Wheel-track composite chassis and robot

Abstract

The utility model discloses a wheel-track composite chassis and robot relates to robot technical field. This wheel-track composite chassis includes chassis and installs walking mechanism on the chassis, and walking mechanism includes walking wheel group, walking track group and elevating system, and elevating system is used to drive walking wheel group and walking track group up and down position exchange, to make the chassis between walking wheel traffic mode and walking track traffic mode mutual conversion. This all terrain wheel-track composite chassis passes through walking wheel traffic mode and walking track traffic mode's mutual switching, guarantees that chassis can smoothly cross such as complex and changeable topography such as flat ground, sandy ground, gully ground, slope ground, step etc.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of robot technology, and in particular to a wheel-tracked composite chassis and robot. Background Technology

[0002] With its highly intelligent robotics and image recognition technologies, the intelligent inspection robot can replace manual inspection of equipment operation in special environments, enabling comprehensive inspection of equipment areas and early detection and effective reduction of safety hazards such as equipment failure, oil leaks, fires, and theft.

[0003] Take aviation fuel depots as an example. The operations and production processes at fuel depots are complex, involving large, precision, and high-risk equipment. Any equipment malfunction could lead to serious safety accidents. Therefore, regular inspections of fuel depot production sites and equipment are urgently needed. However, the inspection environment at fuel depots often involves high temperatures, high pressures, and flammable and explosive materials, among other high-risk characteristics. Traditional inspection methods are mostly manual, which carries risks of inconsistent inspection quality and high labor intensity and risk.

[0004] The production environment at oil depots is complex, with some inspection areas featuring stairs, slopes, ditches, and other challenging terrain. Inspection robots are required to navigate stairs, slopes, and ditches to complete inspections of various locations on-site. While rail-guided inspection robots can effectively avoid complex ground elements, their inspection routes are fixed, their tracks are difficult to construct, and their manufacturing and maintenance costs are high.

[0005] Existing ground inspection robots are mainly divided into wheeled chassis and tracked chassis. Wheeled chassis are mainly used for working on flat ground, but they have poor obstacle crossing and climbing ability and cannot be used in stairwells and ditch environments. Tracked chassis have a certain ability to climb slopes and cross ditches and obstacles, but they are prone to wear, consume a lot of energy, have poor endurance, and cannot move long distances. Moreover, they have poor stability when crossing obstacles and climbing stairs, especially when traveling to the intersection of stairs and flat ground, where the sudden change in the center of gravity can cause serious collisions with stairs or flat surfaces.

[0006] Existing technology discloses an all-terrain mobile chassis for electric robots (publication number CN117401048A), which adopts a double swing arm structure attached to a tracked chassis, improving the obstacle-crossing ability of traditional tracked chassis to a certain extent. However, problems still exist in terms of endurance, slope climbing and obstacle crossing, and stability when climbing stairs.

[0007] Another prior art discloses a desert four-wheel drive wheeled tracked double-arm obstacle-crossing and stair-climbing robot chassis (publication number CN114940221A). The robot chassis adopts a combination of wheels and tracks, with the tracks higher than the wheels. On flat roads, the tracks do not contact the ground, and the wheels are the moving parts, enabling rapid movement. When it is necessary to cross obstacles or climb stairs, the tracks will contact the obstacles or stairs to provide driving force and assist the wheels in climbing stairs and crossing obstacles. Moreover, the use of front and rear double swing arms further improves the obstacle-crossing and stair-climbing performance of the robot chassis. The height difference between the robot's chassis wheels and tracks must be controlled within an extremely small range to simultaneously achieve "the tracks not contacting the ground on flat surfaces" and "the tracks contacting obstacles or stairs to provide driving force when crossing obstacles or climbing stairs." When using this structure to walk on uneven ground, a speed difference will inevitably form between the wheels and tracks unless they always run in sync. Therefore, there are still issues with endurance, stability when climbing slopes and overcoming obstacles, and climbing stairs. Utility Model Content

[0008] To address the problems existing in the prior art, this utility model provides an all-terrain wheel-tracked composite chassis. This chassis, by switching between wheeled and tracked travel modes, ensures stable traversal of complex and varied terrains such as flat ground, gravel ground, gullies, slopes, and steps, while maintaining low energy consumption and long endurance. Another objective of this utility model is to provide a robot equipped with the aforementioned wheel-tracked composite chassis.

[0009] The technical solution adopted by this utility model is: a wheel-track composite chassis, including a chassis and a walking mechanism mounted on the chassis. The walking mechanism includes a walking wheel set, a walking track set, and a lifting mechanism. The lifting mechanism is used to drive the walking wheel set and the walking track set to change their vertical positions, so that the chassis can switch between a walking wheel travel mode and a walking track travel mode.

[0010] Optionally, the track assembly includes a support member fixedly connected to the output end of the lifting mechanism; and

[0011] A set of fixed track assemblies is fixedly connected to the support member; and

[0012] Two sets of swing arm track assemblies are respectively connected to both ends of the fixed track assembly and are capable of rotating relative to the fixed track assembly.

[0013] Preferably, the track assembly includes a support member fixedly connected to the output end of the lifting mechanism; and

[0014] A set of fixed track assemblies is fixedly connected to the support member; and

[0015] A set of attitude-adjustable track assemblies, one end of which is connected to the support member and is capable of rotating relative to the support member; and

[0016] Two sets of swing arm track assemblies are respectively installed at one end of the fixed track assembly and the other end of the attitude adjustment track assembly, and are respectively capable of rotating relative to the fixed track assembly and relative to the attitude adjustment track assembly.

[0017] Furthermore, the center of gravity of the chassis is located between the attitude adjustment track assembly and the fixed track assembly.

[0018] Preferably, the walking wheel set includes wheel set units symmetrically arranged on both sides of the chassis.

[0019] Furthermore, a suspension mechanism is provided between the wheel assembly unit and the chassis.

[0020] Furthermore, the wheel assembly unit includes a wheel, a hub motor mounted on the wheel, a brake assembly mounted on the wheel for braking the wheel, and a steering assembly for controlling the steering of the wheel.

[0021] Furthermore, the track assembly of the walking track group is located between the wheel units on both sides of the chassis.

[0022] Preferably, the lifting mechanism includes a limiting mechanism, which is used to constrain the movement direction of the walking wheel assembly and the walking track assembly when their vertical positions are switched.

[0023] This utility model also provides a robot, including a robot body and the aforementioned wheel-track composite chassis, wherein the robot body is mounted on the wheel-track composite chassis.

[0024] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0025] 1. This utility model provides an all-terrain wheel-track composite chassis. The all-terrain wheel-track composite chassis can ensure that the chassis can smoothly traverse complex and varied terrains such as flat ground, gravel ground, gully ground, sloping ground, and steps by switching between the walking wheel mode and the walking track mode. It also has low energy consumption and strong endurance.

[0026] 2. The robot provided by this utility model is based on a wheel-track composite chassis and can perform various tasks on complex and varied terrains, with extremely strong driving stability and adaptability. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of an all-terrain wheel-track composite chassis in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of a wheel-track composite chassis in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a front view structural diagram of the wheel-track composite chassis in the walking wheel passage mode in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a front view schematic diagram of the wheel-track composite chassis in tracked travel mode according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the wheel-track composite chassis operating on different terrains in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a wheel-track composite chassis in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the all-terrain wheeled track composite chassis in each stage of climbing a ladder according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the all-terrain wheeled track composite chassis at each stage of descending a ladder in one embodiment of this utility model.

[0035] exist Figures 1-8 In the middle: 100, chassis; 200, running gear; 210, running wheel set; 220, running track assembly; 230, lifting mechanism; 211, support component; 222, fixed track assembly; 223, attitude adjustment track assembly; 224, swing arm track assembly; 225, wheel set unit; 226, suspension mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout.

[0037] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "counterclockwise", "clockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and are not intended to 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 of this utility model.

[0038] This utility model provides a wheel-track composite chassis, including a chassis 100 and a traveling mechanism 200 mounted on the chassis 100. The traveling mechanism 200 includes a traveling wheel set 210, a traveling track set 220, and a lifting mechanism 230. The lifting mechanism 230 is used to drive the traveling wheel set 210 and the traveling track set 220 to change their vertical positions, so that the chassis 100 can switch between a traveling wheel mode and a traveling track mode, and select the appropriate travel mode based on different terrains.

[0039] The lifting mechanism 230 in this invention can be a scissor-type lifting structure. An electric telescopic rod perpendicular to the telescopic direction of the scissor-type lifting structure drives the lifting action. This electric telescopic rod also acts as a self-locking mechanism, effectively preventing the scissor-type lifting structure from retracting under stress, thus improving the stability of the chassis 100 during operation. Of course, the lifting mechanism 230 can also be other mechanical telescopic structures (such as rack and pinion drives, screw drives, etc.) or hydraulic telescopic structures, as long as they can allow for the interchange of the vertical positions of the wheel assembly 210 and the track assembly 220. This invention does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0040] like Figures 2-4 As shown, in one embodiment of this utility model, the wheel-track composite chassis includes a chassis 100 and a traveling mechanism 200 mounted on the chassis 100. The traveling mechanism 200 includes a set of traveling wheels 210, a set of traveling tracks 220, and a lifting mechanism 230. The fixed end of the lifting mechanism 230 is mounted on the chassis 100, and the output end is fixed to the set of traveling tracks 220. When the lifting mechanism 230 extends, it causes the set of traveling tracks 220 to extend downwards and contact the ground; at this time, the chassis 100 is in the traveling track mode. When the lifting mechanism 230 retracts, it causes the set of traveling tracks 220 to rise, and the set of traveling wheels 210 contacts the ground; at this time, the chassis 100 is in the traveling wheel mode. This allows the chassis 100 to switch between the traveling wheel mode and the traveling track mode.

[0041] The walking track assembly 220 includes a support member 211 fixedly connected to the output end of the lifting mechanism 230; a set of fixed track assemblies 222 fixedly connected to the support member 211; and two sets of swing arm track assemblies 224 respectively connected to the two ends of the fixed track assembly 222 and capable of rotating relative to the fixed track assembly 222.

[0042] Of course, the connection components to the output end of the lifting mechanism 230 are selected based on the length of time the wheel travel mode and the track travel mode are used. For example, when the wheel travel mode is the main travel mode, the track assembly 220 is placed in the middle of the wheel assembly 210 and installed at the output end of the lifting mechanism 230; when the track travel mode is the main travel mode, the wheel assembly 210 is placed in the middle of the track assembly 220 and installed at the output end of the lifting mechanism 230. Thus, when other functional devices are loaded on the chassis 100, the workload of the lifting mechanism 230 can be reduced and the service life of the lifting mechanism 230 can be extended.

[0043] The chassis in this embodiment is adaptable to complex terrains including flat surfaces, gravel surfaces, gully surfaces, and sloping surfaces. On flat surfaces (relatively flat) or sloping surfaces (slope less than 15°), the chassis 100 uses a wheel-mounted travel mode, allowing for high-speed movement and sufficient flexibility. On gravel surfaces, gully surfaces, and sloping surfaces (slope between 15° and 45°), the chassis 100 uses a tracked travel mode, providing high traction and ensuring good obstacle-crossing ability and smooth movement.

[0044] In a scenario, such as Figure 5 As shown, the terrain on which the chassis 100 travels includes flat ground with gullies, gravel ground, and sloping ground (40° gradient), such as... Figure 5 As shown in Figure a, when the chassis 100 travels on a flat surface, the lifting mechanism 230 retracts, and the chassis 100 enters the wheel travel mode, as shown in Figure a. Figure 5 As shown in Figure b, when a ditch appears on the flat ground, the lifting mechanism 230 extends, switching to the tracked travel mode. Simultaneously, the front and rear swing arm tracks rotate and become parallel to the contact surface of the fixed track assembly 222, thereby increasing the length of the ground track. This allows the chassis 100 to smoothly traverse wider ditches. After traversing the ditch, the swing arm track assembly 224 resets, the lifting mechanism 230 retracts, and the chassis 100 switches back to the wheeled travel mode, continuing to travel on flat ground. Figure 5 As shown in Figure c, when the ground transitions to gravel, the lifting mechanism 230 extends, switching to tracked travel mode. In this mode, the tracks effectively improve the chassis 100's grip, preventing slippage and ensuring stable travel on soft gravel surfaces. Figure 5 As shown in Figure d, when encountering a slope with a gradient of 40°, during the uphill process, the front and rear swing arm tracks rotate to make contact with the slope and the ground respectively. In this way, the front and rear swing arm tracks compensate for the traction of the fixed tracks when they are separated from the ground during the terrain transition phase, ensuring that the chassis 100 can stably pass through the steep slope.

[0045] In this utility model, the walking track assembly 220 includes a support member 211, fixedly connected to the output end of the lifting mechanism 230; a set of fixed track assemblies 222, fixedly connected to the support member 211; a set of attitude adjustment track assemblies 223, installed on the support member 211 and capable of rotating relative to the support member 211; and two sets of swing arm track assemblies 224, respectively installed at one end of the fixed track assembly 222 and one end of the attitude adjustment track assembly 223, and respectively capable of rotating relative to the fixed track assembly 222 and relative to the attitude adjustment track assembly 223.

[0046] In another embodiment of this utility model, the support member 211 is a support box, which is fixedly connected to the output end of the lifting mechanism 230. When the lifting mechanism 230 drives the support box to move up and down, it can drive each track assembly to move up and down, while supporting each track assembly to ensure the stability of each track assembly during operation. Furthermore, a drive device for providing power to each track assembly is installed in the support box, which can effectively save space and achieve the purpose of weight reduction. In this embodiment, through the coordinated action between each track assembly, the chassis 100 can stably pass through steps and stairs.

[0047] When the wheel-track composite chassis is driving normally in the walking track mode, the front and rear swing arm tracks tilt upwards. On the one hand, this reduces the contact area between the tracks and the ground, reduces the resistance during driving, and improves the endurance of the chassis 100. On the other hand, the front and rear swing arm tracks also play a role in protecting and guiding the main body of the chassis 100.

[0048] It should be noted that the fixed track in this utility model is used as the reference track, and the center of gravity of the chassis 100 is located near the front of the fixed track.

[0049] In one scenario, a wheel-tracked composite chassis needs to traverse a staircase. The process includes ascending and descending the stairs. For example... Figure 7 As shown, the ladder climbing process mainly includes six stages:

[0050] Phase 1, such as Figure 7 As shown in e-1, the chassis 100 detects the stairs and selects the walking track mode. The lifting mechanism 230 extends, driving the walking track assembly 220 to descend and contact the ground, so that the walking wheel assembly 210 moves away from the ground. At the same time, the rear swing arm track falls, the front swing arm track rotates to the same angle as the inclination of the stairs, and performs the climbing action under the action of the drive device.

[0051] The second stage, such as Figure 7As shown in Figure e-2, during the climbing action, the fixed track and attitude adjustment track gradually tilt upwards. The front swing arm track adjusts its tilt angle according to the changes in the tilt angle of the fixed track and attitude adjustment track, ensuring that the front swing arm track always maintains the same tilt angle as the stairs. The rear swing arm track adjusts its tilt angle according to the changes in the tilt angle of the fixed track and attitude adjustment track, ensuring that the rear swing arm track is in contact with the ground. The front and rear swing arm tracks compensate for the grip of the fixed track and attitude adjustment track during the transition phase of climbing the stairs, ensuring that the chassis 100 can stably climb the stairs as a whole.

[0052] The third stage, such as Figure 7 As shown in Figure e-3, when the chassis 100 climbs to the slope of the stairs (the chassis 100 is located on the stair tread), the fixed tracks, attitude adjustment tracks, and front and rear swing arm tracks of the chassis 100 are all in contact with the slope of the stairs. By increasing the contact points with the slope of the stairs, the stability of the chassis 100 climbing on the slope of the stairs can be improved, preventing the chassis 100 from sliding down during the climbing process, and also ensuring that the chassis 100 can climb stairs with a large slope.

[0053] The fourth stage, such as Figure 7 As shown in Figure e-4, the chassis 100 moves from the stair section to the upper platform. First, the front swing arm track extends out of the upper platform surface along the inclined direction of the staircase. When the front swing arm track is fully extended, it rotates and forms a hook to grip the upper platform surface, providing overall support for the chassis 100. That is, it will not slide down when the contact points between the track on the chassis 100 and the inclined surface of the staircase are reduced as a whole.

[0054] The fifth stage, such as Figure 7 As shown in Figure e-5, the chassis 100 continues to climb the stairs. The attitude adjustment track extends onto the upper platform along the incline of the stairs. During the extension, the front swing arm track rotates, keeping it in a hook shape. When the front section of the fixed track reaches the upper platform, the attitude adjustment track rotates. At the same time, the rear swing arm track rotates, lifting the rear of the fixed track upward and shifting the center of gravity forward. Under the combined action of the front and rear swing arm tracks and the attitude adjustment track, the fixed track is in a suspended or semi-suspended state. Then, through the rotation of the front swing arm track and the attitude adjustment track, the center of gravity of the chassis 100 moves from the stair section to the upper platform.

[0055] The sixth stage, such as Figure 7 As shown in Figure e-6, the chassis 100 continues to move, with the front swing arm track and attitude adjustment track rotating to a flat state. The rear swing arm track then swings upwards and rotates to a flat state, thus completing the chassis 100's climbing action. During the process of the front swing arm track and attitude adjustment track rotating to a flat state, the chassis 100 will smoothly ascend the platform without experiencing severe jolting due to the shift in the chassis 100's center of gravity.

[0056] Among them, such as Figure 8 As shown, the process of descending the stairs mainly includes six stages:

[0057] Phase 1, such as Figure 8 As shown in f-1, when the chassis 100 needs to descend the stairs from the upper platform, the rear of the front swing arm track rotates and extends downwards when it reaches the edge of the stairs, until it is in the same state as the inclination angle of the stairs, forming a stable support structure.

[0058] The second stage, such as Figure 8 As shown in f-2, the chassis 100 continues to move forward, and the front swing arm track rotates with the movement of the chassis 100, so that the front end of the front swing arm track is always in contact with the stairs to form a support structure. When the end of the attitude adjustment track reaches the edge of the stairs, the attitude adjustment track rotates and extends downward until it is consistent with the inclination angle of the stairs, and continues to form a stable support structure.

[0059] The third stage, such as Figure 8 As shown in f-3, the chassis 100 continues to move forward. During this process, the front swing arm track and the attitude adjustment track rotate simultaneously, ensuring that the lower side of the front swing arm track remains in contact with the stairs. At the same time, the rear swing arm track rotates downward, lifting the rear of the chassis 100. At this point, the center of gravity of the chassis 100 shifts forward. Under the combined action of the front and rear swing arm tracks and the attitude adjustment track, the fixed track is in a suspended or semi-suspended state. Then, through the rotation of the front swing arm track and the attitude adjustment track, the center of gravity of the chassis 100 moves from the upper platform section to the stair tread section.

[0060] The fourth stage, such as Figure 8 As shown in f-4, the chassis 100 continues to move forward, and the front swing arm track and attitude adjustment track adjust the attitude so that the front swing arm track, attitude adjustment track and fixed track all contact the stair treads. At the same time, the rear swing arm track rotates to an angle corresponding to the stair and also contacts the stair treads. At this time, the chassis 100 is located on the stair treads. Under the joint support of the front and rear swing arm tracks, attitude adjustment track and fixed track, the chassis 100 moves up and down stably on the stair treads.

[0061] The fifth stage, such as Figure 8 As shown in f-5, the chassis 100 continues to move forward. When the front swing arm track reaches the lower platform, the front swing arm track rotates with the forward movement of the chassis 100 until the end of the front swing arm track reaches the lower platform. The front swing arm track provides support for the chassis 100 as a whole, preventing the chassis 100 from directly colliding with the lower platform.

[0062] The sixth stage, such as Figure 8As shown in f-6, the chassis 100 continues to move forward, and the front swing arm track adjusts the downward movement of the attitude adjustment track and the fixed track, constantly adjusting the attitude to ensure that its bottom is always in contact with the lower platform, until the end of the fixed track reaches the lower platform. The rear swing arm track rotates until the end of the fixed track contacts the lower platform, thus completing the ladder-down action.

[0063] In this utility model, the walking wheel set 210 includes wheel set units 225 symmetrically arranged on both sides of the chassis 100.

[0064] In one embodiment, six wheel units 225 are provided, symmetrically fixed in pairs on both sides of the chassis 100. Of course, the number of wheel units 225 can be increased or decreased according to actual needs. For example, setting eight wheel units 225 can increase the load-bearing capacity of the chassis 100 in the walking wheel mode. When the load-bearing requirements of the chassis 100 are not high, four wheel units 225 can be set. This utility model does not impose a specific limitation on the specific number of walking wheels 210. The wheel units 225 are symmetrically fixed in pairs on both sides of the chassis 100. This utility model does not impose a specific limitation on the number of wheel units 225; the specific number is selected and confirmed according to actual needs.

[0065] Based on the improvements to the above embodiments, in another embodiment of this utility model, a suspension mechanism 226 is provided between the wheel assembly unit 225 and the chassis 100. The suspension here can be in a vertical or oblique direction, that is, the suspension mechanism 226 is fixedly installed on the chassis 100, and the wheel assembly unit 225 is fixedly installed on the suspension mechanism 226. The wheel assembly unit 225 can bounce up and down based on the force applied to the elastic element on the suspension mechanism 226. By setting up the suspension, the shock absorption effect of the chassis 100 can be improved, especially during start-up and emergency braking, effectively mitigating the effects of inertia and improving the stability of the chassis 100 during operation.

[0066] The wheel assembly unit 225 in the above embodiment includes a wheel, a hub motor mounted on the wheel, a brake component mounted on the wheel for controlling wheel braking, and a steering component. The brake component controls the tightening of brake pads to achieve wheel braking, parking, and energy reduction. The steering component includes a reduction gearbox connected to the wheel and a steering servo connected to the reduction gearbox via a piston rod. The output shaft of the steering servo is vertically oriented. The wheel assembly unit 225, the brake component, and the steering component are all electrically connected to a controller. By setting up the steering component, the output shaft of the steering servo drives the wheel to rotate around the vertical axis, enabling the wheel assembly unit 225 to rotate at different angles on complex road surfaces to cope with complex road conditions. This gives the chassis 100 excellent off-road capability and stability. Furthermore, by setting up cantilever support for the chassis 100, the reliability and durability of the suspension mechanism 226 in harsh terrain and environments are ensured.

[0067] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the track assembly of the walking track group 220 is disposed between the wheel assembly units 225 on both sides of the chassis 100. By disposing of the track assembly of the walking track group 220 between the wheel assembly units 225 on both sides of the chassis 100, the space occupied by the track assembly can be effectively reduced. Of course, the track assembly of the walking track group 220 can also be disposed on the outside of the wheel assembly unit 225. By increasing the width distance between the track assemblies on both sides, the stability of operation in the walking track travel mode can be improved.

[0068] The lifting mechanism 230 in this utility model also includes a limiting mechanism, which is used to constrain the movement direction of the walking wheel assembly 210 and the walking track assembly 220 when their vertical positions are switched.

[0069] In one embodiment of this utility model, the limiting mechanism is a sleeve structure, and the lifting drive is located inside the sleeve structure. The sleeve structure protects the lifting drive and prevents it from being exposed. At the same time, the sleeve structure also plays a role in stabilizing and limiting the movement. The first sleeve of the sleeve structure is fixedly connected to the support box, and the second sleeve of the sleeve structure is fixedly connected to the upper support frame of the chassis 100. The first sleeve is fitted inside the second sleeve. Thus, when the limiting mechanism is in the retracted state (the track assembly 220 is suspended) or in the extended state (the track assembly 220 is in use), the second sleeve constrains the first sleeve, ensuring that the track assembly 220 will not swing back and forth or left and right relative to the upper support frame of the chassis 100 in the above two states. This improves the stability of the chassis 100 in both the wheel travel mode and the track travel mode.

[0070] To facilitate understanding, a specific case study will be provided below to illustrate the working method of the wheel-track composite chassis.

[0071] For example, an inspection device is mounted on the chassis 100 for the inspection of aviation fuel depots. The aviation fuel depots have ramps and overpasses to avoid pipelines, and staircases are provided at both ends of the overpasses for staff to pass through.

[0072] By planning the fixed-point inspection route, the inspection route passes through flat sections, sloping sections, and overpass sections. For example, the specific inspection route is: First flat section → First sloping section (slope of 10°) → Second flat section → Overpass section → Third flat section → Second sloping section (slope of 30°) → First flat section.

[0073] The chassis 100 of the inspection robot is initially in the walking wheel mode. Upon receiving the inspection command, based on the planned inspection route, the robot identifies the current road segment as the first flat section through the terrain recognition device on the inspection device, confirms the selection of the walking wheel mode, and the inspection robot drives directly on the flat section to perform the inspection work.

[0074] When the inspection robot reaches the front of the first slope section, the terrain recognition device on the inspection device identifies the pre-passage section as the first slope section, confirms the selection of the walking wheel passage mode, and continues to perform the inspection work.

[0075] After the inspection robot passes through the first slope section, the terrain recognition device on the inspection device identifies the pre-pass section as the second flat section, confirms the selection of the walking wheel passage mode, and continues to perform the inspection work.

[0076] When the inspection robot reaches the front of the overpass section, the terrain recognition device on the inspection device identifies the pre-passage section as the staircase section of the overpass, confirms the selection of the non-tracked walking mode, and the lifting mechanism 230 extends, causing the walking track assembly 220 to descend and make contact with the ground. The walking wheel assembly 210 is lifted away from the ground. At the same time, the rear swing arm track descends, the front swing arm track rotates to a state consistent with the inclination angle of the stairs, and the inspection device retracts, lowering the center of gravity height. The selected walking track mode is confirmed, and the climbing action is executed. During the climbing motion, the fixed track and attitude adjustment track gradually tilt upwards. The front swing arm track adjusts its tilt angle according to the changes in the tilt angle of the fixed track and attitude adjustment track, ensuring that the front swing arm track always maintains the same tilt angle as the stairs. The rear swing arm track adjusts its tilt angle according to the changes in the tilt angle of the fixed track and attitude adjustment track, and the rear swing arm track moves in contact with the ground. When the inspection robot climbs to the slope of the stairs (the entire inspection robot is located on the stair plate), the fixed track, attitude adjustment track, and front and rear swing arm tracks of the inspection robot chassis 100 activate. All contact with the inclined surface of the stairs continue the inspection work on the stair treads; the chassis 100 of the inspection robot moves from the stair treads to the upper surface of the overpass. First, the front swing arm track extends out of the upper surface of the overpass along the inclined direction of the stairs. When the front swing arm track is fully extended, it rotates, forming a hook shape to grip the upper surface of the overpass; the inspection robot continues to climb the stairs, adjusting its posture as the track extends out of the upper surface of the overpass along the inclined direction of the stairs. During the extension process, the front swing arm track rotates accordingly, keeping the front swing arm track in a hook shape at all times. When the front section of the fixed track reaches the upper surface of the overpass... The attitude adjustment track rotates, and at the same time, the rear swing arm track rotates, lifting the rear of the fixed track upwards and shifting the center of gravity forward. Under the combined action of the front and rear swing arm tracks and the attitude adjustment track, the fixed track is in a suspended or semi-suspended state. Then, through the rotation of the front swing arm track and the attitude adjustment track, the center of gravity of the chassis 100 is moved from the stair tread to the upper surface of the overpass. The inspection robot continues to move, and the front swing arm track and the attitude adjustment track rotate to a flat state. The rear swing arm track then swings upwards and rotates to a flat state. In this way, the chassis 100 completes the climbing action.

[0077] After the climbing action is completed, the terrain recognition device on the inspection device identifies the pre-passage section as a flat section on the overpass, confirms the selection of the walking wheel passage mode, and the non-walking wheel passage mode is selected. The lifting mechanism 230 retracts, driving the walking track assembly 220 to rise as a whole and move away from the ground. The walking wheel assembly 210 abuts against the upper surface of the overpass, confirms the selection of the walking wheel passage mode, the inspection device extends, and the inspection robot continues to perform the inspection work.

[0078] When the inspection robot reaches the end of the overpass section, the terrain recognition device on the inspection device identifies the pre-passage section as the lower section of the overpass. It confirms the selection of the tracked travel mode, switching to the non-tracked travel mode. The lifting mechanism 230 extends, causing the tracked assembly 220 to descend and contact the ground of the overpass. The wheel assembly 210 is lifted away from the ground. Simultaneously, the rear swing arm track descends, and the inspection device retracts to lower its height. Confirming the selection of the tracked travel mode, the rear of the front swing arm track rotates and extends downwards when it reaches the edge of the stairs, until it reaches... The staircase inclination angle remains consistent. The inspection robot continues to move forward, while the front swing arm track rotates with the chassis 100, ensuring that the front end of the front swing arm track remains in contact with the staircase, forming a support structure. When the end of the attitude adjustment track reaches the edge of the staircase, the attitude adjustment track rotates and extends downward until it reaches the same inclination angle as the staircase. The inspection robot continues to move forward, during which time the front swing arm track and the attitude adjustment track rotate simultaneously, ensuring that the lower side of the front swing arm track remains in contact with the staircase. At the same time, the rear swing arm track moves downward... The robot rotates, lifting the rear of chassis 100. At this point, the center of gravity of chassis 100 shifts forward. Under the combined action of the front and rear swing arm tracks and the attitude adjustment tracks, the fixed track is in a suspended or semi-suspended state. Then, through the rotation of the front swing arm tracks and the attitude adjustment tracks, the center of gravity of the inspection robot moves from the upper surface of the overpass to the stair treads. The inspection robot continues to move forward, and the front swing arm tracks and attitude adjustment tracks adjust their attitude so that they, along with the fixed track, are in contact with the stair treads. Simultaneously, the rear swing arm tracks rotate... The robot moves to an angle corresponding to the staircase and contacts the stair treads. The inspection robot continues to move forward. When the front swing arm track reaches the ground, the front swing arm track rotates with the robot's forward movement until the end of the front swing arm track reaches the ground. The inspection robot continues to move forward, and the front swing arm track adjusts its posture continuously to ensure that its bottom is always in contact with the ground, as the attitude adjustment track and the fixed track move downward, until the end of the fixed track reaches the ground. The rear swing arm track rotates until the end of the fixed track contacts the ground, thus completing the descent.

[0079] When the inspection robot reaches the overpass section, the terrain recognition device on the inspection device identifies the pre-pass section as the third flat section, confirms the selection of the walking wheel passage mode, and selects the non-walking wheel passage mode. The lifting mechanism 230 retracts, driving the walking track assembly 220 to rise as a whole and move away from the ground. The walking wheel assembly 210 comes into contact with the ground. At the same time, the inspection device extends, and the inspection robot continues to perform the inspection work.

[0080] When the inspection robot reaches the front of the second slope section, the terrain recognition device on the inspection device identifies the pre-passage section as the second slope section, confirms the selection of the tracked travel mode, and selects the non-tracked travel mode. The lifting mechanism 230 extends, driving the tracked assembly 220 to descend and make contact with the ground. The tracked wheel assembly 210 is lifted away from the ground. At the same time, the rear swing arm track falls, the front swing arm track rotates to the same angle as the slope, and the inspection device retracts to lower the center of gravity. The tracked travel mode is confirmed to be selected, and the slope crossing action is performed. The front and rear swing arm tracks rotate to fit with the slope surface or the ground respectively, moving forward to complete the slope crossing action.

[0081] After the inspection robot passes the second ramp section, the terrain recognition device on the inspection device identifies the pre-pass section as the first flat section, confirms the selection of the walking wheel passage mode, and then the non-walking wheel passage mode. The lifting mechanism 230 retracts, driving the walking track assembly 220 to rise as a whole and move away from the ground. The walking wheel assembly 210 comes into contact with the ground, confirms the selection of the walking wheel passage mode, extends the inspection device, and the inspection robot continues to perform the inspection work.

[0082] In this way, the inspection robot completes one inspection of the aviation fuel depot.

[0083] Of course, the wheel-track composite chassis of this invention can also be used on other complex terrains, including combinations of flat ground, gravel ground, ditch ground, sloping ground, and steps. By mounting robot bodies with different functions on this chassis 100, the robot can adapt to various complex terrains, ensuring that the robot can complete various tasks on complex terrains.

[0084] The embodiments of this utility model described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A wheel-track composite chassis, comprising a chassis and a walking mechanism mounted on the chassis, characterized in that, The walking mechanism includes a walking wheel set, a walking track set, and a lifting mechanism. The lifting mechanism is used to drive the walking wheel set and the walking track set to change their vertical positions so that the chassis can switch between the walking wheel travel mode and the walking track travel mode. The walking track assembly includes, The support member is fixedly connected to the output end of the lifting mechanism; and A set of fixed track assemblies is fixedly connected to the support member; and A set of attitude-adjustable track assemblies, one end of which is connected to the support member and is capable of rotating relative to the support member; and Two sets of swing arm track assemblies are respectively installed at one end of the fixed track assembly and the other end of the attitude adjustment track assembly, and are respectively capable of rotating relative to the fixed track assembly and relative to the attitude adjustment track assembly.

2. The wheel-track composite chassis according to claim 1, characterized in that, The center of gravity of the chassis is located between the attitude adjustment track assembly and the fixed track assembly.

3. The wheel-track composite chassis according to claim 1, characterized in that, The walking wheel set includes wheel units symmetrically arranged on both sides of the chassis.

4. The wheel-track composite chassis according to claim 3, characterized in that, A suspension mechanism is provided between the wheel assembly unit and the chassis.

5. A wheel-track composite chassis according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The wheel assembly unit includes a wheel, a hub motor mounted on the wheel, a brake assembly mounted on the wheel for braking the wheel, and a steering assembly for controlling the steering of the wheel.

6. The wheel-track composite chassis according to claim 3, characterized in that, The track assembly of the walking track group is located between the wheel units on both sides of the chassis.

7. The wheel-track composite chassis according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism includes a limiting mechanism, which is used to constrain the movement direction of the walking wheel assembly and the walking track assembly when their vertical positions are switched.

8. A robot, characterized in that, It includes a robot body and a wheel-track composite chassis as described in any one of claims 1-7, wherein the robot body is mounted on the wheel-track composite chassis.

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