A garage inspection robot

Abstract

The utility model discloses a garage inspection robot, including chassis, the chassis includes support frame and motion mechanism, and motion mechanism includes rudder wheel, universal wheel, rudder motor and wheel motor, the support frame is fixed with upper plate and lower plate respectively, the rudder wheel sets up in the mode of before two rear one, and sets up universal wheel respectively in the two sides of the rudder wheel behind, and the rudder wheel is connected with the rotary disc through U-shaped mounting sheet metal, and the rotary disc is connected with the bearing nested in bearing seat, and the bearing seat is connected with support frame or lower plate, and the universal wheel is connected with support frame or lower plate bottom through connecting rod, the utility model discloses the combination based on three rudder wheels and universal wheel, has realized the flexible movement of all directions in the narrow space, excellent terrain through capacity, high -precision motion control and good structural stability and modular integration ability, especially suitable for long -term, continuous, high reliability's automation inspection task in the underground garage environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of mobile robot technology and relates to a garage inspection robot. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, common robot mobile chassis mostly adopt Ackerman steering chassis, omnidirectional roller omnidirectional drive, or traditional steering wheel drive. Ackerman steering chassis is difficult to achieve precise positioning and steering in confined spaces. Although omnidirectional wheels have omnidirectional movement capability, their wheel surface is composed of multiple small rollers, with a small contact area and weak load-bearing capacity. When passing over speed bumps, potholes, or wet and slippery surfaces, they are prone to slipping, jamming, or even damage. At the same time, omnidirectional wheels require a high degree of ground cleanliness, as the rollers are easily clogged by gravel and sand, leading to motion failure.

[0003] Traditional steering wheel solutions typically employ four steering wheels, with the steering mechanism usually relying on belt drive or direct drive. This results in issues such as low transmission accuracy, susceptibility to slippage, and frequent maintenance. Furthermore, the chassis structure is often a single-material welded or bolted frame, making it difficult to achieve a good balance between lightweight design and structural strength. For inspection robots that need to carry multiple precision sensors (such as LiDAR and cameras), vibration and deformation can severely impact data quality.

[0004] Underground parking garages are characterized by narrow spaces, speed bumps, and slight ramps, which place extremely high demands on the mobile chassis of inspection robots. Utility Model Content

[0005] The problem solved by this utility model is to provide a garage inspection robot that, through optimized chassis design, combines high passability, high rigidity and moderate cost, making it suitable for long-term, continuous automated inspection tasks in underground garage environments.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A garage inspection robot includes a chassis, the chassis including a support frame and a motion mechanism, the motion mechanism including a steering wheel, a swivel wheel, a steering motor and a wheel direction motor; An upper plate and a lower plate are fixed to the support frame respectively; The steering wheels are arranged in a two-in-front-one-outback configuration, with casters on both sides of the rear steering wheel; the steering wheels are connected to the rotating disk via U-shaped mounting sheet metal, the rotating disk is connected to the bearing nested in the bearing housing, and the bearing housing is connected to the support frame or lower plate; the casters are connected to the bottom of the support frame or lower plate via connecting rods. The rudder motor drives the rotating disk through a gear transmission mechanism, thereby turning the rudder wheel. The gear transmission mechanism includes a driving wheel and a driven wheel that mesh with each other. The driving wheel is connected to the output shaft of the rudder motor, and the driven wheel is connected to the rotating disk. The two side plates of the U-shaped mounting sheet metal are connected to the steering wheel by fixing pins, and the wheel direction motor that drives the steering wheel to rotate is connected to the U-shaped mounting sheet metal.

[0007] Furthermore, the two front and one rear steering wheels are located at the three points of an isosceles triangle; the front steering wheels are located on the left and right sides of the front of the chassis, with a distance of L1 between them; the rear steering wheel is located on the central axis of the rear of the chassis, and its distance from the midpoint of the line connecting the two front wheels is L2, L1:L2 = 1:1~2.

[0008] The casters are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the rear steering wheel, and the distance from the rim of the caster to the lower plate is equal to that of the rim of the steering wheel; the two casters and the three steering wheels together form a five-point support.

[0009] The diameter of the omnidirectional wheel is 0.4 to 0.5 times the diameter of the steering wheel.

[0010] The driven wheel is provided with a stop block, and limit blocks connected to the bearing seat are respectively provided on both sides of the driven wheel. The limit blocks and the stop block limit the rudder rotation range of the steering wheel to ±135°.

[0011] The transmission ratio between the driving wheel and the driven wheel is 1:3~5.

[0012] The upper plate and the lower plate are parallel, and a hollow cavity is formed between them; The single-layer area of ​​the upper or lower plate covers the entire chassis projection area.

[0013] The surfaces of the upper and lower plates are provided with EMI electromagnetic shielding coatings.

[0014] The upper plate has an array of standardized mounting holes.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial technical effects: The garage inspection robot provided by this utility model has an optimized chassis design. The chassis is based on a combination of three steering wheels and auxiliary omnidirectional wheels, which enables omnidirectional flexible movement in narrow spaces and excellent terrain clearance capabilities. This lays a solid foundation for achieving high-precision motion control and modular integration, and is particularly suitable for long-term, continuous, and highly reliable automated inspection tasks in underground garage environments.

[0016] Terrain traversal capability: Three large-diameter steering wheels provide the main driving force, effectively traversing speed bumps, gentle slopes, and uneven joints commonly found in underground parking garages; the three-point (two in front and one in back) steering wheel layout, combined with two auxiliary omnidirectional wheels, forms a stable five-point support, ensuring the platform's stability during obstacle crossing.

[0017] Motion control precision: The steering wheel is driven by gear meshing transmission, which is precise and slip-free, and has a fast response speed, ensuring precise control of the wheel set steering angle; moreover, the three-steering wheel layout reduces redundant degrees of freedom compared to the four-steering wheel layout, the kinematic model is simpler, the control is easier to implement, and it is convenient to achieve high-precision positioning and flexible omnidirectional movement of the chassis.

[0018] Overall structural performance: The support frame (aluminum tube and aluminum profile frame) combined with the carbon fiber double-layer plate structure of the upper and lower plates ensures overall rigidity and strength, effectively suppresses the interference of working vibration on the sensors, and achieves a lightweight design of the chassis, which indirectly extends the robot's endurance.

[0019] High reliability and safety: The mechanical hard limit design with a steering direction of 270° (±135°) fundamentally avoids infinite rotation caused by control system failure, protects the motor and cables, and improves the overall safety level of the system.

[0020] High modularity and maintainability: The open frame design facilitates disassembly and maintenance; standardized mounting holes support quick sensor replacement, adapting to different inspection task requirements.

[0021] Balance between cost and performance: By using a combination of three steering wheels and two low-cost omnidirectional wheels, the system achieves near-four-steering-wheel omnidirectional movement while significantly reducing manufacturing costs and control complexity. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the chassis structure of this utility model; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the layout of the steering wheel and caster wheels of this utility model; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a single steering wheel; Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the steering wheel. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a utility model for crossing speed bumps; Wherein: 1 is the chassis, 11 is the support frame, 12 is the upper plate, 13 is the lower plate; 2 is the steering wheel, 21 is the steering motor, 22 is the wheel motor, 23 is the driving wheel, 24 is the driven wheel, 25 is the bearing housing, 26 is the U-shaped mounting sheet metal, 27 is the mechanical limit block, 28 is the stop block; 3 is the universal wheel; 4 is the speed bump. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] like Figures 1 to 4As shown, the present invention provides an underground parking garage inspection robot, which includes a chassis 1, a support frame 11 and a motion mechanism, and the motion mechanism includes a steering wheel, a universal wheel, a steering motor and a wheel motor. The upper plate 12 and the lower plate 13 are respectively fixed on the support frame 11; The steering wheels 2 are arranged in a two-in-the-front, one-in-the-rear configuration, with universal wheels 3 on both sides of the rear steering wheel 2; the steering wheels 2 are connected to the rotating disk via a U-shaped mounting sheet metal 26, the rotating disk is connected to the bearing nested in the bearing seat 25, and the bearing seat 25 is connected to the support frame 11 or the lower plate 13; the universal wheels 2 are connected to the bottom of the support frame 11 or the lower plate 13 via connecting rods. The rudder motor 21 drives the rotating disk through a gear transmission mechanism, thereby causing the rudder wheel to turn (horizontal steering); the gear transmission mechanism includes a driving wheel 23 and a driven wheel 24 that mesh with each other. The driving wheel 23 is connected to the output shaft of the rudder motor 21, and the driven wheel 24 is connected to the rotating disk. The two side plates of the U-shaped mounting sheet metal 26 are connected to the steering wheel 2 by fixing pins, and the wheel direction motor 22 that drives the steering wheel to rotate is connected to the U-shaped mounting sheet metal 26.

[0025] The wheel direction motor 22 is fixed on the steering wheel, and the steering direction motor 21 drives the rotating disk to realize the steering wheel through a gear transmission mechanism, which includes a driving wheel 23 and a driven wheel 24 that mesh with each other.

[0026] Specifically, two steering wheels 2 are installed at the front bottom of the support frame, and one is installed at the rear bottom of the support frame (with the robot's normal forward direction as the front). The two front and one rear steering wheels are located at the three points of an isosceles triangle. Two auxiliary omnidirectional wheels 3 are symmetrically installed on both sides of the rear steering wheel. This layout ensures the symmetry and stability of the driving force. The omnidirectional wheels are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the rear steering wheel, and the distance from the rim of the omnidirectional wheel to the lower plate is equal to that of the rim of the steering wheel. The two omnidirectional wheels and the three steering wheels together form a five-point support. The omnidirectional wheels are driven wheels and do not have driving capabilities. They effectively share the weight of the chassis and the upper equipment, preventing the chassis from tipping over due to the shift of the center of gravity when stationary or running at low speed.

[0027] Reference Figure 1 The chassis 1 is a support frame 11 consisting of aluminum profiles as longitudinal beams and aluminum tubes with a length and width of 20mm as crossbeams, which are spliced ​​together by angle brackets and bolts as the core support; and an upper plate 12 and a lower plate 13 (fixed by bolts) are set on the support frame 11.

[0028] The upper plate 12 and the lower plate 13 are parallel, forming a hollow cavity between them; the single-layer area of ​​the upper or lower plate covers the entire chassis projection area.

[0029] Specifically, both the upper plate 12 and the lower plate 13 are 5mm thick and are made of T700 grade carbon fiber composite material. This ensures that while being lightweight (its density is about 60% of that of aluminum alloy), it provides tensile strength and torsional stiffness far exceeding that of metal plates. It has the characteristics of high strength, high stiffness and lightweight, and together with the aluminum frame, it forms a lightweight and torsional strong composite frame structure.

[0030] The upper plate 12 and the lower plate 13 cover the entire projected area of ​​the chassis and are connected to the support frame 11 by M4 hex bolts. A hollow cavity with a height of about 100mm is formed between the two for installing control equipment and cables (such as robot control units, power modules, sensor components and other electronic components). This centralized layout is beneficial for center of gravity stability and electromagnetic compatibility management.

[0031] The upper surface of the upper plate 12 is designed with a matrix of mounting holes based on international standards (such as M4 and M5 threaded holes). These mounting holes support a variety of detection devices such as lidar, binocular cameras, ultrasonic sensors, temperature and humidity sensors, and VOC gas sensors, which facilitates modular design and greatly improves the functional modularity and mission adaptability of the chassis.

[0032] For example, the chassis is equipped with a high-precision encoder and an IMU inertial measurement unit to provide real-time feedback on the steering angle and wheel speed of each steering wheel, thereby achieving closed-loop control. It supports multiple motion modes such as omnidirectional movement, stationary rotation, diagonal movement, and lateral movement, with a minimum turning radius of zero, and can complete 360° rotation in a space with a diameter of less than 0.8 meters.

[0033] To further ensure the reliability of electronic equipment in complex electromagnetic environments, a nano-metal EMI electromagnetic shielding coating is deposited on the surfaces of the upper board 12 and the lower board 13 (effectively isolating external electromagnetic interference and ensuring stable operation of the control system).

[0034] Reference Figure 2 Three identical steering wheels 2 constitute the omnidirectional drive core of the chassis. The three steering wheels 2 are fixed to the reinforced position of the lower plate 13 by bearing seats 25; their layout adopts an optimized isosceles triangle three-point arrangement, in which two steering wheels are located on the left and right sides of the front of the chassis, with a distance of L1, and the third steering wheel is located on the central axis of the rear of the chassis, with a distance of L2 from the midpoint of the line connecting the first two wheels, satisfying L1:L2 = 1:1~2 (preferably 1:1.2); The three steering wheels form a stable three-point support structure, ensuring that the robot has excellent balance and anti-tipping ability when running on slopes, speed bumps and uneven ground; at the same time, this layout has no redundant degrees of freedom in kinematics, the control model is simple, and it can provide excellent drive stability and flexibility.

[0035] The steering wheel adopts an integral solid structure with a large contact area with the ground. When passing over rubber or concrete speed bumps commonly found in underground parking garages, it can effectively disperse the impact force, reduce vibration transmission, and avoid wheel damage caused by local stress concentration. At the same time, the steering wheel achieves directional adjustment through active control during steering, avoiding the friction loss and positioning error caused by passive roller sliding of existing omnidirectional wheels. It has higher control precision and the trajectory tracking error is less than ±5mm.

[0036] Specifically, it uses five-inch rubber tires or polyurethane-coated tires with treads on the surface and a diameter of 128mm, providing good wear resistance, shock absorption, and ground adhesion. The diameter of the swivel wheels is designed to be 0.4 to 0.5 times the diameter of the steering wheel (preferably 52mm). This ratio ensures that when passing obstacles such as speed bumps, the smaller swivel wheels can pass smoothly without serious impact or jamming, while the larger steering wheel provides sufficient obstacle-crossing ability and ground contact area to ensure driving efficiency.

[0037] Specifically, the two swivel casters are two-inch polyurethane swivel casters, using high-strength nylon wheel shells and stainless steel ball bearing structures, with a load-bearing capacity of no less than 100kg / each, providing strong load-bearing capacity; they are installed on both sides of the rear of the chassis, and the distance from the swivel caster rim and the steering wheel rim to the lower plate is 219mm, ensuring that all wheels can effectively contact the ground and bear weight evenly when running on flat ground.

[0038] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 The steering motor 21 drives the rotating disk fixed to the outer ring of the bearing through gear meshing transmission to achieve horizontal steering of the steering wheel. The gear transmission mechanism includes a driving gear 23 (small gear) and a driven gear 24 (large gear) that mesh with each other, and has the advantages of high transmission accuracy, high efficiency, no slippage and large load capacity.

[0039] Specifically, the gear transmission mechanism consists of a drive wheel 23 (module 2, number of teeth 20, material 40Cr) connected to the output shaft of the rudder motor meshing with a circular driven wheel 24 (module 2, number of teeth 70, material 40Cr) set on the outer edge of the rotating disk, with a transmission ratio of 1:3~5 (preferably 1:3.5), ensuring smooth steering, rapid response and sufficient torque output capability.

[0040] Furthermore, the driven wheel is provided with a stop block 28, and limit blocks 27 connected to the bearing seat are respectively provided on both sides of the driven wheel; the two limit blocks 27 and the stop block 28 make rigid physical contact to precisely limit the rudder rotation range within ±135° (total 270°), preventing the cable from being damaged by excessive rotation and improving the safety and reliability of the system.

[0041] The wheel motor 22 drives the wheel to rotate, enabling forward, backward, and speed adjustment. The wheel motor is connected to the U-shaped mounting sheet metal 26, which is connected to the rotating disk by six high-strength bolts. Spring washers are added at each connection point to prevent loosening. The sheet metal bracket is made of 5mm thick cold-rolled steel, providing good rigidity and vibration resistance.

[0042] Specifically, during operation, the robot's controller provides the required rotational speed (controlled by wheel motor 22) and steering angle (controlled by steering motor 21) for each steering wheel assembly. The combined vector velocities of the three steering wheels drive the chassis to achieve omnidirectional movements such as forward, backward, lateral translation, diagonal movement, and rotation in place. The two omnidirectional wheels follow suit, providing auxiliary support and servo movement.

[0043] Reference Figure 5 When encountering a standard speed bump 4 with a height not exceeding 30mm, the large-sized steering wheel can easily cross it, and the small-sized swivel wheel can also pass smoothly, making the whole process stable.

Claims

1. A garage inspection robot, comprising a chassis, characterized in that, The chassis includes a support frame and a motion mechanism, which includes a steering wheel, a caster wheel, a steering motor, and a wheel direction motor. An upper plate and a lower plate are fixed to the support frame respectively; The steering wheels are arranged in a two-front-one-rear configuration, with casters on both sides of the rear steering wheel; the steering wheels are connected to the rotating disk via U-shaped mounting sheet metal, the rotating disk is connected to the bearing nested in the bearing housing, and the bearing housing is connected to the support frame or lower plate; the casters are connected to the bottom of the support frame or lower plate via connecting rods. The rudder motor drives the rotating disk through a gear transmission mechanism, thereby turning the rudder wheel. The gear transmission mechanism includes a driving wheel and a driven wheel that mesh with each other. The driving wheel is connected to the output shaft of the rudder motor, and the driven wheel is connected to the rotating disk. The two side plates of the U-shaped mounting sheet metal are connected to the steering wheel by fixing pins, and the wheel direction motor that drives the steering wheel to rotate is connected to the U-shaped mounting sheet metal.

2. The garage inspection robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The two front and one rear steering wheels are located at the three points of an isosceles triangle. The front steering wheels are located on the left and right sides of the front of the chassis, with a distance of L1 between them. The rear steering wheel is located on the central axis of the rear of the chassis, and the distance between it and the midpoint of the line connecting the two front wheels is L2. L1:L2 = 1:1~2.

3. The garage inspection robot as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The casters are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the rear steering wheel, and the distance from the rim of the caster to the lower plate is equal to that of the rim of the steering wheel; the two casters and the three steering wheels together form a five-point support.

4. The garage inspection robot as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The steering wheel is a solid, integral structure, and the caster wheel uses a nylon wheel shell and a stainless steel ball bearing structure.

5. The garage inspection robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The driven wheel is provided with a stop block, and limit blocks connected to the bearing seat are respectively provided on both sides of the driven wheel. The limit blocks and the stop block limit the rudder rotation range of the steering wheel to ±135°.

6. The garage inspection robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of the omnidirectional wheel is 0.4 to 0.5 times the diameter of the steering wheel; The transmission ratio between the driving wheel and the driven wheel is 1:3~5.

7. The garage inspection robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The upper plate and the lower plate are parallel, and a hollow cavity is formed between them; The single-layer area of ​​the upper or lower plate covers the entire chassis projection area.

8. The garage inspection robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The surfaces of the upper and lower plates are coated with EMI electromagnetic shielding.

9. The garage inspection robot as described in claim 1 or 7, characterized in that, The upper plate has an array of standardized mounting holes.

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