overall center of gravity and gradually allowing the support wheel 4 to swing to the rear of track 2 and abut against the bottom surface of the air duct to form support. During the process of track 2 climbing up to the step, the support wheel 4 remains in contact with the bottom surface of the air duct to provide stable support. Then, when track 2 is completely above the step, the swing arm 3 can return, that is, swing forward, to move the support wheel 4 above the step. At this point, the entire obstacle-crossing and climbing process is completed.

[0034] As can be seen from the above obstacle-crossing process, the robot in this embodiment can achieve the climbing action of the steps by simply swinging the support wheel 4 to change the triangular state of the track 2. There is no need to set up separate support wheels with small contact surfaces at the front and rear of the robot for auxiliary support. Compared with the existing duct cleaning robots, the robot in this embodiment has a very smooth process when crossing obstacles, and its structure is compact and its action mechanism is simpler.

[0035] This utility model of a duct cleaning and obstacle-crossing robot achieves efficient cleaning and obstacle crossing in complex duct environments through its innovative swing arm and support wheel structure. The robot utilizes a swing arm motor to drive the arm to swing synchronously, dynamically adjusting the position of the support wheels and changing the triangular shape formed by the tracks to adapt to obstacles such as steps, achieving smooth climbing. This design not only simplifies the structure and improves the smoothness of obstacle crossing and the robot's compactness, but also enhances stability and cleaning efficiency, making the robot more intelligent and adaptable when performing tasks, significantly improving the safety and efficiency of duct cleaning operations.

[0036] To facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art of the improvements of this utility model compared to the prior art, some of the accompanying drawings and descriptions of this utility model have been simplified. The above embodiments are preferred implementations of this utility model. In addition, this utility model can be implemented in other ways. Any obvious substitutions without departing from the concept of this technical solution are within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A duct cleaning and obstacle-crossing robot, comprising a vehicle body (1), tracks (2) respectively disposed on both sides of the vehicle body (1), and a cleaning mechanism disposed on the front side of the vehicle body (1), characterized in that: Each track (2) is hinged to a swing arm (3) in the middle. One end of the swing arm (3) is provided with a support wheel (4) that abuts against the inner side of the track (2) so that the track can form a triangular shape. The vehicle body (1) is provided with a swing arm motor (5) for driving the two swing arms (3) to swing synchronously.

2. The duct cleaning and obstacle-crossing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cleaning mechanism includes a disc brush (6) and a disc brush motor for driving the disc brush (6) to rotate. The front end of the vehicle body (1) is provided with a lifting mechanism for driving the disc brush (6) to move up and down.

3. The duct cleaning and obstacle-crossing robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lifting mechanism includes a guide rail (7) and a rack (8) vertically installed at the front end of the vehicle body (1). The disc brush (6) is installed at the bottom end of a lifting housing (9). The lifting housing (9) is slidably connected to the guide rail (7). A lifting motor is installed inside the lifting housing (9). The lifting motor is driven by a gear (10) and the gear (10) meshes with the rack (8).

4. The duct cleaning and obstacle-crossing robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The number of the disc brushes (6) is two, and they are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the lifting housing (9).

5. The duct cleaning and obstacle-crossing robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The front end of the lifting housing (9) is also equipped with a camera (11) and a distance sensor (12).

6. The duct cleaning and obstacle-crossing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each track (2) has a track wheel at both ends, and the track wheel at the rear end of each track (2) is driven by a track motor (14).

7. The duct cleaning and obstacle-crossing robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: A baffle (13) is provided on the outside of the track (2). The two ends of the baffle (13) are respectively installed on the track wheels at both ends of the track (2). The swing arm (3) is hinged to the middle of the baffle (13).

8. The duct cleaning and obstacle-crossing robot according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that: The vehicle body (1) is equipped with a cooling fan and the rear side panel of the vehicle body (1) has a cooling hole.

Images