An unmanned aerial vehicle airborne underwater sediment sampler

Abstract

The utility model belongs to silt sampling technical field, concretely relates to a kind of unmanned aerial vehicle airborne underwater silt sampler, including unmanned aerial vehicle body, the inside of unmanned aerial vehicle body is equipped with accommodating cavity, the inside of accommodating cavity is equipped with moving mechanism, the both sides of the lower end of moving mechanism are fixed with support plate, the upper end of one support plate is fixed with second motor, the output of second motor is fixed with drive plate, winding roller is arranged between two support plates, the both sides of winding roller are fixed with fixed link, and the inside of fixed link is located support plate and is rotatably connected with it.The utility model can drive two support plates to be far away from each other by moving mechanism, so that fixed link is separated from support plate constraint, the baffle of unmanned aerial vehicle body inner wall can limit winding roller horizontal movement, to ensure that winding roller, connecting rope and trapped sampler are quickly separated, avoid unmanned aerial vehicle center of gravity deviation, power overload due to connecting rope continuous force pulling, and finally unmanned aerial vehicle crash.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of sediment sampling technology, specifically relating to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-borne underwater sediment sampler. Background Technology

[0002] In fields such as water environment monitoring and river management, underwater sediment sampling is a crucial step in obtaining water quality data and analyzing sediment deposition patterns. Traditional sampling methods mostly rely on manual boat operations, which suffer from low efficiency, high risk (such as the risk of capsizing in complex waters), and limited sampling range (difficult to cover remote or deep water areas). With the development of drone technology, drone-borne underwater sediment samplers are gradually being applied in practical scenarios. By carrying sampling components on a drone, they can quickly reach the target water area, significantly improving sampling efficiency and operational safety, and have become one of the mainstream sampling solutions.

[0003] However, existing UAV-borne underwater sediment samplers still have significant technical shortcomings in practical use: after being lowered underwater, they are easily trapped by underwater rocks, entangled in aquatic plants, or adhered to silt. Since the sampler is rigidly connected to the UAV via a rope, this rope continuously transmits tension to the UAV when trapped. On the one hand, this continuous tension disrupts the UAV's original center of gravity balance, causing it to tilt, sway, or exhibit other abnormal postures, and in severe cases, even lose control. On the other hand, to maintain hovering or counteract the tension, the UAV's power system needs to continuously overload, which not only accelerates the wear and tear on components such as motors and batteries but may also directly lead to a crash due to power system failure, resulting in damage to the UAV equipment and failure of the sampling mission. This severely limits the reliability and widespread application of UAV-borne underwater sediment samplers.

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, this application proposes an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-borne underwater sediment sampler. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-borne underwater sediment sampler that can move two support plates away from each other through a moving mechanism, allowing the fixed rod to break free from the constraint of the support plates. The baffle on the inner wall of the UAV body can restrict the horizontal movement of the winding roller, thereby ensuring that the winding roller, connecting rope and trapped sampler are quickly separated, avoiding the UAV's center of gravity shift and power overload caused by continuous tension on the connecting rope, which could ultimately lead to the UAV crashing.

[0006] The specific technical solution adopted in this utility model is as follows: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-borne underwater sediment sampler includes a UAV body with an internal cavity. A moving mechanism is installed inside the cavity. Support plates are fixed to both sides of the lower end of the moving mechanism. A second motor is fixed to the upper end of one of the support plates, and a drive plate is fixed to the output end of the second motor. A winding roller is positioned between the two support plates, and fixing rods are fixed to both sides of the winding roller. The fixing rods are located inside the support plates and rotatably connected to them. A drive groove is formed on the side of the fixing rod closest to the drive plate, and the drive plate and drive groove are compatible. A connecting rope is provided on the outer side of the winding roller, and a sampler is fixed to the end of the connecting rope furthest from the winding roller.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, baffles are fixed to the inner wall of the drone body at both ends of the two support plates, and the winding roller is located between the four baffles.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, both ends of the two support plates are fixed with sliding plates, and both ends of the drone body are provided with sliding grooves, and the sliding plates and sliding grooves are compatible.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the outer side of the take-up roller is provided with multiple fluorescent markings.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the inside of the winding roller is provided with foam.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the moving mechanism includes a base plate, a first motor, a bidirectional threaded rod, two moving plates, and two limiting rods. The moving mechanism is fixed inside the receiving cavity. The first motor is fixed to the upper end of the base plate. The bidirectional threaded rod is fixed to the output end of the first motor. The two moving plates are threadedly connected to the two sides of the outer side of the bidirectional threaded rod. The two limiting rods are fixed inside the UAV body, and the moving plates and limiting rods are slidably connected. The support plate is located at the lower end of the limiting rod, and the two limiting rods and the two support plates are fixedly connected.

[0012] The technical effects achieved by this utility model are as follows: When the sampler becomes trapped and the tension of the connecting rope exceeds the threshold, the device uses a moving mechanism to move the two support plates away from each other, causing the fixed rod to break free from the constraint of the support plates. At the same time, the baffle on the inner wall of the drone body can restrict the horizontal movement of the winding roller, ensuring that the winding roller, connecting rope and trapped sampler are quickly separated, avoiding the drone's center of gravity shift and power overload caused by continuous tension on the connecting rope, which could ultimately lead to the drone crashing. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the UAV body of this utility model; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the winding roller and support plate of this utility model; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the fixing rod and the drive plate of this utility model; Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the winding roller of this utility model.

[0014] The attached diagram lists the components represented by each number as follows: 10. UAV body; 11. Receiving cavity; 12. Moving mechanism; 13. Base plate; 14. First motor; 15. Bidirectional threaded rod; 16. Moving plate; 17. Limiting rod; 20. Support plate; 21. Second motor; 22. Drive plate; 23. Rewinding roller; 24. Fixing rod; 25. Drive groove; 26. Connecting rope; 27. Sampler; 28. Baffle; 29. ​​Slide plate; 30. Slide groove; 31. Fluorescent marker; 32. Foam. Detailed Implementation

[0015] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0016] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of this utility model. However, this utility model may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of this utility model. Therefore, this utility model is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0017] Secondly, the term "an embodiment" or "embodiment" as used herein refers to a specific feature, structure, or characteristic that may be included in at least one implementation of this utility model. The phrase "in a preferred embodiment" appearing in different places in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a single or selective embodiment that mutually excludes other embodiments.

[0018] Secondly, this utility model is described in detail with reference to the schematic diagrams. When detailing the embodiments of this utility model, for ease of explanation, the cross-sectional views illustrating the device structure may be partially enlarged, not according to the usual scale. Furthermore, the schematic diagrams are merely examples and should not limit the scope of protection of this utility model. In addition, actual manufacturing should include the three-dimensional spatial dimensions of length, width, and depth.

[0019] Please see the appendix Figures 1 to 4As shown, this utility model provides an underwater sediment sampler mounted on a drone, including a drone body 10. The drone body 10 has a receiving cavity 11 inside, and a moving mechanism 12 is installed inside the receiving cavity 11. Support plates 20 are fixed on both sides of the lower end of the moving mechanism 12. A second motor 21 is fixed on the upper end of one support plate 20, and a drive plate 22 is fixed on the output end of the second motor 21. A winding roller 23 is arranged between the two support plates 20. Fixing rods 24 are fixed on both sides of the winding roller 23. The fixing rods 24 are located inside the support plates 20 and are rotatably connected to them. A drive groove 25 is opened on the side of the fixing rod 24 near the drive plate 22, and the drive plate 22 and the drive groove 25 are adapted to each other. A connecting rope 26 is arranged on the outer side of the winding roller 23, and a sampler 27 is fixed on the end of the connecting rope 26 away from the winding roller 23.

[0020] In this embodiment, the UAV body 10 has a pre-set receiving cavity 11, and a moving mechanism 12 is installed inside the receiving cavity 11. Support plates 20 are symmetrically fixed on both sides of the lower end of the moving mechanism 12, forming a support frame for the winding roller 23. A second motor 21 is fixed to the upper end of one of the support plates 20, and the output end of the second motor 21 is fixedly connected to a drive plate 22. Meanwhile, fixing rods 24 are fixed on both sides of the winding roller 23. The fixing rods 24 are embedded inside the support plates 20 and rotatably connected to them. The end of the fixing rod 24 near the drive plate 22 has a drive groove 25 that perfectly matches the size of the drive plate 22, ensuring that when the second motor 21 starts, the drive plate 22 can accurately embed into the drive groove 25, driving the winding roller 23 to rotate synchronously. With no transmission gap, the connecting rope 26 is fixed to the outside of the take-up roller 23 by a spiral winding method. The connecting rope 26 is made of high-strength wear-resistant nylon. The end away from the take-up roller 23 is detachably connected to the sampler 27 by a snap-fit ​​structure, which facilitates quick removal of the sampler 27 after sampling. At the same time, a tension sensor (not shown in the figure) is fixedly installed in the middle of the connecting rope 26, which can capture the tension change of the connecting rope 26 in real time. It is connected to the control system of the UAV body 10 through a wire. During operation, after the UAV body 10 flies to the airspace above the target sampling water area, the control system sends a forward rotation command to the second motor 21. The second motor 21 drives the drive plate 22 to rotate. The drive plate 22 drives the fixed rod 24 through the drive groove 25. As the winding roller 23 rotates, the connecting rope 26 is released when the winding roller 23 rotates in the forward direction. The connecting rope 26 drives the sampler 27 to descend slowly until the sampler 27 sinks to a preset depth underwater. At this time, the tension sensor provides real-time feedback on the tension value of the connecting rope 26 (set according to the weight of the sampler 27 and the weight of the water sample sediment), which is within the normal fluctuation range. After sampling is completed, the control system sends a reverse rotation command to the second motor 21. The winding roller 23 rotates in the reverse direction to retract the connecting rope 26, driving the sampler 27 to rise below the UAV body 10, completing one sampling process. If the sampler 27 is stuck by underwater rocks, aquatic plants, or silt during the ascent, the tension of the connecting rope 26 will momentarily exceed the normal range, and the tension sensor will immediately detect it. Upon detecting the abnormal tension signal, the tension sensor converts the abnormal signal into an electrical signal and transmits it to the control system of the UAV body 10. The control system compares the tension threshold using a preset algorithm and quickly determines that the sampler 27 is trapped. The control system then sends a start command to the moving mechanism 12. The moving mechanism 12 drives the two support plates 20 to move in opposite directions, causing the two support plates 20 to move away from each other until the fixed rod 24 is freed from the support constraint of the support plates 20. At this point, the winding roller 23, the connecting rope 26, and the trapped sampler 27 are completely separated from the UAV body 10, preventing the UAV body 10 from shifting its center of gravity and overloading its power due to the continuous tension on the connecting rope 26, which would ultimately cause the UAV body 10 to crash.It should be noted that the tension sensor is located in the middle of the connecting rope 26 to prevent it from being easily caught in the winding roller 23 during winding, which could cause the sensor to be crushed and damaged. At the same time, it prevents the tension sensor from directly contacting water and mud, which could easily corrode and clog the sensor, significantly shortening its lifespan. It also prevents local stress concentration when the sampler 27 touches the bottom or gets stuck, which could cause the sensor to be overloaded and damaged. The sampler 27 is existing technology, and its specific working principle will not be described in detail.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, please refer to Figures 1 to 3 The inner wall of the drone body 10 and at both ends of the two support plates 20 are fixed with baffles 28, and the winding roller 23 is located between the four baffles 28.

[0022] In this embodiment, as the moving mechanism 12 drives the two support plates 20 away from each other, the four baffles 28 fix the take-up roller 23 to the inner wall of the UAV body 10, restricting the horizontal displacement of the take-up roller 23, so as to facilitate the separation of the take-up roller 23 and the two support plates 20.

[0023] Secondly, please refer to it again. Figure 2 Both ends of the two support plates 20 are fixed with sliding plates 29, and both ends of the drone body 10 are provided with sliding grooves 30, and the sliding plates 29 and sliding grooves 30 are compatible.

[0024] In this embodiment, when the moving mechanism 12 is activated and drives the two support plates 20 to move away from each other, the sliding plates 29 at both ends of the support plates 20 will slide in a straight line along the sliding groove 30 in the drone body 10, providing precise guidance for the movement of the support plates 20. At the same time, during normal sampling, the cooperation between the sliding plates 29 and the sliding groove 30 can also fix the position of the support plates 20, preventing the support plates 20 from shifting when the winding roller 23 rotates.

[0025] Secondly, please refer to the following as well. Figure 4 and Figure 5 Multiple fluorescent markings 31 are provided on the outside of the winding roller 23.

[0026] In this embodiment, the separated winding roller 23, connecting rope 26, and sampler 27 will fall into the water or onto the ground. The fluorescent marker 31 can continuously emit a bright light by absorbing ambient light (such as sunlight or water-scattered light) or by its own light-storing fluorescence characteristics. After the separation area, the operator can quickly lock the target by direct observation, which shortens the time for the operator to find the winding roller 23, connecting rope 26, and sampler 27, reduces the difficulty and cost of component recovery, and avoids resource waste caused by the loss of separated components.

[0027] To further understand and explain, Figure 5 For example, the inside of the winding roller 23 is provided with foam 32.

[0028] In this embodiment, the inside of the winding roller 23 is filled with foam 32. The foam 32 is tightly fitted to the inner wall of the winding roller 23 and fills its internal cavity. When the winding roller 23, connecting rope 26, and trapped sampler 27 are separated from the UAV body 10, the foam 32 provides buoyancy due to its low density, preventing the separated winding roller 23 from sinking rapidly due to its own weight. Instead, it floats on the water surface or sinks slowly. Simultaneously, the fluorescent marker 31 on the outside of the winding roller 23 prevents it from sinking into deep water or becoming stuck in silt, thus reducing equipment wear and resource waste. Furthermore, the foam 32 is lightweight and low-cost, improving the recyclability of the separated components without increasing the rotational burden on the winding roller 23. It should be noted that the foam 32 is one of EPP foam (expanded polypropylene), EPS foam (expanded polystyrene), and PU foam (polyurethane foam).

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The moving mechanism 12 includes a base plate 13, a first motor 14, a bidirectional threaded rod 15, two moving plates 16, and two limiting rods 17. The moving mechanism 12 is fixed inside the receiving cavity 11. The first motor 14 is fixed to the upper end of the base plate 13. The bidirectional threaded rod 15 is fixed to the output end of the first motor 14. The two moving plates 16 are threaded to the two sides of the outer side of the bidirectional threaded rod 15. The two limiting rods 17 are fixed inside the UAV body 10, and the moving plates 16 and the limiting rods 17 are slidably connected. The support plate 20 is located at the lower end of the limiting rods 17, and the two limiting rods 17 and the two support plates 20 are fixedly connected.

[0030] In this embodiment, when the control system determines that the sampler 27 is trapped and activates the moving mechanism 12, the first motor 14 drives the bidirectional threaded rod 15 to rotate. Since the threads on both sides of the bidirectional threaded rod 15 are opposite, the two moving plates 16 will move in opposite directions along the bidirectional threaded rod 15. At the same time, the moving plates 16 slide along the limiting rod 17 to maintain stability. The moving plates 16 drive the two support plates 20 to move synchronously, thereby enabling the two support plates 20 to move away from each other, and finally achieve the separation of the winding roller 23, the connecting rope 26 and the UAV body 10.

[0031] The working principle of this utility is as follows: After the UAV body 10 flies to the target sampling water area, the moving mechanism 12 in its internal cavity 11 supports the winding roller 23 through the support plates 20 on both sides at the lower end. The control system sends a forward rotation command to the second motor 21 on one of the support plates 20. The second motor 21 drives the drive plate 22 to rotate. The drive plate 22 is embedded in the drive groove 25 of the fixed rods 24 on both sides of the winding roller 23, which drives the winding roller 23 to rotate synchronously to release the connecting rope 26. The connecting rope 26 drives the sampler 27, which is connected to the end buckle, to sink to the preset depth underwater. At this time, the tension sensor in the middle of the connecting rope 26 provides real-time feedback of the tension value and keeps it within the normal range. After sampling is completed, the control system commands the second motor 21 to rotate in the opposite direction, and the winding roller 23 retracts the connecting rope 26 and the sampler 27. If the sampler 27 becomes trapped, causing the tension of the connecting rope 26 to exceed the threshold, the tension sensor will transmit an abnormal signal to the control system. The control system will then activate the moving mechanism 12, causing the first motor 14 to drive the bidirectional threaded rod 15 to rotate, which will cause the two moving plates 16 to move in the opposite direction along the limit rod 17, thereby pulling the two support plates 20 away from each other. At the same time, the sliding plates 29 at both ends of the support plates 20 slide along the inner groove 30 of the drone body 10 to maintain stability. The four baffles 28 on the inner wall of the drone body 10 restrict the displacement of the winding roller 23, ultimately allowing the winding roller 23, the connecting rope 26, and the trapped sampler 27 to separate from the drone body 10. After separation, the foam 32 inside the winding roller 23 provides buoyancy to make it levitate, and the fluorescent mark 31 on the outside lights up, making it easy for operators to quickly locate and retrieve the sampler.

[0032] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this utility model. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications without departing from the principles of this utility model, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of this utility model. Structures, devices, and operating methods not specifically described or explained in this utility model, unless otherwise specified or limited, shall be implemented using conventional methods in the art.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-borne underwater sediment sampler, comprising the UAV body (10), characterized in that: The UAV body (10) has an internal cavity (11) and a moving mechanism (12) is installed inside the cavity (11). Support plates (20) are fixed on both sides of the lower end of the moving mechanism (12). A second motor (21) is fixed on the upper end of one of the support plates (20). A drive plate (22) is fixed on the output end of the second motor (21). A take-up roller (23) is provided between the two support plates (20). A fixing rod (24) is fixed on both sides of the take-up roller (23). The fixing rod (24) is located inside the support plate (20) and is rotatably connected to it. A drive groove (25) is provided on the side of the fixing rod (24) near the drive plate (22). The drive plate (22) and the drive groove (25) are compatible. A connecting rope (26) is provided on the outside of the take-up roller (23). A sampler (27) is fixed on the end of the connecting rope (26) away from the take-up roller (23).

2. The UAV-borne underwater sediment sampler according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner wall of the drone body (10) and at both ends of the two support plates (20) are fixed with baffles (28), and the winding roller (23) is located between the four baffles (28).

3. The UAV-borne underwater sediment sampler according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both ends of the two support plates (20) are fixed with sliding plates (29), and both ends of the drone body (10) are provided with sliding grooves (30), and the sliding plates (29) and sliding grooves (30) are compatible.

4. The UAV-borne underwater sediment sampler according to claim 1, characterized in that: Multiple fluorescent markers (31) are provided on the outside of the winding roller (23).

5. The UAV-borne underwater sediment sampler according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inside of the winding roller (23) is provided with foam (32).

6. The UAV-borne underwater sediment sampler according to claim 1, characterized in that: The moving mechanism (12) includes a base plate (13), a first motor (14), a bidirectional threaded rod (15), two moving plates (16) and two limiting rods (17). The moving mechanism (12) is fixed inside the receiving cavity (11). The first motor (14) is fixed to the upper end of the base plate (13). The bidirectional threaded rod (15) is fixed to the output end of the first motor (14). The two moving plates (16) are threaded to the two sides outside the bidirectional threaded rod (15). The two limiting rods (17) are fixed inside the UAV body (10). The moving plates (16) and the limiting rods (17) are slidably connected. The support plate (20) is located at the lower end of the limiting rods (17). The two limiting rods (17) and the two support plates (20) are fixedly connected.

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