A sea cucumber catching robot

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of underwater fishing equipment, and particularly relates to a sea cucumber fishing robot. The sea cucumber fishing robot comprises: a traveling mechanism for driving the robot to travel in a water bottom environment; a fishing mechanism for accurately grabbing or adsorbing a target sea cucumber; a collecting mechanism for temporarily storing and transporting the sea cucumber fished by the fishing mechanism; a driving mechanism for providing driving force for the actions of the traveling mechanism, the fishing mechanism and the collecting mechanism; and a mounting mechanism for connecting the traveling mechanism, the fishing mechanism, the collecting mechanism and the driving mechanism as a whole. In the application, the traveling mechanism is adapted to different water bottom terrains to ensure stable traveling, the fishing mechanism improves the single success rate and speed through grabbing or adsorbing, the collecting mechanism ensures operation continuity, the driving mechanism coordinates the operation of each mechanism, and the mounting mechanism ensures the stable cooperation of each mechanism in a complex environment. The cooperative work of each mechanism ensures the adaptability and fishing efficiency of the robot.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of underwater fishing equipment technology, specifically relating to a sea cucumber fishing robot. Background Technology

[0002] In the aquaculture and marine fisheries sector, sea cucumbers, as a high-value seafood product, have always been a focus of industry attention regarding the efficiency and safety of their harvesting operations. Currently, sea cucumber harvesting is still mainly carried out using traditional manual methods, with a low adoption rate of mechanized harvesting technology.

[0003] Specifically, in the manual harvesting process, workers must wear full diving gear to dive to the seabed, visually search for sea cucumbers, and then collect them one by one, placing them into net bags. This method is not only cumbersome and extremely labor-intensive, but also limited by the efficiency of manual operation, making it difficult to meet the needs of large-scale production in a single day. More importantly, the complex and variable seabed environment, with its low temperatures, high pressures, and undercurrents, significantly increases the physical exertion of divers and may also trigger occupational health risks such as decompression sickness, posing a potential threat to the lives of the workers.

[0004] In summary, existing sea cucumber harvesting technologies, particularly manual methods, suffer from low efficiency, high safety risks, and poor adaptability, failing to meet the modern sea cucumber industry's technical demands for efficient, safe, and intelligent harvesting. Therefore, developing a new type of sea cucumber harvesting robot that can overcome these shortcomings is of significant practical importance. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a highly adaptable and efficient sea cucumber harvesting robot.

[0006] The embodiments of this application can be implemented through the following technical solutions:

[0007] A sea cucumber harvesting robot, comprising:

[0008] The propulsion mechanism is used to propel the robot forward in the underwater environment.

[0009] Fishing equipment used to precisely grab or absorb target sea cucumbers;

[0010] A collection facility for the temporary storage and transfer of sea cucumbers caught by the fishing facility;

[0011] A drive mechanism is used to provide driving force for the movement of the traveling mechanism, the fishing mechanism, and the collecting mechanism;

[0012] An installation mechanism is used to connect the traveling mechanism, the fishing mechanism, the collecting mechanism, and the driving mechanism into a whole;

[0013] The traveling mechanism includes a tracked walking unit, a propeller unit, and a towing unit. The tracked walking unit is connected to the bottom end of the mounting mechanism. The propeller unit is connected to the side of the mounting mechanism and is provided with a horizontal propeller unit and a vertical propeller unit. The towing unit is connected to the side of the mounting mechanism and the bottom edge of the traveling mechanism.

[0014] Furthermore, the collection mechanism includes a container and a storage cage. The container is connected to the output end of the fishing mechanism, and the storage cage is detachably connected inside the container. The container and the storage cage together form a space for storing and transporting the harvested sea cucumbers.

[0015] Furthermore, the container includes a body and a lid, which are movably connected to form a closable, airtight space.

[0016] The storage cage is movably connected to the box body and can move in directions toward and away from the cover body.

[0017] Furthermore, the storage cage is a box structure with an open top, which includes a back panel, a front panel, two second side panels and a bottom panel connected between the back panel and the front panel, and the back panel is detachably connected to the box body.

[0018] The second side plate and the bottom plate have multiple strip-shaped holes arranged side by side.

[0019] Preferably, a tapered guide pin is installed inside the housing, and a through hole corresponding to the position of the tapered guide pin is provided on the back plate;

[0020] The number of tapered guide pins is three, and they correspond to the top edge and two side edges of the back plate, respectively.

[0021] Furthermore, the harvesting mechanism includes a single sea cucumber gripping unit and a suction unit. The suction unit extracts the sea cucumbers by means of negative pressure suction. The sea cucumbers gripped by the single sea cucumber gripping unit are sucked up by the suction unit. The output end of the suction unit is connected to the collection mechanism.

[0022] Furthermore, the single sea cucumber gripping unit includes a robotic arm mounting plate, a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, a waterproof module, and a force-controlled gripper. The single sea cucumber gripping unit is connected to the mounting mechanism through the robotic arm mounting plate. One end of the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm is connected to the robotic arm mounting plate, and the other end is connected to the force-controlled gripper. A pressure sensor is installed on the force-controlled gripper.

[0023] The waterproof module encloses or seals each joint of the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm and the main structure of the robotic arm.

[0024] Furthermore, the suction unit includes a water pump and a suction nozzle, a suction nozzle adjusting arm, and a delivery pipeline connected in sequence. The water inlet pipeline of the water pump and the output end of the delivery pipeline are connected to the collection mechanism. The suction nozzle adjusting arm can adjust the angle of the suction nozzle. The suction nozzle is pagoda-shaped with a diameter decreasing from large to small.

[0025] Furthermore, the dragging unit includes a dragging roller and a dragging rod, the dragging roller being connected to the side of the mounting mechanism and the dragging rod being connected to the bottom of the traveling mechanism.

[0026] The sea cucumber harvesting robot provided in the embodiments of this application has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0027] The traveling mechanism in this application, with its excellent adaptability to different underwater terrains, ensures stable movement, allowing the robot to reach various sea cucumber habitats. The harvesting mechanism significantly improves the success rate and speed of a single harvest by grasping or adsorbing. The collection mechanism continuously receives the sea cucumbers captured by the harvesting mechanism, ensuring the continuity of the harvesting operation. The drive mechanism ensures the coordinated operation of all mechanisms, and the installation mechanism, through a robust connection method, enables all mechanisms to maintain stable cooperation even in complex underwater environments such as high pressure and strong currents. The various mechanisms in this application work together to ensure the adaptability and harvesting efficiency of the sea cucumber harvesting robot.

[0028] The harvesting mechanism described in this application focuses on precisely gripping individual sea cucumbers using a single sea cucumber gripping unit. Compared to claw-gripping methods, this minimizes physical damage to the sea cucumbers and avoids damage caused by mutual compression when multiple sea cucumbers are gripped. Its flexible operation also allows it to efficiently grab sea cucumbers from hidden locations (such as crevices in reefs) that are difficult for suction units to reach, expanding the harvesting range. The suction unit operates on the principle of negative pressure suction, directly sucking up sea cucumbers near the robot and also receiving sea cucumbers released by the single gripping unit. Finally, the captured sea cucumbers are transported to the collection mechanism through the output end. This combination of gripping and suction ensures both the accuracy and safety of harvesting while improving operational efficiency, better adapting to the needs of sea cucumber harvesting in different environments.

[0029] This application utilizes a single sea cucumber gripping unit to precisely, flexibly, and controllably grip sea cucumbers. Combined with the mobility of a tracked walking unit in complex underwater environments and a high-precision visual recognition unit, it achieves accurate identification of the target sea cucumber's location while precisely grasping it, thereby reducing damage to the sea cucumber and improving harvesting efficiency.

[0030] In this application, the robot can be easily pulled by a drag bar when its side is facing down by the drag unit. This not only facilitates the transportation of the robot, but also avoids damage to the waterproof servo motor of the track walking unit caused by the back electromotive force generated by the passive rotation during the pushing process. At the same time, the drag rollers on the side can effectively protect the side when the robot is working underwater, reducing the damage caused by collisions with obstacles such as reefs and falling rocks, and further improving the safety and durability of the robot.

[0031] The suction nozzle in this application is pagoda-shaped with a diameter that gradually decreases. Its gradually narrowing opening guides the target sea cucumber to smoothly enter the suction channel in any posture, effectively avoiding the situation where it gets stuck at the opening due to irregular posture, and ensuring a continuous and efficient suction process.

[0032] The storage cage in this application is detachably connected to the container. The container and the storage cage surround each other to form a space for storing and transporting the harvested sea cucumbers, preventing the sea cucumbers from falling or being damaged during the robot's operation. After the robot completes the harvesting task, the storage cage can be disassembled to facilitate the convenient transfer of the sea cucumbers. This simplifies the process of transferring sea cucumbers from the collection facility to the external storage device, reduces secondary damage to the sea cucumbers during the transfer, and improves the overall efficiency of the operation and the protection of the sea cucumbers.

[0033] This application, by rationally arranging the various mechanisms, effectively improves the robot's space utilization, reduces its size and weight, and increases its fishing capacity while ensuring the robot's mobility, structural strength, and assembly precision. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 The overall structure of the sea cucumber harvesting robot in this application Figure 1 ;

[0035] Figure 2 The overall structure of the sea cucumber harvesting robot in this application Figure 2 ;

[0036] Figure 3 The overall structure of the sea cucumber harvesting robot in this application Figure 3 ;

[0037] Figure 4 The integral structure connecting part of the installation mechanism and part of the traveling mechanism in this application. Figure 1 ;

[0038] Figure 5 The integral structure connecting part of the installation mechanism and part of the traveling mechanism in this application. Figure 2 ;

[0039] Figure 6The overall structure connecting the collection mechanism and the suction unit in this application. Figure 1 ;

[0040] Figure 7 The overall structure connecting the collection mechanism and the suction unit in this application. Figure 2 ;

[0041] Figure 8 An exploded view of the collection facility in this application;

[0042] Figure 9 This is an overall structural diagram of a single sea cucumber grasping unit in this application.

[0043] Reference numerals: 1. Traveling mechanism; 11. Tracked traveling unit; 12. Thruster unit; 121. Horizontal thruster unit; 122. Vertical thruster unit; 13. Driving unit.

[0044] 2. Fishing mechanism, 21. Single sea cucumber gripping unit, 211. Robotic arm mounting plate, 212. Six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, 214. Force-controlled gripper, 215. Sheet metal backrest, 22. Suction unit, 221. Water pump, 222. Suction nozzle, 223. Suction nozzle adjusting arm, 224. Delivery pipeline, 231. First waterproof binocular camera, 232. Second waterproof binocular camera;

[0045] 3. Collection mechanism; 31. Container; 311. Container body; 312. Lid; 32. Storage cage; 321. Back panel; 322. Front panel; 323. Second side panel; 324. Bottom panel; 326. Tapered guide pin; 327. Handle.

[0046] 5. Installation mechanism, 51. Aluminum profile carrier unit, 52. Plastic board open frame unit, 521. Upper partition, 522. Lower partition, 523. First side plate, 524. Buoyancy structure, 5251. First sealed chamber, 5252. Second sealed chamber, 5253. Third sealed chamber, 53. Lifting eye bolt. Detailed Implementation

[0047] The present application will now be further described based on preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0048] The vocabulary used in this specification is for illustrative purposes and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. 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.

[0049] Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments of this application, 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.

[0050] Figures 1-3 These are overall structural diagrams of the sea cucumber harvesting robot (hereinafter referred to as "the robot") from different angles in this application. Figures 1-3 As shown, the robot includes a traveling mechanism 1, a fishing mechanism 2, a collecting mechanism 3, a driving mechanism, and an installation mechanism 5. The traveling mechanism 1 is used to propel the robot forward in the underwater environment. The fishing mechanism 2 is used to accurately grab or adsorb the target sea cucumber. The collecting mechanism 3 is used to temporarily store and transfer the sea cucumber caught by the fishing mechanism 2. The driving mechanism is used to provide driving force for the movement of the traveling mechanism 1, the fishing mechanism 2, and the collecting mechanism 3. The installation mechanism 5 is used to connect the traveling mechanism 1, the fishing mechanism 2, the collecting mechanism 3, and the driving mechanism into a whole. Among them, the traveling mechanism 1, with its excellent adaptability to different underwater terrains, ensures stable movement, enabling the robot to reach various sea cucumber growth environments, greatly enhancing its adaptability to complex underwater environments and laying the foundation for subsequent efficient harvesting; the harvesting mechanism 2 can quickly complete the harvesting action, significantly improving the success rate and speed of a single harvest through grabbing or adsorption, thereby improving the overall harvesting efficiency; the collection mechanism 3 avoids processing delays caused by sea cucumber accumulation, and can continuously receive sea cucumbers captured by the harvesting mechanism 2, ensuring the continuity of the harvesting operation, allowing the robot to complete more harvesting cycles per unit time; the drive mechanism, through stable power output, ensures the coordinated operation of each mechanism, avoiding interruptions in operation due to insufficient or unstable power, indirectly improving harvesting efficiency; the installation mechanism 5, through a stable connection method, enables each mechanism to maintain stable cooperation in complex environments such as underwater high pressure and undercurrents, reducing interference caused by structural loosening or displacement, ensuring that each mechanism is always in the best working condition, thereby improving the robot's adaptability to harsh environments and further optimizing harvesting efficiency.

[0051] The specific structure of the installation mechanism 5 will be described in detail below.

[0052] like Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the mounting mechanism 5 includes an aluminum profile carrier unit 51 and a plastic sheet frame unit 52. The aluminum profile carrier unit 51 serves as the main load-bearing structure, using 2020 aluminum profiles to build a frame structure. Leveraging the high strength and lightweight characteristics of aluminum profiles, it can not only stably support heavy components such as the traveling mechanism 1 and the catching mechanism 2, but also provides flexible space for layout adjustments of different mechanisms through modular splicing, ensuring that heavy components will not shift due to vibration or impact during operation. The plastic sheet frame unit 52 is used to support the robot's electrical equipment (such as controllers and sensors) and some auxiliary components of the traveling mechanism 1. It uses HDPE plastic sheets as its basic building blocks, utilizing the strong corrosion resistance and good insulation properties of HDPE material. This provides good protection for the electrical equipment, preventing interference from the underwater environment, and reduces overall weight through its hollow design. It complements the aluminum profile carrier unit 51, jointly ensuring the coordinated operation of the robot's various systems.

[0053] In some specific embodiments of this application, such as Figure 5 As shown, the plastic sheet open frame unit 52 includes an upper partition 521, a lower partition 522, and a first side plate 523 connecting the opposite sides of both. The components are joined using a mortise and tenon joint structure. This traditional and reliable connection method not only ensures a tight fit between each partition and the first side plate 523, improving the overall structural stability, but also avoids the corrosion risks and weight increases that might result from using additional connectors. This allows the plastic sheet open frame unit 52 to maintain a lightweight structure while possessing sufficient load-bearing capacity. Furthermore, by mounting the plastic sheet open frame unit 52 on the aluminum profile carrier unit 51, the relative positions of the upper partition 521, lower partition 522, and first side plate 523 are further fixed, ensuring that the components do not shift due to vibration or external forces during robot movement or operation, providing a stable installation environment for the electrical equipment and part of the traveling mechanism 1 mounted on it.

[0054] In some preferred embodiments of this application, such as Figure 4 As shown, the top of the aluminum profile carrier unit 51 is also equipped with a lifting eye bolt 53, which facilitates the deployment and retrieval of the robot.

[0055] In some preferred embodiments of this application, such as Figure 5 As shown, two searchlights with an illumination angle of 120° are respectively installed on the two first side plates 523. They adopt a horizontal forward illumination mode, which can form a large-scale superimposed illumination area, providing sufficient and uniform light for the underwater working environment in front of the robot. This effectively improves the clarity of the visual recognition unit in recognizing sea cucumbers and surrounding obstacles, and ensures the smooth progress of fishing operations under complex lighting conditions.

[0056] In some specific embodiments of this application, to ensure the waterproof performance of the robot's electrical equipment in an underwater environment, the plastic sheet open frame unit 52 is also equipped with a sealed chamber. This sealed chamber can provide a sealed protective space for the electrical equipment, effectively preventing water intrusion and ensuring the stable operation of the equipment.

[0057] In some preferred embodiments of this application, such as Figure 5 As shown, the sealed compartment includes a first sealed compartment 5251, a second sealed compartment 5252, and a third sealed compartment 5253 arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The first sealed compartment 5251 is installed on the upper partition 521 via a clamp, the second sealed compartment 5252 is installed on the lower partition 522 via a bottom threaded hole, and the third sealed compartment 5253 is installed on the lower partition 522 via a top flange threaded hole. Through the separation effect of the upper partition 521 and the lower partition 522, the three sealed compartments form independent upper, middle, and lower three-layer areas. This layered layout not only effectively reduces the installation density of electrical equipment in a single sealed compartment, avoiding problems such as poor heat dissipation or mutual interference caused by excessive concentration of equipment, but also allows for the classification and placement of electrical equipment according to its type and function. When equipment malfunctions, it is easy to quickly locate the sealed compartment where the problem occurs, greatly improving the efficiency of fault diagnosis. At the same time, the layered arrangement also facilitates the orderly distribution of wiring harnesses, reduces entanglement and crossing between different lines, and ensures the stable operation of the electrical system.

[0058] In some preferred embodiments of this application, the waterproof cable of the robot peripheral is connected to the sealed chamber 525 via an aviation plug. This pluggable connection method allows for the elimination of the connection socket when the electronic equipment inside the chamber is individually debugged and repaired. This ensures that the waterproof performance of the sealed chamber is not affected, simplifies the operation process, and improves the convenience of equipment maintenance.

[0059] The specific structure of the traveling mechanism 1 will be described in detail below.

[0060] like Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the traveling mechanism 1 includes a tracked walking unit 11, a thruster unit 12, and a dragging unit 13. The tracked walking unit 11, as the core moving component, provides the robot with stable movement capabilities on hard underwater surfaces, soft mud and sand, or terrestrial environments. Its track structure effectively distributes the robot's weight, preventing sinking in muddy or sinkable areas and ensuring the robot maintains stability in complex terrain. The thruster unit 12 optimizes the robot's underwater mobility by precisely controlling its hovering height, horizontal displacement, and turning movements through adjustments to the magnitude and direction of the thrust. This design allows the robot to float stably in water to adapt to different water depths and quickly adjust its position to approach scattered sea cucumbers, significantly enhancing its performance in underwater environments. The towing unit 13, as an auxiliary movement structure, facilitates the robot's transportation and emergency relocation. When the robot needs to be moved to different work areas or for equipment maintenance, the operator can easily pull the robot using the towing unit, reducing the labor intensity of manual handling. Furthermore, in the event of a sudden malfunction that restricts autonomous movement, the robot can be quickly evacuated by towing, ensuring equipment safety. The organic combination of these three components enables the traveling mechanism 1 to flexibly cope with various environments, including underwater and on land, providing reliable mobility support for the robot's efficient operation.

[0061] Specifically, such as Figure 4 As shown, the tracked walking unit 11 is connected to the bottom of the mounting mechanism 5, including the tracked module and the tracked chassis. The tracked chassis is welded from 304 square steel pipe. With the excellent corrosion resistance and structural strength of 304 stainless steel, it can not only effectively bear the weight of the entire robot and ensure structural stability in complex environments, but also serve as the core load-bearing component mounted on the mounting mechanism 5, providing a solid foundation platform for the assembly of other mechanisms and ensuring that each component will not be displaced due to bumps or forces during operation. The tracked module has diverse movement capabilities, enabling it to move straight, turn left and right, and turn in place, flexibly adapting to the walking needs of different underwater terrains. For example, when it is necessary to adjust the working direction, it can quickly change the angle of travel by turning in place. In narrow areas, it can accurately avoid obstacles by turning left and right, significantly improving the robot's mobility in complex underwater environments.

[0062] In some specific embodiments of this application, the tracked walking unit 11 is driven by a waterproof servo motor in the drive mechanism. The waterproof characteristics of the motor ensure its stable operation in the underwater environment. At the same time, through precise speed and torque control, it provides reliable power support for the straight-line movement, turning and other actions of the tracked module, ensuring that the tracked walking unit 11 moves flexibly and efficiently in complex underwater environments.

[0063] Specifically, such as Figure 5As shown, the thruster unit 12 is connected to the side of the mounting mechanism 5 and is equipped with a horizontal thruster unit 121 and a vertical thruster unit 122. The horizontal thruster unit 121 is used to drive the robot to move forward and backward and left and right in the horizontal direction to ensure that the robot can accurately reach the area where the target sea cucumber is located. The vertical thruster unit 122 is used to control the robot to rise and fall in the vertical direction and can adjust its own height according to changes in water depth and operational requirements.

[0064] In some preferred embodiments of this application, the horizontal thruster unit 121 includes eight horizontal thrusters, divided into four groups. Two thrusters in each group are fixedly connected in pairs and installed at the bottom four corners of the lower partition 522. This distribution not only provides the robot with balanced horizontal thrust, ensuring stable forward, backward, left, and right displacement underwater, but more importantly, the geometric centers of the four groups of horizontal thrusters coincide with the robot's center of gravity. This arrangement effectively counteracts the additional torque generated by the horizontal thrusters during operation, significantly reducing the nose-up phenomenon caused by thrust imbalance during robot movement, ensuring the robot remains in a stable posture, and preventing posture deviation from affecting the precise operation of the fishing mechanism, thereby further improving the reliability and efficiency of the robot during underwater operations.

[0065] In some preferred embodiments of this application, the vertical thruster unit 122 includes eight vertical thrusters, divided into four groups. Two thrusters in each group are fixedly connected in pairs and installed at the top four corners of the first side plate 523. This installation method provides the robot with symmetrical and balanced vertical thrust, ensuring stable ascent and descent underwater. More importantly, the geometric center of the vertical thruster is located above the robot's center of gravity and coincides with its center of buoyancy. This arrangement allows the point of application of the vertical thrust force to form a reasonable force distribution with the center of buoyancy and center of gravity, effectively preventing instability such as tilting and swaying during vertical ascent. This significantly improves the stability of vertical movement, providing reliable attitude assurance for precise operations at different water depths and helping to further optimize the robot's overall operational performance.

[0066] In some preferred embodiments of this application, a buoyancy structure 524 is installed on the upper partition 521, which provides stable buoyancy support for the robot and is used to adjust the position of the robot's buoyancy center, ensuring that the buoyancy center is directly above the center of gravity. This arrangement allows the robot to experience more balanced forces in all directions when suspended underwater, effectively avoiding tilting or overturning caused by buoyancy imbalance, and significantly improving stability in the suspended state. At the same time, when the robot needs to adjust its suspension height or attitude, this reasonable buoyancy and center of gravity layout reduces the difficulty of adjusting the vertical thruster unit 122, enabling the robot to respond to commands more quickly and accurately, maintain an ideal operating posture, create favorable conditions for the precise operation of the fishing mechanism, and further ensure the efficient conduct of underwater operations.

[0067] Specifically, such as Figure 3 As shown, the dragging unit 13 is connected to the bottom and side of the mounting mechanism 5, including a dragging roller 131 and a dragging rod 132. The dragging roller 131 is connected to the side of the mounting mechanism 5, and the dragging rod 132 is connected to the bottom of the traveling mechanism 1. This configuration allows the robot to be easily pulled by the dragging rod 132 when the side is facing down. This not only facilitates the transportation of the robot but also avoids damage to the waterproof servo motor of the tracked walking unit 11 caused by the back electromotive force generated by the passive rotation during the pushing process. At the same time, the dragging roller 131 on the side can effectively protect the side when the robot is working underwater, reducing damage caused by collisions with obstacles such as reefs and falling rocks, further improving the robot's safety and durability.

[0068] In some specific embodiments of this application, the drag roller 131 is connected to the side of the aluminum profile carrier unit 51. With the stable structural support of the aluminum profile carrier unit 51, the drag resistance can be reduced by rolling during robot transportation, and the side of the robot can be protected during underwater operations, reducing the risk of damage from collisions with reefs and other objects.

[0069] In some preferred embodiments of this application, the drag bar 132 adopts a foldable lever design, which can be unfolded when the robot needs to be dragged, making it convenient for the operator to pull. When the robot is performing underwater operations or does not need to be dragged, it can be folded up, which will not take up extra space and will also avoid interfering with the robot's movement or fishing actions, thus improving the flexibility of use.

[0070] The specific structure of fishing mechanism 2 will be described in detail below.

[0071] Specifically, such as Figure 1As shown, the harvesting mechanism 2 includes a single sea cucumber gripping unit 21 and a suction unit 22. The suction unit 22 uses negative pressure suction to extract sea cucumbers. The sea cucumbers gripped by the single sea cucumber gripping unit 21 are then sucked up by the suction unit 22, and the output end of the suction unit 22 is connected to the collection mechanism 3. The single sea cucumber gripping unit 21 focuses on precisely gripping individual sea cucumbers, minimizing physical damage compared to a claw gripping method, and avoiding damage caused by mutual squeezing when multiple sea cucumbers are gripped. Its flexible operation also allows it to efficiently grab hidden locations (such as sea cucumbers in crevices of reefs) that are difficult for the suction unit 22 to reach, expanding the harvesting range. The suction unit 22 operates on the principle of negative pressure suction, directly sucking up sea cucumbers near the robot and receiving sea cucumbers released by the single sea cucumber gripping unit 21. Finally, the captured sea cucumbers are transported to the collection mechanism 3 through the output end. This combination of "clamping and suction" ensures both the accuracy and safety of the harvesting process, while also improving operational efficiency, making it better suited to the needs of sea cucumber harvesting in different environments.

[0072] Furthermore, such as Figure 9 As shown, the single sea cucumber gripping unit 21 includes a robotic arm mounting plate 211, a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 212, a waterproof module, and a force-controlled gripper 214. The single sea cucumber gripping unit 21 is connected to the mounting mechanism 5 through the robotic arm mounting plate 211. One end of the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 212 is connected to the robotic arm mounting plate 211, and the other end is connected to the force-controlled gripper 214. A pressure sensor is installed on the force-controlled gripper 214. The waterproof module wraps or seals the various robotic arm joints and the main structure of the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 212. The robotic arm mounting plate 211 serves as a connecting base, securely connecting the entire single sea cucumber gripping unit 21 to the mounting mechanism 5, providing reliable support for the gripping operation. The six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 212, with its flexible multi-degree-of-freedom motion characteristics, can drive the force-controlled gripper 214 to different positions and angles, meeting the gripping needs in complex environments. The pressure sensor installed on the force-controlled gripper 214 can sense the gripping force in real time, preventing damage to the sea cucumber due to excessive force and ensuring the safety of the gripping process. The waterproof module effectively prevents water intrusion by wrapping or sealing the joints and main structure of the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 212, ensuring stable operation of the robotic arm in the underwater environment and providing reliable assurance for the precise implementation of the gripping action.

[0073] In some specific embodiments of this application, such as Figure 9As shown, the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 212 is connected sequentially from the robotic arm mounting plate 211 to the force-controlled gripper 214, forming a structure of "robotic arm mounting plate 211 → J1 (base rotation joint) → upper arm → J2 (shoulder pitch joint) → forearm → J3 (elbow pitch joint) → wrist → J4 (wrist rotation joint) → J5 (wrist pitch joint) → J6 (wrist rotation joint) → force-controlled gripper 214". This sequentially connected structure ensures that the movement of each joint is based on the previous joint, forming a "cascaded" motion transmission, ultimately enabling the force-controlled gripper 214 to adjust its position and posture in three-dimensional space.

[0074] Furthermore, the waterproof module of J1 is connected to the robotic arm mounting plate 211 via an output flange, and its body is connected to the bottom connector of J1. The waterproof modules of J1 and J2 are connected via side connecting plates of J1 and J2. One side of the side connecting plate is fixed to the bottom cover and bottom connector of the J1 waterproof module via a side hole, and the other side is connected to the J2 waterproof module via a flange. The output flange of J2 is connected to the upper arm via the J2 connector, and the upper arm is connected to the J3 waterproof module via the upper arm connector. The forearm is connected to the output flange of the J3 waterproof module via the forearm connector and is connected to the wrist cross roller unit. The rotation of the wrist is driven by the waterproof module of J4. The output flange of the inner ring of the wrist cross roller is connected to the upright wrist fixing plate of J5. One side of this fixing plate is connected to the upright wrist connecting plate of J5 via a side hole, and the other side is also fixed to the bottom cover of the J5 waterproof module via a side hole. The upright wrist connecting plate of J5 is then connected to the outer flange of the J5 waterproof module. The bottom cover of the J5 waterproof module is equipped with a deep groove ball bearing. The inner ring of the bearing is fixedly connected to the J6 bearing connecting plate. The J5 output shaft is connected to the J6 motor connecting plate via an expansion sleeve. Both the J6 bearing connecting plate and the J6 motor connecting plate are fixed to the bottom cover of the J6 waterproof module through side holes. The force-controlled gripper 214 is installed on the output flange of the J6 waterproof module, forming a complete gripping execution structure. The force-controlled gripper 214 has a pressure feedback function, which can provide feedback to the control system on the gripping force on the sea cucumber, thereby realizing real-time feedback and adjustment of the gripping force to minimize damage to the sea cucumber.

[0075] In some preferred embodiments of this application, a sheet metal backrest 215 is installed on the upper arm of the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 212. When the robotic arm is powered off, the sheet metal backrest can be placed against the lower partition 522 and then fixed with bolts and nuts. This method can effectively restrict the movement of the robotic arm and prevent the robot from tipping forward during transportation due to the loss of power support of the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 212. This protects the joints and connecting parts of the robotic arm from collision damage and ensures its structural integrity and the reliability of subsequent operations.

[0076] In some preferred embodiments of this application, the fishing mechanism 2 also includes a visual recognition unit, which can capture underwater environment images in real time and accurately identify the location and status of sea cucumbers, providing target positioning information for the single sea cucumber gripping unit 21 and the suction unit 22, enabling them to quickly lock onto the target, further improving the accuracy and efficiency of fishing, while reducing misoperation of non-target organisms.

[0077] In some specific embodiments of this application, the visual recognition unit includes a first waterproof binocular camera 231, which is connected to the outer flange of the J6 waterproof module. Its waterproof design can adapt to the underwater environment and moves synchronously with the J6 waterproof module. It can accurately capture image information of the working area of ​​the force-controlled gripper 214, provide real-time visual guidance for the gripping action, and improve the recognition and positioning accuracy of sea cucumbers.

[0078] In some preferred embodiments of this application, the visual recognition unit further includes a second waterproof binocular camera 232. The second waterproof binocular camera 232 can acquire the three-dimensional coordinate information of the sea cucumber relative to the robot in real time through precise image acquisition and processing. This provides a reliable position reference for the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 212 of the single sea cucumber gripping unit 21 to adjust its motion trajectory, the force-controlled gripper 214 to accurately locate the gripping point, and the suction unit 22 to adjust the negative pressure suction direction. This effectively avoids fishing errors caused by positional judgment deviations and further improves the accuracy of fishing operations.

[0079] Specifically, the second waterproof binocular camera 232 is connected to the first servo motor of the drive mechanism via a dedicated mounting bracket. This connection not only provides stable support for the camera, ensuring that it will not shift its position due to water flow or robot vibration during underwater operations, but also allows for flexible adjustment of the sampling angle through the precise drive of the first servo motor—that is, by rotating the first servo motor, the acute angle between the camera's positive direction and the ground can be precisely controlled. This allows the second waterproof binocular camera 232 to flexibly adjust its shooting angle according to operational needs, capturing detailed information of close-range sea cucumbers while also covering a wider underwater area. This provides more comprehensive and accurate three-dimensional coordinate information of sea cucumbers relative to the robot at different locations, offering richer positional reference data for the collaborative operation of the single sea cucumber gripping unit 21 and the suction unit 22, further improving the robot's positioning accuracy and harvesting efficiency for sea cucumbers in complex underwater environments. In addition, the second waterproof binocular camera 232 obtains the position of the target sea cucumber relative to the zero position of the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 212 through its distance information relative to the target sea cucumber, and the control system can calculate the displacement of the end of the robotic arm from the zero position to the target sea cucumber, thereby achieving precise grasping of the target sea cucumber.

[0080] In some specific embodiments of this application, the sampling angle of the second waterproof binocular camera 232 is flexibly adjusted according to the working state of the robot: when the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 212 is in the grasping state, its sampling angle is set to 45°. This angle allows the sampling range to cover the movement area of ​​the robotic arm while extending to a greater distance as much as possible, thereby accurately capturing the position of the sea cucumber in the distance and providing sufficient target information for the grasping action of the robotic arm; in the negative pressure suction mode, the sampling angle is adjusted to 60°, which can ensure that the entire movement range of the suction end of the suction unit 22 is included in the sampling range of the camera, ensuring that the suction operation can accurately target the target; when the robot needs to perform the task of mapping the grasping location, the sampling angle of the second waterproof binocular camera 232 is set to 90° (i.e., directly in front), so as to achieve a large-scale coverage of the area in front, comprehensively collect environmental data, provide detailed visual basis for mapping, and improve the integrity and accuracy of the map.

[0081] Furthermore, the second waterproof binocular camera 232 is connected to the top of the mounting mechanism 5 via the first servo motor and the mounting bracket. The lighting lamps installed at both ends can be flexibly adjusted to illuminate downwards, providing sufficient and angle-appropriate lighting for the camera in the dark underwater environment, ensuring that the camera can clearly capture sea cucumber images and improve the accuracy of sea cucumber location identification.

[0082] In some preferred embodiments of this application, the illumination direction of the lighting lamp intersects the ground at a 45° angle. This angle setting can avoid image reflection caused by direct light and provide uniform and sufficient lighting for the shooting area of ​​the second waterproof binocular camera 232, ensuring that the camera can clearly capture details of the sea cucumber and its surrounding scene in the underwater environment, and further improve the accuracy of sea cucumber location identification and positioning.

[0083] Furthermore, such as Figure 7 As shown, the suction unit 22 includes a water pump 221 and a suction nozzle 222, a suction nozzle adjusting arm 223, and a delivery pipe 224 connected in sequence. The inlet pipe of the water pump 221 and the output end of the delivery pipe 224 are connected to the collection mechanism 3, forming a complete suction and delivery path to ensure that the sea cucumbers sucked in through the suction nozzle 222 can smoothly enter the collection mechanism 3. The suction nozzle adjusting arm 223 can adjust the angle of the suction nozzle 222 to accurately and quickly aim at the target sea cucumber according to the sea cucumber's position information.

[0084] When the water pump 221 starts pumping water, it creates a negative pressure environment inside the collection mechanism 3. Under the action of external water pressure, external water is continuously forced into the collection mechanism 3. This water flow creates a stable water velocity near the suction nozzle 222. When the water flows through the suction nozzle 222, the suction force it generates pulls the surrounding sea cucumbers into the water flow. They then pass through the suction nozzle 222, the suction nozzle adjusting arm 223, and the delivery pipe 224 into the collection mechanism 3. This method of using negative pressure to create water flow not only efficiently draws sea cucumbers into the collection mechanism 3 but also reduces the impact on the sea cucumbers during transportation through the buffering effect of the water flow.

[0085] In some preferred embodiments of this application, the suction nozzle 222 is pagoda-shaped with a diameter that gradually decreases. Through its gradually narrowing opening, it guides the target sea cucumber to smoothly enter the suction channel in any posture, effectively avoiding the situation where it gets stuck at the opening due to irregular posture, and ensuring the continuous and efficient suction process.

[0086] In some specific embodiments of this application, the suction nozzle adjusting arm 223 is oriented by a second servo motor of the drive mechanism. Two second servo motors are mounted on the mounting bracket of the suction nozzle 222, which is fixed to the aluminum profile carrier unit 51.

[0087] Furthermore, the collection mechanism 3 is mounted on the aluminum profile carrier unit 51 and is positioned opposite the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm 212, maintaining communication with the suction nozzle 222 via a delivery pipe 224. This delivery pipe 224 employs a segmented design: one end connected to the suction nozzle 222 is a silicone corrugated pipe, the other end connected to the collection mechanism 3 is a silicone tube, and the middle section is directly and firmly connected to the aluminum profile carrier unit 51, using rigid materials. Considering the considerable distance between the collection mechanism 3 and the suction nozzle 222, and the need for flexible movement of the suction nozzle 222, this design ensures the overall structural stability through the rigid, long middle pipe, while the flexible, short pipes at both ends effectively accommodate pipe deformation caused by changes in the suction nozzle 222's orientation. Simultaneously, when the robot experiences impacts or vibrations causing slight relative displacement between the suction nozzle 222 and the collection mechanism 3, the buffering effect of the flexible material effectively protects the pipe, preventing damage to its sealing and structural integrity, and ensuring smooth and reliable sea cucumber transport.

[0088] In some preferred embodiments of this application, the water pump 221 and its corresponding inlet and outlet pipes are symmetrically connected to both sides of the collection mechanism 3. During operation, the outlet pipes on both sides can drain water symmetrically, and the resulting drainage thrust can cancel each other out, effectively avoiding interference of the lateral force formed by unilateral drainage on the robot's balance state, and ensuring the stability of the robot when operating underwater.

[0089] In some specific embodiments of this application, such as Figure 7As shown, the water inlet pipe of the water pump 221 is connected to the collection mechanism 3 through the water pump transfer pipe and the PVC through-plate fixing pipe in sequence. Its outlet pipe adopts a 90° outlet pipe design. This pipe connection method not only ensures the stability and sealing of the connection between the water inlet pipe and the collection mechanism 3, but also makes the drainage direction more in line with the overall layout requirements of the robot through the structure of the 90° outlet pipe, which helps to reduce the interference of water flow on the robot's underwater operation posture.

[0090] The specific structure of collection mechanism 3 will be described in detail below.

[0091] like Figures 6-8 As shown, the collection mechanism 3 includes a container 31 and a storage cage 32. The container 31 is connected to the output end of the fishing mechanism 2 and is used to receive the sea cucumbers captured and transported by the fishing mechanism 2. The storage cage 32 is detachably connected to the container 31. The container 31 and the storage cage 32 surround each other to form a space for storing and transporting the harvested sea cucumbers, which prevents the sea cucumbers from falling or being damaged during the robot's operation. After the robot completes the harvesting task, the storage cage 32 can be disassembled to realize the convenient transfer of the sea cucumbers. This simplifies the transfer process of sea cucumbers from the collection mechanism 3 to the external storage device, reduces secondary damage to the sea cucumbers during the transfer process, and improves the overall efficiency of the operation and the protection of the sea cucumbers.

[0092] Furthermore, the container 31 includes a container body 311 and a lid 312, which are movably connected (e.g., by a hinge) and can be opened and closed by relative rotation. When closed, it forms a sealed space, effectively preventing the stored sea cucumbers from falling out of the container and blocking external water flow and impurities from entering. The storage cage 32 is movably connected (e.g., by a sliding rail) inside the container body 311 and can move towards and away from the lid 312. When it is necessary to remove the sea cucumbers, the lid 312 can be opened, and the storage cage 32 can be pulled out along the rail towards the lid 312, thus detaching it from the container body 311. Before harvesting, the storage cage 32 can be pushed into the container body 311 in the opposite direction to complete the installation. This design ensures the stability of the storage cage 32 during operation and greatly improves the convenience of loading and unloading sea cucumbers, further optimizing the user experience of the collection mechanism 3.

[0093] Furthermore, the storage cage 32 is a box structure with an open top, including a back panel 321, a front panel 322, two second side panels 323 connected between the back panel 321 and the front panel 322, and a bottom panel 328. The back panel 321 is detachably connected to the box body 311. The structural design of the storage cage 32 provides ample space for sea cucumbers and facilitates their entry from the top opening. The detachable connection between the back panel 321 and the box body 311 facilitates the installation and removal of the storage cage 32.

[0094] Furthermore, both the back plate 321 and the corresponding housing 311 are provided with through holes, which are matched with the output end of the conveying pipe 224 of the suction unit 22 to ensure that the sea cucumbers conveyed by the conveying pipe 224 can smoothly enter the storage cage 32. At the same time, the top of the housing 311 is provided with a through hole corresponding to the water inlet of the water pump 221, which provides a channel for the water pump 221 to draw water from the collection mechanism 3, ensuring the stable formation of the negative pressure environment, thereby ensuring the continuous and efficient operation of the suction process.

[0095] Furthermore, the two second side plates 323 and the bottom plate 328 of the storage cage 32 are provided with multiple parallel strip-shaped holes, while the back plate 321 and the front plate 322 are not provided with such strip-shaped holes. The strip-shaped holes of the second side plates 323 can efficiently drain the water in the storage cage 32, avoid water accumulation and increase the weight of transportation, and facilitate the transportation of sea cucumbers. The back plate 321 and the front plate 322 provide stable support for the storage cage 32 through the complete plate structure, ensuring that it maintains its structural strength during the storage and transportation of sea cucumbers and is not easily deformed by external forces.

[0096] In some preferred embodiments of this application, the storage cage 32 can be designed as a multi-layer push-pull structure. This structure can place sea cucumbers in layers, reducing the squeezing and collision between sea cucumbers after draining the water, thereby reducing damage caused by mutual friction or stacking pressure, better protecting the appearance and integrity of sea cucumbers, and improving the quality of the harvesting operation.

[0097] In some preferred embodiments of this application, a tapered guide pin 326 is installed inside the housing 311, and a through hole corresponding to the position of the tapered guide pin 326 is opened on the back plate 321. When the storage cage 32 is inserted into the housing 311, the tapered guide pin 326 can be accurately inserted into the through hole of the back plate 321 to achieve rapid positioning of the storage cage 32, ensure its accurate relative position with the housing 311, and enhance the stability of the connection between the two, so as to prevent the storage cage 32 from shifting when the robot shakes during operation.

[0098] In some preferred embodiments of this application, there are three tapered guide pins 326, which correspond to the top edge and two side edges of the back plate 321, respectively. The tapered guide pins 326 corresponding to the two side edges can effectively resist shear force, while the tapered guide pins 326 corresponding to the top edge can help improve positioning accuracy. This layout not only stably supports the weight of the sea cucumber, but also avoids the overfitting problem that may occur when using four tapered guide pins 326, ensuring the reliability and flexibility of the connection between the storage cage 32 and the box body 311.

[0099] In some preferred embodiments of this application, the back plate 321 of the storage cage 32 and the box body 311 are detachably connected by magnetic attraction. This connection method allows for quick installation and disassembly of the storage cage 32 without complicated operations, ensuring the stability of the connection and simplifying the steps of taking the storage cage 32 out of the sea cucumber during transportation, further improving the ease of use of the collection mechanism 3.

[0100] Specifically, the back plate 321 of the collection cage 32 is equipped with a ferromagnet, and the box body 311 contains an electromagnet unit corresponding to the position of the ferromagnet. When the sea cucumber is sucked into the collection mechanism 3, it will naturally fall into the collection cage 32. When the harvesting task is completed, the operator opens the lid 312 of the container 31 and controls the electromagnet unit to be de-energized, which will cause the attraction between the ferromagnet and the electromagnet unit to disappear. At this time, the collection cage 32 can be easily removed from the container 31, realizing convenient collection and transfer of sea cucumbers. When the next harvesting task is to be carried out, simply align the hole of the back plate 321 of the collection cage 32 with the tapered guide pin 326 in the box body 311 and push it in. The electromagnet unit will then be triggered to attract the ferromagnet, completing the stable installation of the collection cage 32. Finally, the lid 312 can be closed to enter the working state. This detachable connection method achieved through electromagnetic adsorption not only ensures the stability of the storage cage 32 during operation, but also greatly simplifies the operation process of sea cucumber transfer and equipment reset, significantly improving the efficiency of the collection mechanism 3.

[0101] In some preferred embodiments of this application, a handle 327 is provided to facilitate the operator in taking out the storage cage 32. The handle 327 is connected to the top of the storage cage 32 via a crossbeam. When the storage cage 32 is removed from the container 31, the operator can easily lift it with the help of the handle 327, effectively avoiding the inconvenience caused by the slippery surface of the storage cage 32 or the increased weight after loading sea cucumbers, and further improving the convenience of operation.

[0102] 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 sea cucumber harvesting robot, characterized in that, include: The propulsion mechanism is used to propel the robot forward in the underwater environment. Fishing equipment used to precisely grab or absorb target sea cucumbers; A collection facility for the temporary storage and transfer of sea cucumbers caught by the fishing facility; A drive mechanism is used to provide driving force for the movement of the traveling mechanism, the fishing mechanism, and the collecting mechanism; An installation mechanism is used to connect the traveling mechanism, the fishing mechanism, the collecting mechanism, and the driving mechanism into a whole; The traveling mechanism includes a tracked walking unit, a propeller unit, and a towing unit. The tracked walking unit is connected to the bottom end of the mounting mechanism. The propeller unit is connected to the side of the mounting mechanism and is provided with a horizontal propeller unit and a vertical propeller unit. The towing unit is connected to the side of the mounting mechanism and the bottom edge of the traveling mechanism.

2. The sea cucumber harvesting robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The collection mechanism includes a container and a storage cage. The container is connected to the output end of the fishing mechanism, and the storage cage is detachably connected to the container. The container and the storage cage together form a space for storing and transporting the harvested sea cucumbers.

3. The sea cucumber harvesting robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The container includes a body and a lid, which are movably connected to form a closable, airtight space. The storage cage is movably connected to the box body and can move in directions toward and away from the cover body.

4. A sea cucumber harvesting robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The storage cage is a box structure with an open top, which includes a back panel, a front panel, two second side panels and a bottom panel connected between the back panel and the front panel. The back panel is detachably connected to the box body. The second side plate and the bottom plate have multiple strip-shaped holes arranged side by side.

5. A sea cucumber harvesting robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: A tapered guide pin is installed inside the housing, and a through hole corresponding to the position of the tapered guide pin is opened on the back plate; The number of tapered guide pins is three, and they correspond to the top edge and two side edges of the back plate, respectively.

6. The sea cucumber harvesting robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The harvesting mechanism includes a single sea cucumber grasping unit and a suction unit. The suction unit extracts sea cucumbers by means of negative pressure suction. The sea cucumbers grasped by the single sea cucumber grasping unit are sucked up by the suction unit. The output end of the suction unit is connected to the collection mechanism.

7. A sea cucumber harvesting robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The single sea cucumber gripping unit includes a robotic arm mounting plate, a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, a waterproof module, and a force-controlled gripper. The single sea cucumber gripping unit is connected to the mounting mechanism through the robotic arm mounting plate. One end of the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm is connected to the robotic arm mounting plate, and the other end is connected to the force-controlled gripper. A pressure sensor is installed on the force-controlled gripper. The waterproof module encloses or seals each joint of the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm and the main structure of the robotic arm.

8. A sea cucumber harvesting robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The suction unit includes a water pump and a suction nozzle, a suction nozzle adjusting arm, and a delivery pipeline connected in sequence. The water inlet pipeline of the water pump and the output end of the delivery pipeline are connected to the collection mechanism. The suction nozzle adjusting arm can adjust the angle of the suction nozzle. The suction nozzle is pagoda-shaped with a diameter decreasing from large to small.

9. A sea cucumber harvesting robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The dragging unit includes a dragging roller and a dragging rod. The dragging roller is connected to the side of the mounting mechanism, and the dragging rod is connected to the bottom of the traveling mechanism.

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