Variable-diameter pipeline crawling robot

Abstract

The utility model discloses a diameter-variable pipeline crawling robot, which relates to the technical field of pipeline robots and comprises a robot body, a camera is fixedly mounted at the center of the outer wall of one side of the robot body, and a light supplementing lamp is mounted on one side of the robot body and located on the outer side of the camera. The upper end and the lower end of the outer side of the robot body are provided with steering supporting assemblies used for supporting the robot body and then rotating the robot body. By means of the elastic adjusting function of the spring, the traveling wheel is endowed with the floating capacity perpendicular to the inner wall of the pipeline, and when the traveling wheel meets uneven areas such as protrusions and recesses of the inner wall of the pipeline, the spring in the sleeve can automatically extend or compress along with the terrain, so that the traveling wheel is always in dynamic fit with the inner wall of the pipeline. By means of the elastic connection mode, the problem that a rigid fixing structure is blocked or stuck due to impact loads is solved, and particularly when passing through obstacles such as welding seams and scaling, impact force can be effectively buffered, and continuous crawling is maintained.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of pipeline robot technology, specifically a variable-diameter pipeline crawling robot. Background Technology

[0002] Pipelines are widely used in modern industry, agriculture, petroleum, chemical, and nuclear industries. After long-term use, they may develop cracks, corrosion, blockages, and other malfunctions. Some pipelines transport highly toxic or radioactive media. If these pipelines develop cracks or leaks, it can cause media leakage, leading to accidents or even disasters. To prevent such incidents, these pipelines must be inspected and maintained regularly. However, some of them are buried underground or even on the seabed, and some have very small diameters that are inaccessible to humans. Digging up pipelines for inspection and maintenance is neither economical nor practical. This has led to the development of pipeline inspection robots.

[0003] An existing patent (publication number: CN221683960U) discloses a variable-diameter pipe crawling robot. After the first and second support columns abut against the inner wall of the pipe, the robot body is supported and rotated. This allows the robot body to rotate after being supported, enabling it to turn. This facilitates flexible turning of the robot body in T-shaped, cross-shaped, and T-shaped pipes, thereby precisely controlling the crawling direction of the robot.

[0004] However, the above technical solutions still have certain defects. When the above-mentioned pipe crawling robot crawls in pipes of different diameters, since the walking wheel bracket and the walking wheel are rigidly connected to the output end of the first cylinder, when the robot travels to uneven areas in the pipe, such as weld protrusions, local depressions, or areas with scale accumulation, it is very easy to get stuck on the protruding parts or get stuck in the depressions and find it difficult to get out, thus causing jamming and affecting the normal progress of inspection and maintenance work. Therefore, a variable diameter pipe crawling robot is proposed. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a variable-diameter pipe crawling robot to solve the problems in the background art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution:

[0007] A variable-diameter pipe crawling robot includes a robot body. A camera is fixedly installed at the center of one outer wall of the robot body. A supplementary light is installed on one side of the robot body outside the camera. Steering support assemblies for supporting the robot body and allowing it to rotate are provided at the upper and lower ends of the outer side of the robot body. Crawling movement assemblies are provided at both ends of the outer side of the robot body. Each crawling movement assembly includes a cylinder fixed to the outer wall of the robot body by bolts. A sleeve is fixedly connected to the output end of the cylinder. A telescopic rod is slidably connected to the inner cavity of the sleeve. A spring is fixedly connected between the bottom of the inner cavity of the sleeve and one end of the telescopic rod. A U-shaped seat is fixedly installed at the end of the telescopic rod away from the spring. A walking wheel is rotatably connected to the inner side of the U-shaped seat. A first motor for driving the walking wheel to rotate is fixedly installed on one side of the U-shaped seat.

[0008] Based on the above technical solutions, this utility model also provides the following optional technical solutions:

[0009] In one alternative: a total of eight cylinders are provided, and the eight cylinders are symmetrically arranged in pairs on the outer side wall of the robot body.

[0010] In one alternative: each set of wheels has anti-slip textured surfaces on its outer side.

[0011] In one alternative: a transparent glass cover is provided at one end of the robot body and outside the camera and fill light, and a cleaning component is provided on the outside of the transparent glass cover.

[0012] In one alternative: the cleaning assembly includes a toothed ring sleeved on one side of the robot body via a bearing, the top of the toothed ring being engaged with a gear, and a second motor for driving the gear to rotate is fixedly mounted on the outer wall of the robot body via a mounting bracket.

[0013] In one alternative: an arc-shaped mounting plate is fixedly connected to one side of the toothed ring, and an arc-shaped cleaning plate that fits against the transparent glass cover is fixedly installed on the lower surface of the arc-shaped mounting plate.

[0014] In one alternative: a traction ring is fixedly installed at the end of the robot body away from the camera by bolts.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0016] 1. This utility model utilizes the elastic adjustment function of a spring to give the traveling wheel the ability to float perpendicular to the inner wall of the pipe. When encountering uneven areas such as protrusions or depressions on the inner wall of the pipe, the spring inside the sleeve can automatically extend or compress according to the terrain, ensuring that the traveling wheel always maintains dynamic contact with the inner wall of the pipe. This elastic connection method avoids the problem of jamming or stuck due to impact loads in rigid fixed structures. Especially when passing through obstacles such as welds and scale, it can effectively buffer the impact force and maintain continuous crawling.

[0017] 2. By setting a transparent glass cover, this utility model forms a physical isolation barrier, which effectively blocks the direct erosion of the camera by corrosive gases or liquids in the pipeline, greatly extending the actual service life of the camera and reducing the frequency of equipment maintenance.

[0018] 3. This utility model uses a second motor to drive a gear and a gear ring transmission mechanism to drive an arc-shaped cleaning plate to move in a circular motion along the surface of the glass cover, effectively removing surface stains and avoiding image blurring or detection data deviation caused by stains. This self-cleaning function does not require manual intervention and can work synchronously during the robot's movement to ensure that the detection image is always clear and improve the accuracy of defect identification. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a side sectional view of the transparent glass cover of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the crawling and moving component structure of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 4 For the present utility model Figure 3 Enlarged view of point A in the middle.

[0023] Figure labeling: 100, Robot body; 200, Crawling and moving component; 300, Cleaning component;

[0024] 110. Towing ring; 120. Camera; 130. Auxiliary light; 140. Transparent glass cover; 150. Steering support assembly;

[0025] 210. Cylinder; 220. Sleeve; 230. Telescopic rod; 240. Spring; 250. U-shaped seat; 260. Traveling wheel; 270. Anti-slip texture; 280. First motor;

[0026] 310. Gear ring; 320. Gear; 330. Second motor; 340. Arc-shaped mounting plate; 350. Arc-shaped cleaning plate. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0028] In one embodiment, such as Figures 1-4 As shown, a variable-diameter pipe crawling robot includes a robot body 100. A camera 120 is fixedly installed at the center of one outer wall of the robot body 100. A supplementary light 130 is installed on one side of the robot body 100 outside the camera 120. Steering support assemblies 150 are provided at the upper and lower ends of the outer side of the robot body 100 for supporting the robot body 100 and allowing it to rotate. Crawling movement assemblies 200 are provided at both ends of the outer side of the robot body 100. The crawling movement assembly 200 includes a cylinder 210 fixed to the outer wall of the robot body 100 by bolts. A sleeve 220 is fixedly connected to the output end of the 210. A telescopic rod 230 is slidably connected to the inner cavity of the sleeve 220. A spring 240 is fixedly connected between the bottom of the inner cavity of the sleeve 220 and one end of the telescopic rod 230. A U-shaped seat 250 is fixedly installed at the end of the telescopic rod 230 away from the spring 240. A walking wheel 260 is rotatably connected to the inner side of the U-shaped seat 250. A first motor 280 for driving the walking wheel 260 to rotate is fixedly installed on one side of the U-shaped seat 250. There are a total of eight cylinders 210, and the eight cylinders 210 are symmetrically arranged in pairs on the outer side wall of the robot body 100.

[0029] In this embodiment, the operator places the robot body 100 into the pipe and adjusts the position of the walking wheels 260 according to the inner diameter of the pipe. The controller controls the cylinder 210 to move the sleeve 220 and the telescopic rod 230 through its output end, thereby moving the U-shaped seat 250 and the walking wheels 260 together until the walking wheels 260 contact the inner wall of the pipe, placing the robot body 100 in the middle of the pipe. At this point, the spring 240 inside the sleeve 220 is compressed. When the robot body 100 encounters uneven areas while moving within the pipe, the spring 240 inside the sleeve 220 extends or compresses according to the depressions or protrusions, ensuring that the walking wheels 260 always remain in contact with the inner wall of the pipe, preventing the robot body 100 from... When moving inside a pipe, the robot may get stuck on protruding parts or become trapped in recesses, causing it to become stuck and affecting the normal operation of inspection and maintenance. The steering support assembly 150 allows the robot body 100 to rotate after being supported, enabling the robot body 100 to turn flexibly in T-shaped, cross-shaped, and T-shaped pipes. This allows for precise control of the crawling robot's crawling direction, facilitating the movement of the robot body 100 in different types of pipes. It can also change the pipe's inner diameter, which is existing technology and will not be elaborated on here. It is worth noting that the cylinder 210 uses a pressure sensor to feedback the extension and retraction amount, controlling the contact pressure F = 5N ± 1N between the walking wheel 260 and the inner wall of the pipe.

[0030] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, each set of walking wheels 260 has anti-slip textures 270 on the outside; this can effectively improve the stability and adaptability of the robot body 100 crawling in the pipe and avoid slipping.

[0031] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, a transparent glass cover 140 is provided at one end of the robot body 100, outside the camera 120 and the supplementary light 130. A cleaning component 300 is provided outside the transparent glass cover 140. The cleaning component 300 includes a gear ring 310 sleeved on one end of the robot body 100 via a bearing. A gear 320 is meshed at the top of the gear ring 310. A second motor 330 for driving the gear 320 to rotate is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the robot body 100 via a fixed seat. An arc-shaped mounting plate 340 is fixedly connected to one side of the gear ring 310. An arc-shaped cleaning plate 350 that fits against the transparent glass cover 140 is fixedly installed on the lower surface of the arc-shaped mounting plate 340. When the robot body 100 moves in the pipe and performs detection in conjunction with the camera 120 and the supplementary light 130, the transparent glass cover 140 is used to protect the camera 120. 140 is made of corrosion-resistant quartz glass or polycarbonate to prevent corrosive gases (such as hydrogen sulfide, acid and alkali vapors) or liquids (such as sewage, chemical media) inside the pipe from directly corroding the camera 120, thus affecting its service life. At the same time, the second motor 330 can be started. The output end of the second motor 330 drives the gear 320 to rotate, which in turn drives the meshing gear ring 310 to rotate. This further drives the arc-shaped mounting plate 340 and the arc-shaped cleaning plate 350 fixed on one side of the gear ring 310 to perform circumferential motion. The arc-shaped cleaning plate 350 is in contact with the surface of the transparent glass cover 140 to clean its surface. The arc-shaped cleaning plate 350 is made of flexible wear-resistant material (such as silicone or nylon fiber), which can efficiently remove surface stains without damaging the transparent glass cover 140, avoiding image blurring or detection data deviation caused by stains.

[0032] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, a traction ring 110 is fixedly installed on the end of the robot body 100 away from the camera 120 by bolts; one end of the cable to be pulled is wrapped around the traction ring 110, and the robot body 100 is operated by wireless control.

[0033] The above embodiment discloses a variable-diameter pipe crawling robot. The operator places the robot body 100 into the pipe and adjusts the position of the walking wheels 260 according to the pipe's inner diameter. A controller controls a cylinder 210 to move a sleeve 220 and a telescopic rod 230 via its output end, thereby moving a U-shaped seat 250 and the walking wheels 260 together until the walking wheels 260 contact the inner wall of the pipe, placing the robot body 100 in the middle of the pipe. At this point, the spring 240 inside the sleeve 220 is compressed. When the robot body 100 encounters uneven areas while moving through the pipe, the spring 240 in the sleeve 220 extends or compresses according to the depressions or protrusions, ensuring that the walking wheels 260 always remain in contact with the inner wall of the pipe. This prevents the robot body 100 from getting stuck while moving through the pipe, thus avoiding disruption to the normal operation of inspection and maintenance work.

[0034] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A variable-diameter pipe crawling robot, comprising a robot body (100), wherein a camera (120) is fixedly installed at the center of one outer wall of the robot body (100), a supplementary light (130) is installed on one side of the robot body (100) outside the camera (120), and a steering support assembly (150) is provided at the upper and lower ends of the outer side of the robot body (100) for supporting the robot body (100) and allowing it to rotate, characterized in that, The robot body (100) has crawling movement components (200) at both ends of its outer side. The crawling movement components (200) include cylinders (210) that are fixed to the outer wall of the robot body (100) by bolts. A sleeve (220) is fixedly connected to the output end of the cylinder (210). A telescopic rod (230) is slidably connected to the inner cavity of the sleeve (220). A spring (240) is fixedly connected between the bottom of the inner cavity of the sleeve (220) and one end of the telescopic rod (230). A U-shaped seat (250) is fixedly installed at the end of the telescopic rod (230) away from the spring (240). A walking wheel (260) is rotatably connected to the inner side of the U-shaped seat (250). A first motor (280) for driving the walking wheel (260) to rotate is fixedly installed on one side of the U-shaped seat (250).

2. The variable-diameter pipe crawling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, There are a total of eight cylinders (210), and the eight cylinders (210) are symmetrically arranged in pairs on the outer side wall of the robot body (100).

3. The variable-diameter pipe crawling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each set of walking wheels (260) has anti-slip grooves (270) on the outside.

4. The variable-diameter pipe crawling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, A transparent glass cover (140) is provided at one end of the robot body (100) and outside the camera (120) and the fill light (130), and a cleaning component (300) is provided on the outside of the transparent glass cover (140).

5. A variable-diameter pipe crawling robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cleaning assembly (300) includes a gear ring (310) sleeved on one side of the robot body (100) via a bearing, and a gear (320) meshes at the top of the gear ring (310). A second motor (330) for driving the gear (320) to rotate is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the robot body (100) via a mounting bracket.

6. A variable-diameter pipe crawling robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, An arc-shaped mounting plate (340) is fixedly connected to one side of the toothed ring (310), and an arc-shaped cleaning plate (350) that fits against the transparent glass cover (140) is fixedly installed on the lower surface of the arc-shaped mounting plate (340).

7. A variable-diameter pipe crawling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robot body (100) is fixed with a traction ring (110) by bolts at the end away from the camera (120).

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