Modular automated trim tank system for a floatering platform

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of floating operation platform, more specifically relates to a kind of modularization automatic balancing water tank system for floating operation platform, it is suitable for with balloon as buoyancy carrier, applied to the complex operation equipment of fruit picking, aerial patrol, emergency rescue etc. Scene. The system includes circular pod and the modularization water tank assembly arranged in the pod, the modularization water tank assembly is connected by the series connection of multiple flat cylindrical structure water tank units, each water tank unit is equipped with water inlet, water outlet and exhaust port, the water inlet is located in the top center position of water tank unit flat cylinder, the water outlet is located in the bottom center position of water tank unit, and the exhaust port is located in the left side of the center of water tank unit. According to the real-time weight change of pod, and combined with the adjustment of solenoid valve, the water in water tank is appropriately discharged, so that the buoyancy of balloon in operation process is always balanced with the gravity of pod.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of floating operation platform technology, specifically to a modular automatic balancing water tank system for floating operation platforms, which is particularly suitable for composite operation equipment that uses balloons as buoyancy carriers and is applied to scenarios such as fruit picking, aerial inspection, and emergency rescue. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of agricultural modernization, intelligent emergency rescue, and aerial monitoring technology, aerobatic platforms using balloons as buoyancy carriers and combined with propeller power are increasingly widely used in fruit harvesting, aerial patrols, and emergency rescue due to their advantages such as low-altitude operation, flexible movement, and lower cost. During the operation of an aerobatic platform, platform stability is the core prerequisite for ensuring operational safety and accuracy. The key to platform stability lies in the dynamic balance between the balloon's buoyancy and the overall weight of the aerobatic platform. Only when buoyancy and gravity maintain a stable balance can problems such as platform tilting and abnormal lifting be avoided, ensuring smooth operation. Currently, the industry mainly uses two traditional technical solutions for balancing aerobatic platforms: one is pod counterweight adjustment, which involves adding or removing counterweights such as metal blocks or sandbags into the pod to adjust the balloon's buoyancy and the pod's weight to an initial equilibrium state before operation; the other is airbag buoyancy adjustment, which involves filling or expelling gas (such as helium or air) into the balloon's airbag to change the airbag volume and adjust the buoyancy, thereby achieving initial balance. However, both of these traditional solutions have obvious technical limitations in practical applications and are difficult to adapt to the needs of dynamic operation scenarios.

[0003] The pod counterweight adjustment scheme is essentially a static balancing method, which can only be balanced once before operation. During operation, the total weight of the pod increases as the work progresses: for example, in fruit picking, the harvested fruit accumulates in the pod, causing its weight to gradually increase; in emergency rescue operations, the weight increases instantaneously when the platform carries rescue personnel or supplies; even in routine aerial patrol operations, temporary equipment startup and battery consumption can cause slight weight fluctuations. When the pod weight increases, the initial balance is broken. If traditional counterweight methods are used for adjustment, it requires manual pausing of work and high-altitude operations to add or remove counterweights, which is not only extremely inefficient but also poses serious safety hazards. Real-time dynamic balancing is impossible, resulting in the platform being unstable for most of the operation period. This can range from affecting picking accuracy and patrol image clarity to causing the platform to tilt, lose control, and threaten stability. Equipment and personnel safety.

[0004] While theoretically, airbag buoyancy adjustment can be dynamically achieved by changing the airbag's buoyancy, its effectiveness is limited by technical principles and equipment structure. Firstly, the airbag material has limited strength, and its volume changes slowly during inflation or deflation, resulting in a lag in buoyancy adjustment response and an inability to promptly match rapid changes in pod weight. Secondly, the precision of airbag buoyancy adjustment is difficult to control; the inflation and deflation process is easily affected by external environmental factors such as air pressure and temperature. Even small changes in gas volume can cause significant fluctuations in buoyancy, exacerbating platform instability. Furthermore, frequent adjustments to the airbag volume accelerate the aging of the airbag material, shorten its lifespan, and increase equipment maintenance costs.

[0005] To address the shortcomings of traditional balancing solutions, some researchers have attempted to introduce a water tank as a dynamic balancing component. By utilizing the fluidity and weight controllability of water, the total weight of the gondola can be adjusted by draining water from the tank, thereby matching the buoyancy of the balloon. However, existing water tank balancing structures still have many technical shortcomings, failing to achieve ideal balancing results: First, the water tank structure design is unreasonable, mostly being a single, non-separable type with a fixed volume, making it impossible to flexibly adjust the total volume of the water tank according to the balancing needs of different operating scenarios (such as operating time and weight variation range), resulting in poor applicability; Second, the connection between water tanks lacks a reliable sealing structure, and water leakage is prone to occur when using simple splicing methods, leading to deviations in balancing weight calculations and affecting balancing accuracy; Third, the liquid level monitoring and control mechanism is imperfect, lacking accurate high and low liquid level sensors, making it impossible to monitor changes in water volume in the water tank in real time, resulting in the controller being unable to obtain the key data required for balancing in a timely manner, and drainage adjustment exhibiting lag, making it difficult to achieve dynamic and accurate balancing; Finally, the air passage design of the water tank has defects, making it difficult for internal air to be smoothly discharged during water injection, easily creating air resistance that hinders water flow and reduces water injection efficiency, and easily forming negative pressure inside during drainage, causing the water tank wall to deform due to pressure difference, which not only affects the structural stability of the water tank but may also damage internal components and shorten the overall service life of the equipment.

[0006] In summary, current balancing technology for aerial work platforms still faces problems such as insufficient dynamic adjustment capabilities, low operational efficiency, and poor structural reliability. It cannot meet the requirements for platform stability and operational accuracy in scenarios such as fruit harvesting, aerial inspection, and emergency rescue. Therefore, developing a balancing system that can achieve dynamic and precise balancing, has a flexible and reliable structure, and can adapt to various operational scenarios has become a key issue that urgently needs to be addressed in the field of aerial work platform technology. Utility Model Content

[0007] In view of this, the project aims to provide a modular automatic balancing water tank system for floating work platforms. Based on the real-time weight changes of the floating platform and in conjunction with the adjustment of solenoid valves, the water in the tank is released in an appropriate amount, so that the buoyancy of the balloon is always balanced with the weight of the floating platform during the operation.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A modular automatic trimming water tank system for a floating work platform includes a circular pod and a modular water tank assembly disposed inside the pod. The modular water tank assembly is composed of multiple flat cylindrical water tank units connected in series and stacked. Each water tank unit is provided with a water inlet, a water outlet, and a vent. The water inlet is located at the center of the flat cylindrical water tank unit, the water outlet is located at the bottom center of the water tank unit, and the vent is located to the left of the center of the water tank unit.

[0009] Furthermore, the water inlet of the topmost water tank unit is located at the top of the side wall, and the water outlet of the bottommost water tank unit is located at the center. The vent is sealed when not venting. This prevents overflow during water filling and allows for rapid emptying during water draining, facilitating weight reduction or water replacement after operation. The individual inlet in the water tank allows for smooth expulsion of internal air during water filling, preventing air resistance from hindering water filling; during drainage, external air can be introduced to balance the internal negative pressure, preventing deformation of the water tank due to pressure difference and ensuring the stability of the water tank structure and smooth water delivery.

[0010] Furthermore, a high-level sensor is installed on the top of the inner side wall of the topmost water tank unit, and the installation position of the high-level sensor is lower than the water inlet. A low-level sensor is installed on the bottom of the inner side wall of the bottommost water tank unit, and the installation position of the low-level sensor is higher than the water outlet. The high-level sensor monitors the water level in the tank to prevent overflow; the low-level sensor prevents excessive drainage that could lead to insufficient water in the tank.

[0011] Furthermore, a solenoid valve is installed at the outlet of the bottom water tank unit. When the flight control platform needs to adjust the load, the controller opens the solenoid valve to control the water tank outlet to release water from the tank according to actual needs.

[0012] Furthermore, the bottom center of the upper water tank unit is provided with an annular protrusion, and the top of the lower water tank unit is provided with an annular recess. The diameter of the annular recess is larger than the diameter of the annular protrusion, and the annular protrusion of the upper water tank is connected to the annular recess of the lower water tank.

[0013] Furthermore, the outer surface of the annular protrusion is provided with two layers of O-rings, and the inner wall of the concave opening is machined with an annular sealing groove. After compression, the O-rings are partially embedded in the annular sealing groove.

[0014] Furthermore, it also includes a sensor detection module, a control module, and an execution module. The sensor detection module is electrically connected to the control module, the control module is electrically connected to the execution module, and the execution module is electrically connected to the solenoid valve.

[0015] Furthermore, the diameter of the circular pod is larger than that of the modular water tank assembly. The circular pod is composed of multiple annular iron rings stacked at equal intervals. Multiple vertical rods are used to fix the stacked annular iron rings in the longitudinal direction. The modular water tank assembly is embedded in the circular pod, and the height of a single water tank unit is greater than or equal to the distance between two adjacent layers of annular iron rings.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: I. Achieve dynamic and precise balancing to improve operational stability The sensor detection module collects real-time data on balloon lift, platform total weight, and water tank level. The control module quickly calculates the difference and triggers a balancing action, completing real-time adjustments without manual intervention to ensure dynamic balance between balloon buoyancy and pod weight throughout the operation. High and low level sensors accurately monitor the upper and lower water levels, respectively, and, in conjunction with the precise control of solenoid valves, prevent excessive drainage or overflow, ensuring balancing accuracy and reducing platform tilting and swaying.

[0017] II. Modular design enhances applicability and flexibility The water tank assembly consists of multiple flat cylindrical water tank units stacked in series. The number of units can be flexibly increased or decreased to adjust the total volume according to varying weight requirements in different operational scenarios, adapting to diverse needs such as fruit harvesting and emergency rescue. The connection structure between the upper water tank's annular protrusion and the lower water tank's annular recess, combined with an O-ring and annular sealing groove design, enables rapid assembly and reliable sealing, preventing balance deviations caused by leakage, while also facilitating disassembly and maintenance.

[0018] III. Optimize structural design to ensure equipment reliability and service life. The vent outlet discharges internal air during water filling, preventing air resistance from affecting filling efficiency; during drainage, external air is introduced to balance the negative pressure, preventing the water tank from deforming due to pressure difference, ensuring the stability of the water tank structure and smooth water delivery. The circular pod adopts a combination structure of annular iron rings and vertical rods, with a diameter larger than the modular water tank assembly. Combined with an iron frame for fixation, this ensures the water tank assembly is securely embedded in the pod, improving the overall structural load-bearing capacity and anti-interference ability.

[0019] IV. Simplify operating procedures and improve work efficiency and safety. No manual addition or removal of counterweights is required, nor is frequent adjustment of the airbag volume necessary. Balancing is achieved automatically through solenoid valve-controlled drainage, reducing the risks of working at heights and lowering labor costs. The strategically designed positions of the top water tank inlet and bottom water tank outlet allow for rapid water filling and emptying, facilitating pre-operation preparation and post-operation weight reduction and water replacement, thus improving the overall smoothness of the work process. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure connection of a modular automatic leveling water tank system; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of a modular water tank assembly; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a modular water tank assembly; Figure 4 A detailed structural diagram illustrating the connection between the pod and the modular water tank assembly; Figure 5 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the connection structure between the annular convex opening and the annular concave opening; Figure 6 Flowchart for intelligent balancing of water tanks.

[0022] Reference numerals: 1. Pod; 2. Water tank unit; 20. Water inlet; 21. Water outlet; 22. Vent; 23. Annular protrusion; 24. Annular recess; 25. O-ring; 3. Solenoid valve. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model are described clearly and completely below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0024] like Figures 1-6 As shown, a modular automatic balancing water tank system for a floating work platform includes a circular pod 1 and a modular water tank assembly disposed inside the pod. The diameter of the circular pod is larger than that of the modular water tank assembly, so that the modular water tank assembly can be properly locked in place after being embedded in the pod, and will not shake or slip off.

[0025] The modular water tank assembly is composed of multiple flat cylindrical water tank units 2 connected in series and stacked. The circular pod 1 is composed of multiple annular iron rings stacked at equal intervals. Multiple vertical rods are used to fix the stacked annular iron rings in the longitudinal direction. Figure 1 As shown, the modular water tank assembly is embedded in the circular pod 1. The height of a single water tank unit 2 is greater than or equal to the distance between two adjacent layers of annular iron rings. The height of the water tank unit itself is not less than the distance between the annular iron rings, which prevents a single water tank unit from slipping out of the gap. Using this iron frame type pod can reduce the weight of the overall balancing system and facilitate the placement of multiple water tank units stacked in series. In addition, the pod makes it easy to tie ropes to fix it to the float or airbag.

[0026] Each water tank unit 2 is provided with a water inlet 20, a water outlet 21 and a vent 22. The water inlet 20 is located at the top center of the flat cylindrical body of the water tank unit 2, the water outlet 21 is located at the bottom center of the water tank unit 2, and the vent 22 is located to the left of the center of the water tank unit.

[0027] The water inlet 20 of the top water tank unit 2 is located at the top of the side wall, and the water outlet 21 of the bottom water tank unit is located at the center. The vent 22 is sealed when not venting.

[0028] A high liquid level sensor is installed on the top of the inner side wall of the topmost water tank unit 2, and the installation position of the high liquid level sensor is lower than the water inlet 20. A low liquid level sensor is installed on the bottom of the inner side wall of the bottommost water tank unit, and the installation position of the low liquid level sensor is higher than the water outlet 21.

[0029] A solenoid valve 3 is installed at the outlet of the bottom water tank unit.

[0030] The bottom center of the upper water tank unit is provided with an annular protrusion 23, and the top of the lower water tank unit is provided with an annular recess 24. The diameter of the annular recess 24 is larger than the diameter of the annular protrusion 23. The annular protrusion of the upper water tank is connected to the annular recess of the lower water tank, that is, the outlet of the upper water tank unit is connected to the inlet of the lower water tank unit. In this way, the water in the upper water tank unit can flow into the lower water tank unit through the interlocking inlet 20 and outlet 21. After the water in the lowest water tank unit is discharged by the solenoid valve 3, the water in the upper water tank unit automatically flows into the lower water tank unit. The water in the water tank unit is emptied from top to bottom. This layer-by-layer emptying of liquid (water) can effectively control the flow rate, thereby adjusting the balance force of the entire floating operation platform.

[0031] The outer surface of the annular protrusion 23 is provided with two layers of O-rings 25, and the inner wall of the annular recess is machined with an annular sealing groove. After compression, the O-rings are partially embedded in the annular sealing groove.

[0032] It also includes a sensor detection module, a control module, and an execution module. The sensor detection module is electrically connected to the control module, the control module is electrically connected to the execution module, and the execution module is electrically connected to the solenoid valve.

[0033] The intelligent water tank balancing process diagram is as follows: Figure 6 As shown, after the system starts, the sensor detection module detects data such as the balloon's lift, the platform's total weight, and the water tank's level. Then, the microprocessor processes the collected data and sends it to the control module. The control module calculates the difference between lift and gravity. If the difference needs to be balanced, the processor executes a control algorithm and sends a signal to the execution module. The solenoid valve receives the signal and opens to drain the water, thus completing the balancing process. If the difference does not need to be balanced, the current state remains unchanged. After the drainage operation is completed and balancing is achieved, the system returns to the sensor module to collect data. When balancing is needed, the previous operations are executed again.

[0034] The various embodiments described in this specification are presented in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on its differences from other embodiments. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to implement or use this invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention. Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A modular automatic leveling water tank system for a floating work platform, characterized in that, It includes a circular pod (1) and a modular water tank assembly set inside the pod. The modular water tank assembly is composed of multiple flat cylindrical water tank units (2) stacked in series. Each water tank unit (2) is provided with a water inlet (20), a water outlet (21) and a vent (22). The water inlet (20) is located at the top center of the flat cylindrical water tank unit (2), the water outlet (21) is located at the bottom center of the water tank unit, and the vent (22) is located to the left of the center of the water tank unit.

2. The modular automatic leveling water tank system for a floating work platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water inlet (20) of the top water tank unit (2) is located at the top of the side wall, and the water outlet (21) of the bottom water tank unit is located at the center. The vent (22) is sealed when not venting.

3. A modular automatic leveling water tank system for a floating work platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, A high liquid level sensor is installed on the top of the inner side wall of the topmost water tank unit (2), and the installation position of the high liquid level sensor is lower than the water inlet (20). A low liquid level sensor is installed on the bottom of the inner side wall of the bottommost water tank unit, and the installation position of the low liquid level sensor is higher than the water outlet (21).

4. A modular automatic leveling water tank system for a floating work platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, A solenoid valve (3) is installed at the outlet (21) of the bottom water tank unit (2).

5. A modular automatic leveling water tank system for a floating work platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom center of the upper water tank unit (2) is provided with an annular protrusion (23), and the top of the lower water tank unit (2) is provided with an annular recess (24). The diameter of the annular recess (24) is larger than the diameter of the annular protrusion (23). The annular protrusion (23) of the upper water tank is connected to the annular recess (24) of the lower water tank.

6. A modular automatic leveling water tank system for a floating work platform according to claim 5, characterized in that, The outer surface of the annular protrusion is provided with two layers of O-rings (25), and the inner wall of the annular recess (24) is machined with an annular sealing groove. After compression, the O-rings (25) are partially embedded in the annular sealing groove.

7. A modular automatic leveling water tank system for a floating work platform according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes a sensor detection module, a control module, and an execution module. The sensor detection module is electrically connected to the control module, the control module is electrically connected to the execution module, and the execution module is electrically connected to the solenoid valve.

8. A modular automatic leveling water tank system for a floating work platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of the circular pod (1) is larger than that of the modular water tank assembly. It is composed of multiple ring-shaped iron rings stacked at equal intervals. Multiple vertical rods are used to fix the stacked ring-shaped iron rings in the longitudinal direction. The modular water tank assembly is embedded in the circular pod. The height of a single water tank unit (2) is greater than or equal to the distance between two adjacent ring-shaped iron rings.

Images