A pipe inspection robot retraction mechanism

Abstract

The utility model provides a pipeline inspection robot's mechanism of pulling back, including support, both sides top middle upper end surface of support all are fixedly connected with mounting panel, fixedly connected with bearing seat in mounting panel, and the bearing seat of both sides is connected with the shaft of reel rotation respectively, and the reel is coiled with the pull back rope on, the front end of support is provided with cleaning assembly, passes through the pull back rope's leading out section to pass through cleaning assembly to remove the pipeline inside rubbish that adheres on the pull back rope, the utility model discloses, through setting up the cleaning assembly that constitutes by fixed plate and brush ring, let the pull back rope leading out section pass through from the brush ring center, utilize the nylon brush hair of brush ring inner wall dense to carry out the continuous scratch cleaning of the pull back rope surface in the process of retraction, can remove the impurity such as silt, dust, rubbish and so on that adhere to the surface, make the pull back rope that retracts keep without impurity on the reel, do not affect the fluency of retraction action, avoid the impurity abrasion pull back rope or damage reel parts simultaneously, prolong the service life of mechanism.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of pipeline robot pull-back structure technology, specifically a pull-back mechanism for a pipeline inspection robot. Background Technology

[0002] Pipeline inspection robots are intelligent devices specifically designed for inspecting the inside of pipelines. They are typically equipped with cameras, sensors, and other components, and can move autonomously or semi-autonomously within various pipelines such as water supply, gas, and drainage systems. They enable real-time detection and data feedback of defects such as corrosion, cracks, and blockages on the inner walls of pipelines, and are one of the core pieces of equipment to ensure the safe operation of pipelines.

[0003] In actual operation, the internal environment of pipelines is complex, often containing various impurities such as mud, rust debris, and silt. When the robot returns under its own power, impurities can easily cause the drive wheel to get stuck or become entangled in the transmission components, leading to malfunctions. While traditional pull-back structures can pull the robot back using a pull rope, the surface of the pull rope easily becomes covered with mud, dust, rust particles, and sticky impurities from inside the pipeline as it goes deeper into the pipeline. These attached impurities become entangled on the reel after the pull rope is wound up, causing the pull rope to become disordered, overlapping, and knotted, affecting the smoothness of subsequent winding and unwinding operations. On the other hand, impurities entering the fit gap between the reel and the shaft or inside the bearing housing can accelerate component wear and even cause the transmission structure to jam, reducing the service life and operational reliability of the pull-back structure. In severe cases, it may prevent the robot from being retrieved in time, increasing operational risks and costs. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a pull-back mechanism for a pipeline inspection robot to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A pull-back mechanism for a pipeline inspection robot includes:

[0007] The bracket has mounting plates fixedly connected to the top center of both sides of the bracket. Bearing seats are fixedly connected inside the mounting plates. The bearing seats on both sides are rotatably connected to the shaft of the reel. A pull-back rope is wound on the reel. A motor is fixedly connected to the outside of one mounting plate. The output end of the motor is connected to the shaft for driving the reel to rotate and realize the automatic winding and unwinding of the pull-back rope. A handle is set on the outside of the other mounting plate. The handle is fixedly connected to the shaft for manually driving the reel to rotate, which is suitable for emergency recovery or power-free scenarios.

[0008] The front end of the bracket is equipped with a cleaning component, which removes pipe debris attached to the pull-back rope by passing the lead-out section of the pull-back rope through the cleaning component.

[0009] Preferably, the cleaning component includes a fixing plate and a brush ring. The fixing plate is fixed to the front end face of the top of the support rod by bolts. A connecting part is welded to the rear end face of the bottom of the support rod. The connecting part wraps around the bottom bend angle I of the bracket, and the connecting part has a bend angle II that is the same angle as bend angle I. This is used to automatically align the connecting part with the screw hole when it is put into place, and to ensure that the installation height on both sides is consistent, thereby improving the stability of the connection.

[0010] Preferably, the brush ring has ears fixedly connected to both sides, and the fixing plate has a mounting through hole in the center, into which the brush ring is inserted.

[0011] Preferably, the mounting through hole has ear grooves on both sides that do not penetrate the fixing plate. The size of the ear grooves is adapted to the size of the ear. The brush ring is fixed by a fixing bolt passing through the ear and the ear groove, which is used to quickly position the brush ring and prevent the brush ring from being installed backwards.

[0012] Preferably, the inner wall of the brush ring is fixedly connected with brush bristles, and the lead-out section of the pull-back rope passes through the center of the brush ring, which is used to remove impurities such as mud and dust attached to the surface of the pull-back rope by brushing during the pull-back rope retraction and extension process.

[0013] Preferably, the top end of the lead-out section is connected to the end of the fixing hook via a thread, and the side of the fixing hook is provided with an elastic buckle for quick engagement and fixation with the pipeline robot, thereby improving connection efficiency.

[0014] Preferably, the fixing hook and the fixing ring are hooked together, and the end of the fixing ring is fixedly connected to the end of the pipeline robot, so as to realize the detachable connection between the pull-back rope and the pipeline robot.

[0015] Preferably, the top of the bracket is provided with a handle for convenient handling of the entire pull-back mechanism. The handle is a straight rod with connecting rods fixedly welded to both ends. The bottom of the left connecting rod is the left connecting foot, and the bottom of the right connecting rod is the right connecting foot. The left connecting foot is fixedly connected to the front end of the left mounting plate, and the right connecting foot is fixedly connected to the rear end of the right mounting plate. This makes the handle obliquely avoid the mounting plate area in the middle of the bracket, and also aligns the force point of the handle with the center of gravity of the mechanism, ensuring that the device remains balanced when lifted.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0017] This invention utilizes a cleaning assembly consisting of a fixed plate and a brush ring. The pull-back rope lead-out section passes through the center of the brush ring, and the dense nylon bristles on the inner wall of the brush ring continuously scrape and clean the surface of the pull-back rope during the winding and unwinding process. This removes impurities such as mud, dust, and garbage from the surface, ensuring that the wound pull-back rope remains free of impurities on the reel, thus not affecting the smoothness of the winding action. At the same time, it prevents impurities from wearing down the pull-back rope or damaging the reel components, extending the service life of the mechanism.

[0018] This invention features a dual-drive mode consisting of a motor and a handle. The motor enables automated and precise retraction and extension of the pull-back rope, improving operational efficiency and convenience. The manual handle, on the other hand, drives the reel to rotate in emergency recovery or power-free scenarios, ensuring the pipeline robot can be reliably recovered. This significantly enhances the adaptability and safety of the entire system under complex working conditions.

[0019] This utility model, by setting a structurally compatible cleaning component connecting part, has its inner bend angle II consistent with the bottom bend angle I of the bracket, so that the connecting part can automatically align with the screw hole when it is put on, ensuring that the cleaning component is installed and positioned quickly and accurately, and that the installation height on both sides is consistent, which improves the connection stability and structural symmetry, and reduces the difficulty of installation and debugging. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 2 This utility model Figure 1 Another perspective 3D illustration;

[0022] Figure 3 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the pull-back rope lead-out section and the fixing hook passing through the brush ring of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the brush ring and fixing plate of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the installation and fixing of the brush ring and the fixing plate of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the installation of the fixing plate and bracket of this utility model.

[0026] In the diagram: 1. Bracket; 101. Mounting plate; 102. Angle I; 2. Connecting rod; 201. Left connecting foot; 202. Right connecting foot; 3. Handle; 4. Motor; 5. Handle; 6. Fixing plate; 601. Mounting through hole; 602. Ear groove; 7. Support rod; 701. Connecting part; 702. Angle II; 8. Brush ring; 802. Fixing bolt; 801. Ear; 9. Reel; 10. Pull-back rope; 11. Lead-out section; 12. Fixing hook; 1201. Elastic buckle; 13. Fixing ring. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0028] Example:

[0029] Please see Figures 1 to 6 This utility model provides a technical solution:

[0030] A pull-back mechanism for a pipeline inspection robot includes a support 1, a reel 9, and a cleaning assembly, providing a reliable retrieval method for the pipeline inspection robot.

[0031] At the top center of both sides of the bracket 1, mounting plates 101 are firmly fixedly connected to their upper surfaces (e.g., ...). Figure 1 (As shown). Mounting plate 101 not only provides a stable mounting base for other components, but also has a high-precision bearing housing fixedly connected inside. The bearing housings on both sides work together to form a rotatable connection with a reel 9 for winding the pull-back rope 10, ensuring that the reel 9 can rotate smoothly and efficiently.

[0032] In this embodiment, in order to achieve automatic winding and unwinding of the pull-back rope 10, a drive motor 4 is fixedly connected to the outside of the mounting plate 101 on one side. The output end of the motor 4 is tightly connected to the rotating shaft of the reel 9 through a suitable transmission method such as a coupling, so as to accurately drive the reel 9 to rotate, realize the automatic winding and unwinding of the pull-back rope 10, and improve the work efficiency and convenience.

[0033] Meanwhile, considering emergency situations or special scenarios without power, a manual operating handle 5 is specially installed on the outside of the mounting plate 101 on the other side. The handle 5 is fixedly connected to the shaft of the reel 9, and the operator can manually turn the handle 5 to drive the reel 9 to rotate. This ensures that the robot can still be reliably pulled back in case of emergency robot retrieval or power outage, thus improving the adaptability of the entire system.

[0034] It should be noted that motor 4 is fixedly connected to mounting plate 101 via a motor 4 mounting base (not shown in the figure). This motor 4 mounting base is made of bent steel plate, with pre-drilled mounting holes on its surface matching the mounting plate 101 and the motor 4 base. Fastening bolts pass sequentially through the motor 4 base, the motor 4 mounting base, and the mounting plate 101, ensuring a secure and evenly distributed installation of motor 4 and effectively reducing vibration transmission during operation. In this embodiment, the preferred drive motor 4 is a 57BYG250H hybrid stepper motor 4. This model of motor 4 features high torque, high control precision, and stable operation, accurately matching the speed and force requirements of the pull-back rope 10. It is equipped with control buttons, allowing operators to manually control the forward and reverse rotation of motor 4 to correspond to the pull-back rope 10's winding and unwinding, and flexibly adjust the motor 4 speed according to operational needs. Motor 4 is connected to a 12V DC power module via an aviation plug. The power module can be connected to mains power or a portable lithium battery pack to meet the power supply requirements of different operational scenarios. The specific connection circuit and control logic of this model of motor 4 have been disclosed in existing relevant technical documents and patents. Its structural principle is mature and need not be elaborated here.

[0035] A cleaning component (such as...) is specially designed for the front end of bracket 1. Figure 4 (As shown). After being led out of the reel 9, the lead-out section 11 of the pull-back rope 10 first passes through the cleaning assembly to remove debris, silt, and other impurities from the pipes adhering to the surface of the pull-back rope 10 during the winding and unwinding process.

[0036] The cleaning assembly mainly consists of a fixing plate 6 and a brush ring 8. The fixing plate 6 is detachably fixed to the top front face of the two support rods 7 by fastening bolts. A connecting part 701 is welded to the bottom rear face of the support rod 7. The shape of this connecting part 701 can tightly wrap around a bend I 102 at the bottom of the bracket 1. Furthermore, the inner side of the connecting part 701 is machined with a bend II 702 that is exactly the same angle as bend I 102 (e.g., ...). Figure 6 (As shown).

[0037] In this embodiment, when the connecting part 701 is fitted into the bend I102 at the bottom of the bracket 1, it can automatically align with the preset screw hole, thereby quickly and accurately completing the positioning and installation of the cleaning component. At the same time, this structure also ensures that the installation height of the cleaning component remains consistent on both sides of the bracket 1, effectively improving the stability of the connection and the symmetry of the structure.

[0038] The brush ring 8 is symmetrically and fixedly connected to the ears 801 (e.g., ears 801). Figure 5As shown, this is used to assist in installation and fixation. A mounting through hole 601, matching the outer diameter of the brush ring 8, is provided at the center of the fixing plate 6, through which the brush ring 8 can be inserted. To achieve quick positioning of the brush ring 8 and prevent it from being installed backwards during installation, ear grooves 602, which do not penetrate the thickness of the fixing plate 6, are also provided on both sides of the mounting through hole 601. The dimensions of these ear grooves 602 match the dimensions of the ear portion 801 of the brush ring 8.

[0039] In this embodiment, when installing the brush ring 8, simply align the ear 801 of the brush ring 8 with and insert it into the ear groove 602, and then use the fixing bolt 802 to pass through the reserved holes on the ear 801 and ear groove 602 to firmly fix the brush ring 8 to the fixing plate 6. This simplifies the installation process and ensures the stability of the brush ring 8 during operation. Dense bristles are fixedly connected to the inner wall of the brush ring 8, and the lead-out section 11 of the pull-back rope 10 passes through the center of the brush ring 8. During the entire process of the pull-back rope 10 being wound up and down, the bristles can continuously scrape and sweep the surface of the pull-back rope 10, effectively removing attached mud, sand, dust and impurities, ensuring the cleanliness and smooth movement of the pull-back rope 10, and keeping the winding action of the reel 9 around the pull-back rope 10 smooth.

[0040] It should be noted that the outer circumference of the brush ring 8 is a rigid plastic ring, and the inner side is fixed with nylon bristles arranged in a ring array by a high-strength adhesive. The bristle material has excellent wear resistance and elastic recovery, which can ensure the cleaning effect while avoiding damage to the surface of the pull cord 10. The plastic ring and the two side ears 801 are integrally injection molded from ABS engineering plastic, with strong overall structure, which can effectively withstand the pre-tightening force during installation and the reaction force when the bristles are working, ensuring the structural stability and reliability during long-term use.

[0041] The top end of the pull-back rope 10 lead-out section 11 is fixedly connected to the end of the fixing hook 12 by a threaded connection. An elastic buckle 1201 is provided on the side of the fixing hook 12. This elastic buckle 1201 is designed to quickly engage and fix with the corresponding structure on the pipeline robot, thereby improving the efficiency of the connection operation.

[0042] The fixing hook 12 is engaged with a fixing ring 13. The end of the fixing ring 13 is securely connected to the end of the pipe robot. This engagement of the fixing hook 12 and the fixing ring 13 enables a detachable connection between the pull-back rope 10 and the pipe robot. This connection method ensures stability and safety during towing and facilitates quick separation of the pull-back mechanism from the robot when not needed.

[0043] The top of the bracket 1 is provided with a handle 3. The handle 3 is a straight rod of sufficient strength, with connecting rods 2 fixedly welded to both ends. The bottom of the left connecting rod 2 forms a left connecting foot 201, and the bottom of the right connecting rod 2 forms a right connecting foot 202. The left connecting foot 201 is fixedly connected to the front end of the left mounting plate 101, while the right connecting foot 202 is fixedly connected to the rear end of the right mounting plate 101 (e.g., ...). Figure 1 (As shown). The asymmetrical installation method makes the handle 3 appear angled, avoiding the area where the mounting plate 101 and reel 9 are located in the middle of the bracket 1, thus preventing interference during handling. This allows the main stress point of the handle 3 to be roughly aligned with the center of gravity of the entire pull-back mechanism. In this way, when the operator lifts the mechanism, the device can naturally maintain balance, effectively preventing tilting or tipping, and improving the convenience and safety during handling.

[0044] In use, the pull-back mechanism is first placed on a stable surface near the pipe inlet, ensuring the support 1 is secure. Then, the operator quickly engages the fixing hook 12 at the front end of the pull-back rope 10 lead-out section 11 with the fixing ring 13 at the end of the pipe robot. When the pipe robot enters the pipe for inspection, the drive motor 4 automatically releases the pull-back rope 10 as needed. When the robot completes its work or needs to be retrieved, the motor 4 reverses direction to retract the rope. At this time, the brush ring 8 in the cleaning component cleans the surface of the pull-back rope 10 in real time, removing any attached impurities. In case of emergency or power outage, the operator can manually rotate the handle 5 to retrieve the robot. During transport, the operator can easily move the entire mechanism using the handle 3 on the top of the support 1.

[0045] All other parts of this utility model not described herein are the same as existing technologies, or are known technologies, or can be implemented using existing technologies, and will not be described in detail here.

[0046] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A pull-back mechanism for a pipeline inspection robot, characterized in that, include: The bracket (1) has mounting plates (101) fixedly connected to the upper middle surface of both sides of the bracket (1). The mounting plates (101) have bearing seats fixedly connected inside. The bearing seats on both sides are rotatably connected to the shaft of the reel (9). The reel (9) has a pull-back rope (10) wound on it. The mounting plate (101) on one side is fixedly connected to a motor (4). The output end of the motor (4) is connected to the shaft for transmission, and is used to drive the reel (9) to rotate to realize the automatic winding and unwinding of the pull-back rope (10). The mounting plate (101) on the other side is provided with a handle (5). The handle (5) is fixedly connected to the shaft for manually driving the reel (9) to rotate, which is suitable for emergency recycling or power outage scenarios. The front end of the bracket (1) is provided with a cleaning component, which removes the pipe debris attached to the pull-back rope (10) by passing the lead-out section (11) of the pull-back rope (10) through the cleaning component.

2. The pull-back mechanism of a pipeline inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cleaning assembly includes a fixing plate (6) and a brush ring (8). The fixing plate (6) is fixed to the top front face of the support rod (7) by bolts. The bottom rear face of the support rod (7) is welded with a connecting part (701). The connecting part (701) wraps around the bottom angle I (102) of the bracket (1), and the connecting part (701) has an angle II (702) that is consistent with the angle of angle I (102).

3. The pull-back mechanism of a pipeline inspection robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The brush ring (8) is fixedly connected to ears (801) on both sides, and the fixing plate (6) has an installation through hole (601) in the center, into which the brush ring (8) is inserted.

4. The pull-back mechanism of a pipeline inspection robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The mounting through hole (601) has ear grooves (602) on both sides that do not penetrate the fixing plate (6). The size of the ear groove (602) is adapted to the size of the ear (801). The brush ring (8) is fixed by passing the fixing bolt (802) through the ear (801) and the ear groove (602).

5. The pull-back mechanism of a pipeline inspection robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The inner wall of the brush ring (8) is fixedly connected with brush bristles, and the lead-out section (11) of the pull-back rope (10) passes through the center of the brush ring (8).

6. The pull-back mechanism of a pipeline inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top end of the lead-out section (11) is connected to the end of the fixing hook (12) by a thread, and the side of the fixing hook (12) is provided with an elastic buckle (1201).

7. The pull-back mechanism of a pipeline inspection robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The fixed hook (12) is hooked and engaged with the fixed ring (13), and the end of the fixed ring (13) is fixedly connected to the end of the pipeline robot.

8. The pull-back mechanism of a pipeline inspection robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the bracket (1) is provided with a handle (3), which is a straight rod. Both ends of the handle (3) are fixedly welded with connecting rods (2). The bottom of the left connecting rod (2) is the left connecting foot (201), and the bottom of the right connecting rod (2) is the right connecting foot (202). The left connecting foot (201) is fixedly connected to the front end of the left mounting plate (101), and the right connecting foot (202) is fixedly connected to the rear end of the right mounting plate (101).

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