A cable laying robot with a cable guiding system
By combining the cable gripping and cable guiding components, the system achieves stable cable delivery throughout the deep-sea environment, solving the problems of cable damage and insufficient cable guiding accuracy, and improving the operation quality and efficiency of the cable laying robot.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHANDONG FUTURE ROBOT CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-07-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-23
Smart Images
Figure CN224401025U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of underwater cable-laying robot technology, and in particular to a cable-guiding system for a cable-laying robot. Background Technology
[0002] With the acceleration of marine resource development and the continuous growth of transoceanic communication demand, the importance of submarine cable laying projects in the field of marine construction has become increasingly prominent. As a key piece of equipment for coping with the complex deep-sea environment and achieving efficient cable laying, deep-sea cable laying robots occupy a pivotal position in marine engineering construction with their unique excavation technology, becoming an important force in ensuring the safe laying of submarine cables.
[0003] In existing technologies, cable laying robots are typically equipped with cable grippers to lift the cable above the cutter bar, or with cable guiding systems to prevent damage to the cable during trench excavation. However, in actual operation of cutter bar deep-sea cable laying robots, the cable not only faces the problem of easy damage, but also suffers from insufficient cable guiding accuracy, which is another major challenge restricting the accurate placement of the cable into the pre-set trench. The complexity of the deep-sea environment far exceeds that of land-based operation scenarios. Irregular water currents continuously impact the robot and cable, causing them to deviate from the pre-set trajectory. The structural design of traditional cable guiding systems is unreasonable and difficult to adjust flexibly according to the trench excavation location. This often results in deviations when the robot guides the cable into the trench. The cable may partially rub against the edge of the trench or even completely detach from it. If this is not detected and corrected in time, subsequent burial operations will further squeeze and damage the cable, and the design requirements for deep burial protection of the cable cannot be met, significantly reducing the service life and operational safety of the submarine cable.
[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a cable guiding system that can provide all-round, adaptive protection for cables and achieve precise cable guiding in complex deep-sea environments, in order to break through current technical bottlenecks and improve the operational quality and efficiency of chain-blade deep-sea cable-laying robots. Utility Model Content
[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a cable guiding system for a cable-laying robot to solve the problems of poor protection and inaccurate cable guiding accuracy in the prior art.
[0006] The embodiments of this application can be implemented through the following technical solutions:
[0007] A cable-guiding system for a cable-laying robot includes cable-gripping assemblies connected to both ends of the robot frame and a cable-guiding assembly disposed between the two cable-gripping assemblies. The number of cable-gripping assemblies located at the rear end of the robot frame is at least two sets. The at least two sets of cable-gripping assemblies are arranged along the X-direction of the cable-laying robot's travel direction and correspond to the cable-guiding groove of the cable-guiding assembly.
[0008] The cable guide assembly includes a first cable guide section, a second cable guide section, and a third displacement drive assembly. The first cable guide section and the second cable guide section extend along the X direction. The second cable guide section is hinged to the top side of the first cable guide section along the Y direction to form a cable guide groove that runs through the X direction. The second cable guide section is driven to open and close relative to the first cable guide section by the third displacement drive assembly arranged along the Y direction.
[0009] Furthermore, the cable gripping assembly includes a gripper, a first displacement driving component arranged along the Z direction, and a second displacement driving component arranged along the Y direction. The gripper is connected to the output ends of the first displacement driving component and the second displacement driving component. Under the driving action of the first displacement driving component and the second displacement driving component, the gripper moves along the Y and Z directions.
[0010] Furthermore, during the cable laying stage, the grippers of the two sets of cable gripping assemblies located at the rear end of the fuselage frame have a height difference along the Z-axis, wherein the gripper adjacent to the cable guide assembly is located above the gripper away from the cable guide assembly.
[0011] Furthermore, the gripper is connected to a gripping drive component, which allows the gripper to open and close under the action of the gripping drive component.
[0012] Furthermore, a detection component is also connected to the front end of the fuselage frame. The detection component includes a cable detector and a camera light group. The sensor of the cable detector is fixed in front of the cable gripping component at the front end of the fuselage frame along the X-axis of the robot.
[0013] Furthermore, the cable guide assembly also includes a fourth displacement driving component arranged along the Z direction. The output end of the fourth displacement driving component is connected to the top of the first cable guide portion. Under the driving action of the fourth displacement driving component, the first cable guide portion is displaced along the Z direction.
[0014] Furthermore, a towing roller is rotatably connected to the second cable guide section. The axis of the towing roller is arranged along the Y direction, and the towing roller is connected to the drive end of the motor through a bearing seat.
[0015] Furthermore, a displacement sensing unit is provided on the first displacement driving component and / or the second displacement driving component and / or the gripping driving component and / or the third displacement driving component and / or the fourth displacement driving component;
[0016] The displacement sensing unit includes a displacement sensor built into a hydraulically driven hydraulic cylinder, or a motor encoder in an electrically driven system.
[0017] Furthermore, a pressure monitoring unit is provided on the first displacement drive assembly and / or the second displacement drive assembly and / or the gripping drive component and / or the third displacement drive assembly and / or the fourth displacement drive assembly;
[0018] The pressure monitoring unit includes a pressure sensor installed on the hydraulic circuit of a hydraulically driven system, or a current sensor in an electrically driven system.
[0019] Furthermore, the chain cutter is connected to the middle part below the fuselage frame, and the cable guide assembly is arranged on the side of the chain cutter along the Y-axis direction.
[0020] The cable guiding system for a cable-laying robot provided in the embodiments of this application has at least the following beneficial effects:
[0021] The cable guiding system in this application uses a cable gripping assembly with a flexible gripping position adjustment, allowing the gripper to perform height fine-tuning in the Z direction and lateral position calibration in the Y direction. This flexibly adapts to the cable posture under different laying scenarios and grips the cable into the cable guiding assembly. The first cable guiding part and the openable and closable second cable guiding part of the cable guiding assembly form a cable guiding groove that runs through the X direction. This not only restrains the cable throughout the process to prevent lateral deviation, but also allows the opening and closing degree in the Y direction to be adjusted through the third displacement drive assembly, adapting to the tight wrapping requirements of cables of different diameters. It mainly protects against hard blocks punched out by the chain cutter, preventing them from cutting the cable. At extreme cable laying points, the two sets of grippers at the rear can use the height difference in the Z direction to allow the gripper located at the rear to move downwards and press the cable into the groove. This naturally conforms to the curvature of the cable during transportation, avoiding wear on the cable sheath or damage to the internal structure caused by hard contact. This design ensures that the cable maintains a stable posture throughout the entire process of grasping and guiding, significantly reducing laying errors caused by positional deviations, while also reducing cable loss. It significantly improves the accuracy and continuous operation efficiency of underwater cable laying, and has advantages such as high cable laying accuracy and efficiency, and strong adaptability. Attached Figure Description
[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a cable guiding system for a cable-laying robot according to this application;
[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the front-end structure of a cable guiding system for a cable-laying robot according to this application;
[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cable guide component structure in the cable guide system of a cable laying robot according to this application;
[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the rear structure of a cable guiding system for a cable-laying robot according to this application;
[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a cable guiding system for a cable-laying robot according to this application in a practical application scenario.
[0027] Numbers in the diagram
[0028] 1-Cable gripping assembly; 11-Gripper; 12-First displacement drive assembly; 13-Second displacement drive assembly; 14-Grip drive unit; 2-Cable guide assembly; 21-First cable guide unit; 22-Second cable guide unit; 23-Third displacement drive assembly; 24-Fourth displacement drive assembly; 25-Drag cable roller; 3-Detection assembly; 4-Cable; 5-Chain knife. Detailed Implementation
[0029] The present application will now be further described based on preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0030] In addition, various components on the drawings have been enlarged or reduced for ease of understanding, but this is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.
[0031] Singular forms of words also include plural meanings, and vice versa.
[0032] In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should be noted that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "inner," or "outer" are used to indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product of this application is in use, they are only for the convenience of describing this application 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this application. In addition, in the description of this application, in order to distinguish different units, the terms "first," "second," etc. are used in this specification, but these are not limited by the manufacturing order, nor should they be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Their names may differ in the detailed description and claims of this application.
[0033] The vocabulary used in this specification is for illustrative purposes and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. It should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection, a direct connection, or an indirect connection via an intermediate medium; or they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application.
[0034] For ease of description, the directions are defined as follows (refer to Figure 2): the X-axis is the direction of travel of the underwater robot, the Y-axis is the direction perpendicular to the X-axis in the horizontal plane, and the Z-axis is the vertical direction (i.e., the up and down direction).
[0035] like Figures 1 to 4As shown, a cable-laying robot cable guide system includes cable gripping assemblies 1 connected to both ends of the robot frame S and cable guide assemblies 2 disposed between the two cable gripping assemblies 1. The number of cable gripping assemblies 1 located at the rear end of the robot frame S is at least two sets. The multiple sets of cable gripping assemblies 1 are arranged along the X-direction of the cable-laying robot and correspond to the cable guide groove of the cable guide assembly 2. The cable guide assembly 2 includes a first cable guide section 21, a second cable guide section 22, and a third displacement drive assembly 23. The second cable guide section 22 is hinged to the top side of the first cable guide section 21 along the Y-direction and is driven to open and close by the third displacement drive assembly 23 along the Y-direction. The first cable guide section 21 and the second cable guide section 22 extend along the X-direction to form a cable guide groove that runs through the X-direction. The cable gripping assembly 1 is used to grip the cable into the cable guide groove or lay the cable into the trench.
[0036] In some preferred embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the cable gripping assembly 1 includes a gripper 11, a first displacement driving assembly 12 arranged along the Z direction, and a second displacement driving assembly 13 arranged along the Y direction. The gripper 11 is connected to the output end of the first displacement driving assembly 12 and the second displacement driving assembly 13. Under the driving action of the first displacement driving assembly 12 and the second displacement driving assembly 13, the gripper 11 moves along the Y and Z directions to adjust the position of gripping the cable according to the location of the cable, and to lift it into the cable guide assembly 2 or lower it into the dug trench.
[0037] In some preferred embodiments, the first displacement drive component 12 and the second displacement drive component 13 can use a variety of linear drive methods to achieve the displacement function. Preferably, a hydraulic cylinder is used to provide a stable driving force through a hydraulic system. In addition, the drive components can also be any one of chain drive mechanism, screw and nut mechanism, gear and rack mechanism or electric push rod. The specific structure is not further limited here.
[0038] In some preferred embodiments, the gripper 11 is connected to a gripping drive component 14. Under the action of the gripping drive component 14, the gripper 11 can open and close. When it is necessary to grip the cable, the gripper 11 closes to firmly hold the cable and prevent it from falling off under the impact of deep sea currents. When it is necessary to release the cable, the gripper 11 opens so that the cable can smoothly enter the preset position.
[0039] In some preferred embodiments, such as Figure 2As shown, the front end of the body frame S is also connected to a detection component 3. The detection component 3 includes a cable detector and a camera light group. The sensor of the cable detector is fixed in front of the cable gripping component 1 at the front end of the body frame S along the X direction (travel direction) of the robot. Its detection axis is perpendicular to the potential path of the cable, ensuring efficient capture of the electromagnetic field signal of the cable in front, and providing positioning basis for the gripping action of the cable gripping component 1. The camera light group 32 is installed at an angle below the cable detector 31 to observe the cable guide status in real time and to accurately output the three-dimensional coordinates of the gripping position.
[0040] In some preferred embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, during the cable laying stage, the grippers 11 of the two sets of cable gripping assemblies 1 located at the rear end of the fuselage frame S have a height difference along the Z-axis. The gripper 11 adjacent to the cable guide assembly 2 is located above the gripper 11 away from the cable guide assembly 2. The gripper 11 away from the cable guide assembly 2 is used to accurately place the cable into the dug trench, while the gripper 11 adjacent to the cable guide assembly 2 is used to assist the cable guide assembly 2 in guiding the cable.
[0041] It should be further explained that the reason why this application uses at least two sets of cable gripping components 1 located at the rear end of the fuselage frame S, and sets the cable gripping components 1 to have displacement strokes in the Y and Z directions, is twofold. Firstly, it is to meet the requirement of accurately gripping the cable and placing it in the cable trench. Secondly, the two cable gripping components 1 located at the rear end have different functions during the cable laying stage. The gripper 11 far from the cable guide component 2 focuses on accurately placing the cable into the dug trench. With its flexible displacement capability, it can accurately align with the trench position and ensure the accuracy of cable placement. The gripper 11 adjacent to the cable guide component 2 is used to assist the cable guide component 2 in guiding the cable. By stably gripping and guiding the cable, it reduces the shaking of the cable during transmission and provides a stable pre-positioning guarantee for the cable guiding operation of the cable guide component 2.
[0042] In some preferred embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the cable guide assembly 2 also includes a fourth displacement drive assembly 24 arranged along the Z direction. The output end of the fourth displacement drive assembly 24 is connected to the top of the first cable guide part 21. Under the action of the fourth displacement drive assembly 24, the cable guide groove is driven to move up and down in the vertical direction.
[0043] In some preferred embodiments, a cable-dragging roller 25 is rotatably connected to the second cable guide section 22. The axis of the cable-dragging roller 25 is arranged along the Y direction. Preferably, the cable-dragging roller 25 is connected to the drive end of the motor through a bearing seat. Under the driving action of the motor, the cable-dragging roller 25 provides continuous dragging force through active rotation. In conjunction with the gripping action of the cable gripping assembly 1, it can effectively overcome the frictional force when the cable shuttles in the cable guide groove, ensuring that the cable laying process is smooth and without jamming.
[0044] In some preferred embodiments, the power source of the first displacement drive component 12, the second displacement drive component 13, the gripping drive component 14, the third displacement drive component 23, and the fourth displacement drive component can be flexibly adapted. They can be hydraulically driven (such as hydraulic cylinders), or electric driven (such as servo cylinders, linear motors) or other suitable power sources can be selected according to the overall power system of the cable laying robot to ensure that the motion accuracy and load capacity of each actuator meet the operational requirements.
[0045] If hydraulic drive is used, all or some of the hydraulic cylinders are equipped with magnetostrictive displacement sensors with a measurement accuracy of ±0.05mm. These sensors can collect real-time data on the opening and closing angles or linear displacements of moving parts (such as the opening and closing claws of the mechanical gripper and the flipping structure of the second cable guide 22) and transmit the signals to the main control system to achieve closed-loop control of the motion state. Simultaneously, high-precision pressure sensors (measurement range 0-30MPa, accuracy 0.5% FS) are connected in series in the hydraulic circuit. These sensors can monitor in real-time the clamping pressure of the mechanical gripper when grasping the cable, the engagement pressure when the cable guide groove closes, and the load reaction force of each drive component during operation. When the pressure value exceeds a preset safety threshold (e.g., the upper limit of the gripping pressure is set to 80% of the cable's radial compressive strength), the system automatically triggers deceleration or shutdown protection to prevent cable damage or mechanical overload.
[0046] If electric drive is used, all or part of the corresponding drive components will achieve displacement feedback through motor encoder and indirectly monitor load pressure through current sensor. Its control logic and safety protection mechanism are consistent with the hydraulic drive mode, ensuring that accurate monitoring of the motion status and working force of moving parts can be achieved under different power forms.
[0047] In some preferred embodiments, a chain cutter 5 is also connected to the fuselage frame S. The chain cutter 5 is connected to the middle part below the fuselage frame S, and the cable guide assembly 2 is arranged on the side of the chain cutter 5 along the Y-axis direction. The chain cutter 5 is used to dig trenches. The cable is located in the cable guide assembly 2 and is protected by the cable guide groove of the cable guide assembly 2. It will not be damaged by the hard blocks punched out when the chain cutter 5 digs the trench, thus avoiding cutting the cable.
[0048] For ease of understanding, the following is combined with Figure 5The cable-laying process described in this application is explained in detail.
[0049] Under the real-time detection and positioning guidance of the detection component 3, the cable gripping assembly 1 accurately acquires the spatial position information of the cable 4. Then, by precisely adjusting the Z-axis displacement of the first displacement drive component 12 and the Y-axis displacement of the second displacement drive component 13, the gripper 11 is smoothly moved to directly above the cable 4. After the gripper 11 accurately grips the cable, the first displacement drive component 12 drives the gripper 11 to lift the cable upwards, detaching it from its original placement surface and keeping it suspended. At this time, the second cable guide portion 22 of the cable guide assembly 2 opens along the Y-axis under the action of the third displacement drive component 23, reserving sufficient space for the cable to enter the cable guide groove.
[0050] The cable gripping assemblies 1 located at the front and rear ends of the fuselage frame S work together to smoothly place the cable 4 into the cable guide groove of the cable guide assembly 2 by synchronously adjusting the Z-axis height and Y-axis position of their respective grippers 11. Then the second cable guide part 22 closes, forming a full-coverage protection for the cable, effectively isolating the debris and mud splashed during the operation of the chain cutter 5, and preventing the cable from being accidentally scratched or cut by the chain cutter 5.
[0051] When the underwater robot completes its positioning and lowers the chain cutter 5 to begin trenching, the two sets of cable gripping assemblies 1 located at the rear of the robot frame S adjust their positions in real time according to the trench depth and direction: the gripper 11 adjacent to the cable guide assembly 2 remains in the upper position to provide stable support for the cable and maintain the conveying angle; the gripper 11 far from the cable guide assembly 2 moves downward under the drive of the first displacement drive assembly 12 to accurately press the cable into the trench, ensuring that the cable fits the bottom of the trench and is laid. The whole process is smooth and efficient, ensuring cable laying quality and operational safety.
[0052] The specific embodiments of this application have been described in detail above. For those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made to this application without departing from the principle of this application, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the claims of this application.
Claims
1. A cable-laying robot guide system, characterized by, include: The cable gripping assembly (1) is connected to both ends of the fuselage frame (S) and the cable guide assembly (2) is disposed between the two cable gripping assemblies (1). The number of cable gripping assemblies (1) located at the rear end of the fuselage frame (S) is at least two. The at least two sets of cable gripping assemblies (1) are arranged along the X-direction of the cable laying robot and correspond to the cable guide groove of the cable guide assembly (2). The cable guide assembly (2) includes a first cable guide section (21), a second cable guide section (22), and a third displacement drive assembly (23). The first cable guide section (21) and the second cable guide section (22) extend along the X direction. The second cable guide section (22) is hinged to the top side of the first cable guide section (21) along the Y direction to form a cable guide groove that runs through the X direction. The second cable guide section (22) is driven to open and close relative to the first cable guide section (21) by the third displacement drive assembly (23) arranged along the Y direction.
2. The cable guiding system for a cable-laying robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cable gripping assembly (1) includes a gripper (11), a first displacement driving assembly (12) arranged along the Z direction, and a second displacement driving assembly (13) arranged along the Y direction. The gripper (11) is connected to the output end of the first displacement driving assembly (12) and the second displacement driving assembly (13). Under the driving action of the first displacement driving assembly (12) and the second displacement driving assembly (13), the gripper (11) moves along the Y and Z directions.
3. The cable guiding system for a cable-laying robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: During the cable laying phase, the grippers (11) of the two sets of cable gripping assemblies (1) located at the rear end of the fuselage frame (S) have a height difference along the Z-axis direction, wherein the gripper (11) adjacent to the cable guide assembly (2) is located above the gripper (11) away from the cable guide assembly (2).
4. The cable guiding system for a cable-laying robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The gripper (11) is connected to a gripping drive component (14), and the gripper (11) can open and close under the action of the gripping drive component (14).
5. The cable guiding system for a cable-laying robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front end of the body frame (S) is also connected to a detection component (3), which includes a cable detector (31) and a camera light group (32). The sensor of the cable detector (31) is fixed in front of the cable gripping component (1) at the front end of the body frame (S) along the X direction of the robot.
6. The cable guiding system for a cable-laying robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cable guide assembly (2) further includes a fourth displacement drive assembly (24) arranged along the Z direction. The output end of the fourth displacement drive assembly (24) is connected to the top of the first cable guide part (21). Under the driving action of the fourth displacement drive assembly (24), the first cable guide part (21) is displaced along the Z direction.
7. The cable guiding system for a cable-laying robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second cable guide (22) is rotatably connected to a cable drag roller (25), the axis of which is arranged along the Y direction, and the cable drag roller (25) is connected to the drive end of the motor through a bearing seat.
8. The cable guiding system for a cable-laying robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: A displacement sensing unit is provided on the first displacement drive assembly (12) and / or the second displacement drive assembly (13) and / or the gripping drive component (14) and / or the third displacement drive assembly (23) and / or the fourth displacement drive assembly (24); The displacement sensing unit includes a displacement sensor built into a hydraulically driven hydraulic cylinder, or a motor encoder in an electrically driven system.
9. The cable guiding system for a cable-laying robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: A pressure monitoring unit is provided on the first displacement drive assembly (12) and / or the second displacement drive assembly (13) and / or the gripping drive component (14) and / or the third displacement drive assembly (23) and / or the fourth displacement drive assembly (24); The pressure monitoring unit includes a pressure sensor installed on the hydraulic circuit of a hydraulically driven system, or a current sensor in an electrically driven system.
10. The cable guiding system for a cable-laying robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The chain cutter (5) is connected to the middle part below the fuselage frame (S), and the cable guide assembly (2) is arranged on the side of the chain cutter (5) along the Y-axis direction.