Surface inspection module and apparatus

Abstract

The application provides a surface detection module and device. The surface detection module comprises a fixing frame connected with a carrying mechanism, a displacement assembly comprising a first displacement mechanism and a second displacement mechanism, the first displacement mechanism comprising a first fixed part and a first moving part, the first fixed part being arranged on the fixing frame, the first moving part being movable relative to the first fixed part along a first direction parallel to a working surface, the second displacement mechanism comprising a second fixed part and a second moving part, the second fixed part being arranged on the first moving part, the second moving part being movable relative to the second fixed part along a second direction perpendicular to the working surface, and a detection head arranged on the second moving part and located on a side of the second moving part facing the working surface. The application improves the accuracy and reliability of surface detection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of surface inspection technology, and in particular to a surface inspection module and device. Background Technology

[0002] In the industrial sector, particularly in equipment such as wind turbine towers, ships, pressure vessels, and large steel structures, weld quality inspection is a crucial step in ensuring the structural safety and reliability of products. Because workpieces often exhibit inconsistent material thickness during manufacturing, the weld area frequently displays non-uniform geometric features. This not only affects structural strength but also presents additional challenges for non-destructive testing.

[0003] In existing technologies, most testing equipment has its detection head fixed on a rigid cantilever, making it difficult to flexibly adjust its spatial position after initial setup. When the weld height changes due to variations in base material thickness, the rigidly fixed detection head struggles to maintain a stable coupling distance with the testing surface. This can cause fluctuations in the detection signal and a reduction in the signal-to-noise ratio. Furthermore, interference can lead to wear or damage to the detection head, severely impacting the accuracy of the testing results and the equipment's lifespan.

[0004] To improve this situation, some technical solutions employ displacement components that can be adjusted in one direction, enabling the detection head to rise and fall vertically. However, in actual operations, variations in material thickness often lead to weld misalignment, especially when joining plates of different thicknesses, where the weld centerline tends to shift towards the thinner material. In such cases, relying solely on vertical adjustment cannot allow the detection head to track and accurately align with the weld center in real time, resulting in missed detections or misjudgments, significantly reducing the probability of defect detection and the reliability of the detection system.

[0005] Therefore, in the face of weld geometry variations caused by inconsistent material thickness, how to achieve adaptive positioning of the inspection head in three-dimensional space, so that it is always accurately aligned with the weld centerline and maintains an appropriate coupling distance, in order to improve the accuracy and reliability of surface inspection, is an urgent technical problem to be solved. Utility Model Content

[0006] This application provides a surface inspection module and apparatus to solve one or more of the technical problems existing in the prior art.

[0007] According to one aspect of this application, a surface detection module is disclosed, the surface detection module comprising:

[0008] A mounting bracket is used to connect to the transport mechanism;

[0009] The displacement assembly includes a first displacement mechanism and a second displacement mechanism. The first displacement mechanism includes a first fixed part and a first movable part. The first fixed part is disposed on the fixed frame, and the first movable part can move relative to the first fixed part in a first direction parallel to the working surface. The second displacement mechanism includes a second fixed part and a second movable part. The second fixed part is disposed on the first movable part, and the second movable part can move relative to the second fixed part in a second direction perpendicular to the working surface.

[0010] The detection head is mounted on the second moving part and is located on the side of the second moving part facing the working surface.

[0011] In some embodiments of this application, the first displacement mechanism includes a rotary drive component fixed to the fixed frame, the first fixed part being a lead screw, the first movable part being a nut, and the first fixed part being connected to the output end of the rotary drive component; or...

[0012] The second displacement mechanism includes a first electric push rod, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the second fixed part and the second moving part.

[0013] In some embodiments of this application, the first displacement mechanism includes:

[0014] A limit switch assembly, comprising a switch body and a contact end, wherein the switch body is fixed on the fixing frame, the contact end is disposed facing the first moving part, and the side of the contact end facing the first moving part has a U-shaped groove.

[0015] A stop block is fixed on the first moving part, and the end of the stop block near the contact end can be embedded into the U-shaped groove.

[0016] In some embodiments of this application, the second fixing part is a fixing block, the second moving part is a slide rail, and the top end of the push rod of the first electric push rod is fixedly connected to the top end of the slide rail;

[0017] The second displacement mechanism includes a first elastic component, which is disposed between the slide rail and the fixed block.

[0018] In some embodiments of this application, the number of displacement components and detection heads are both two, and the two detection heads are arranged opposite to each other and spaced apart in the first direction.

[0019] In some embodiments of this application, the surface detection module includes:

[0020] A marking assembly is mounted on the fixed frame and located on the side of the detection head away from the transport mechanism. The marking assembly includes a tank, a nozzle, and a nozzle control mechanism. The nozzle on the nozzle faces the working surface. The nozzle control mechanism includes a second electric push rod and a rocker arm. The fixed part of the second electric push rod is connected to the fixed frame, and the push rod end of the second electric push rod is hinged to the first end of the rocker arm. An auxiliary connection part is provided between the first end and the second section of the rocker arm, and the auxiliary connection part is hinged to the fixed frame. The second end of the rocker arm is fixedly connected to the nozzle.

[0021] In some embodiments of this application, the surface detection module includes:

[0022] An encoding wheel assembly is disposed on the fixed frame. The encoding wheel assembly includes a third displacement mechanism and an encoding wheel. The third displacement mechanism includes a third fixed part and a third moving part. The third moving part is movable relative to the third fixed part along the second direction. The encoding wheel is connected to the third moving part.

[0023] In some embodiments of this application, the surface detection module includes:

[0024] An image recognition module is mounted on the fixed frame. The image recognition module is used to identify the position and / or posture of the detection points on the working surface in order to adjust the distance between the two detection heads so that the detection points are within the detection range of the detection heads.

[0025] According to another aspect of this application, a surface detection device is also disclosed, the surface detection device including a carrying mechanism and a surface detection module as described in any of the above embodiments, the surface detection module being located on one side of the carrying mechanism, the carrying mechanism including a base, a traveling wheel, a swing arm, and a swivel wheel;

[0026] The walking wheel is disposed on the side of the base facing the working surface, and the walking wheel can swing relative to the base about a first axis that is parallel to the working surface and perpendicular to the wheel axle axis of the walking wheel; the swing rod is disposed on the side of the base away from the surface detection module, and at least one end of the swing rod can swing relative to the base about a second axis that is parallel to the first axis.

[0027] The omnidirectional wheel is connected to the end of the swing arm.

[0028] In some embodiments of this application, the middle portion of the swing arm is hinged to the base, and there are two casters, each located at one end of the swing arm; and / or,

[0029] The wheels and casters are magnetically attached wheels.

[0030] The surface inspection module of the above embodiments of this application enables the inspection head to have flexible positioning capabilities through the independent or coordinated adjustment of the first displacement mechanism in the first direction and the second displacement mechanism in the second direction. This surface inspection module can compensate for the effects of weld offset caused by diameter tolerances, roundness errors, misalignment of sections, and inconsistent material thickness in wind turbine towers. It allows the inspection head to dynamically track the undulations and offsets of the weld, always maintaining a position directly aligned with the weld centerline. This fundamentally solves the problems of signal instability, decreased signal-to-noise ratio, and missed detections caused by positional deviations in surface inspection, greatly improving the accuracy and reliability of weld inspection.

[0031] Additional advantages, objectives, and features of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and will in part become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following description, or may be learned by practice of the application. The objectives and other advantages of this application can be realized and obtained by means of the structures specifically pointed out in the specification and drawings.

[0032] Those skilled in the art will understand that the purposes and advantages that can be achieved with this application are not limited to those specifically described above, and that the above and other purposes that this application can achieve will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description. Attached Figure Description

[0033] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, do not constitute a limitation thereof. The components in the drawings are not drawn to scale but are merely for illustrating the principles of this application. For ease of illustration and description of certain parts of this application, corresponding portions in the drawings may be enlarged, i.e., may appear larger relative to other components in an exemplary device actually manufactured according to this application. In the drawings:

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a surface detection module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0035] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the surface detection module from another direction.

[0036] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the surface detection module according to another embodiment of this application.

[0037] Figure 4 for Figure 3 The diagram shows the structure of the surface detection module from another direction.

[0038] Figure 5 for Figure 3The image shows a bottom view of the surface inspection module.

[0039] Figure 6 for Figure 3 The side view of the surface detection module shown.

[0040] Figure 7 for Figure 3 The front view of the surface detection module shown.

[0041] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the displacement component and the detection head of a surface detection module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0042] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the displacement component of a surface detection module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0043] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the marking component of a surface inspection module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0044] Figure 11 for Figure 10 The diagram shows the structural design of the support frame for the marking assembly.

[0045] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the coding wheel assembly of the surface detection module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0046] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the surface detection module according to another embodiment of this application.

[0047] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a surface inspection device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0048] Figure 15 for Figure 14 A schematic diagram of the surface inspection device from another direction.

[0049] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a surface inspection device according to another embodiment of this application.

[0050] Figure label:

[0051] Surface Inspection Module 001 Carrier Mechanism 002 Fixing Frame 110 Displacement Assembly 120 Detection Head 130 First Displacement Mechanism 121 First Fixing Part 1211 First Moving Part 1212 Rotary Drive Component 1213 Limit Switch Assembly 1214 Stop Block 1215 Second Displacement Mechanism 122 Second Fixing Part 1221 Second Moving Part 1222 First Electric Push Rod 1223 First Elastic Component 1224 Connecting Frame 131 Probe Body 132 Marking Assembly 140 Tank 141 Nozzle 142 Nozzle Control 143 Support frame 144 Support plate 1441 First clamp 1442 Second clamp 1443 Protrusion 1444 Second electric push rod 1431 Rocker arm 1432 Encoder wheel assembly 150 Third displacement mechanism 151 Encoder wheel 152 Third fixed part 1511 Third moving part 1512 Third electric push rod 1513 Second elastic component 1514 Image recognition module 160 Housing 170 Base 210 Traveling wheel 220 Swing rod 230 Universal wheel 240 First pivot 251 Second pivot 252 Detailed Implementation

[0052] The embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The detailed description of the following embodiments and the accompanying drawings are used to illustrate the principles of this application by way of example, but should not be used to limit the scope of this application, that is, this application is not limited to the described embodiments.

[0053] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not 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 application. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. "Vertical" is not strictly vertical, but within the allowable error range. "Parallel" is not strictly parallel, but within the allowable error range. All technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used in the specification of this application is only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and is not intended to limit this application; the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and the foregoing drawings of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0054] The directional terms used in the following description refer to the directions shown in the figures and are not intended to limit the specific structure of this application. It should also be noted in the description of this application that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0055] In this application, the reference to "embodiment" means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a mutually exclusive, independent, or alternative embodiment. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in this application can be combined with other embodiments.

[0056] In this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three possibilities: A exists, A and B exist, and B exists. Additionally, in this application, the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0057] In this application, "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), and similarly, "multiple groups" refers to two or more (including two), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two).

[0058] In the embodiments of this application, the same reference numerals denote the same components, and for the sake of brevity, detailed descriptions of the same components are omitted in different embodiments. It should be understood that the thickness, length, width, and other dimensions of various components in the embodiments of this application shown in the accompanying drawings, as well as the overall thickness, length, width, and other dimensions of the integrated device, are merely illustrative and should not constitute any limitation on this application.

[0059] The surface inspection module and device provided in this application embodiment can be applied to flat or curved surfaces, and can be applied to the surfaces of equipment such as ship hulls, oil tanks, water tanks, bridges, towers, wind turbine towers and blades, as well as the surfaces of large industrial equipment (such as boilers, reactors, etc.).

[0060] This application does not limit the application scenarios and work items of the surface inspection module and device, but only takes the inspection of the weld of the wind turbine tower as an example for illustration.

[0061] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a surface detection module according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 for Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the surface detection module from another direction is shown below. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the surface detection module 001 includes at least a fixture 110, a displacement assembly 120, and a detection head 130.

[0062] The fixing frame 110 is used to connect with the transport mechanism 002; the displacement assembly 120 includes a first displacement mechanism 121 and a second displacement mechanism 122. The first displacement mechanism 121 includes a first fixing part 1211 and a first moving part 1212. The first fixing part 1211 is disposed on the fixing frame 110. The first moving part 1212 can move relative to the first fixing part 1211 in a first direction parallel to the working surface. The second displacement mechanism 122 includes a second fixing part 1221 and a second moving part 1222. The second fixing part 1221 is disposed on the first moving part 1212. The second moving part 1222 can move relative to the second fixing part 1221 in a second direction perpendicular to the working surface; the detection head 130 is disposed on the second moving part 1222 and is located on the side of the second moving part 1222 facing the working surface.

[0063] The mounting bracket 110 supports the displacement assembly 120 and the detection head 130, and its connection with the carrier mechanism 002 establishes the connection between the surface detection module 001 and the carrier mechanism 002. The carrier mechanism 002 is a mechanism for moving the surface detection module 001 on the working surface, such as a wall-climbing robot, a car, or a drone. The displacement assembly 120 enables the detection head 130 to move along the first direction X and the second direction Z.

[0064] Specifically, the first displacement mechanism 121 can precisely control the position of the detection head 130 in a first direction X parallel to the working surface, thereby ensuring that the detection head 130 is accurately aligned with the detection point. The second displacement mechanism 122 can precisely control the position of the detection head 130 in a second direction Z perpendicular to the working surface, thus allowing for adaptive adjustment of the distance or contact pressure between the detection head 130 and the working surface for uneven surfaces. The detection head 130 can be, exemplarily, a non-destructive testing sensor, such as an ultrasonic detection head or a laser scanner.

[0065] For example, for curved working surfaces such as wind turbine towers, when inspecting their welds, the first displacement mechanism 121 can move the inspection head 130 along a direction parallel to the weld (i.e., the circumferential direction of the tower), thereby aligning the inspection head 130 with the weld centerline. As the inspection head 130 moves along the direction parallel to the weld, the curvature of the tower causes a small but crucial change in the distance between the inspection head 130 and the working surface. The second displacement mechanism 122 can then respond to this change in real time, extending and retracting to maintain optimal contact and a perpendicular orientation between the inspection head 130 and the working surface. This improves the accuracy and reliability of weld inspection and enables high-precision inspection of the surface inspection module 001 on large curved structures.

[0066] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the first fixing part 1211 and the fixing frame 110 are detachably connected. The first moving part 1212 can move linearly relative to the first fixing part 1211. The second fixing part 1221 is directly fixed to the first moving part 1212, and the second moving part 1222 can also move linearly relative to the second fixing part 1221. Figure 2 As shown, the detection head 130 is specifically located at the bottom end of the second moving part 1222. The detection head 130 may include a connecting frame 131 and a probe body 132. The connecting frame 131 is rotatably connected to the second moving part 1222 via a rotating shaft, the axis of which is parallel to the X-axis. The probe body 132 is further connected to the connecting frame 131 via a rotating shaft, the axis of which is parallel to the Y-axis. By rotatably connecting the connecting frame 131 to the second moving part 1222 and to the probe body 132 to the connecting frame 131, the probe body 132 can swing around the X and Y axes, thereby ensuring that the detection head 130 is in the optimal detection posture.

[0067] In some embodiments, the first displacement mechanism 121 includes a rotary drive component 1213, which is fixed on the fixed frame 110. The first fixed part 1211 is a lead screw, the first moving part 1212 is a nut, and the first fixed part 1211 is connected to the output end of the rotary drive component 1213.

[0068] In this embodiment, the first displacement mechanism 121 moves the detection head 130 in the first direction X via a rotation drive component 1213, a lead screw, and a nut. Specifically, the rotation drive component 1213 can be a drive motor. The output shaft of the drive motor is fixedly connected to one end of the lead screw, while the other end of the lead screw is rotatably supported on the fixed frame 110 via a bearing. The rotational motion output by the drive motor is converted into linear motion of the nut via the lead screw. Therefore, by controlling the rotation angle of the drive motor, linear displacement of the detection head 130 in the first direction X can be achieved.

[0069] In some other embodiments, the second displacement mechanism 122 includes a first electric push rod 1223, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the second fixed part 1221 and the second moving part 1222. In this embodiment, the linear movement of the second moving part 1222 is driven by the first electric push rod 1223, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the top end of the first electric push rod 1223 is connected to the top end of the second moving part 1222, while the bottom end of the first electric push rod 1223 is fixedly connected to the second fixed part 1221.

[0070] For example, the second fixing part 1221 and the first moving part 1212 can be connected by an auxiliary connecting plate. In this case, the auxiliary connecting plate is connected to the first moving part 1212 by screws or bolts, and the bottom ends of the second fixing part 1221 and the first electric push rod 1223 are further connected to the auxiliary connecting plate by screws or bolts.

[0071] In some embodiments of this application, the first displacement mechanism 121 further includes a limit switch assembly 1214 and a stop block 1215; the limit switch assembly 1214 includes a switch body and a contact end, the switch body is fixed on the fixing frame 110, the contact end is disposed facing the first moving part 1212, and the side of the contact end facing the first moving part 1212 has a U-shaped groove; the stop block 1215 is fixed on the first moving part 1212, and the end of the stop block 1215 near the contact end can be embedded in the U-shaped groove.

[0072] like Figure 8 As shown, the limit switch assembly 1214 is located at the left end of the lead screw, while the stop block 1215 is located on the nut. When the nut moves to the left, the left end of the stop block 1215 gradually embeds into the U-shaped groove of the contact end until it contacts the contact sensor on the contact end.

[0073] The movement limit of the first moving part 1212 is achieved by the limit switch assembly 1214 and the stop block 1215. When the first moving part 1212 moves to the limit position, the stop block 1215 on it will contact the contact end of the limit switch assembly 1214, thereby triggering a switch signal. This switch signal can further control the rotation drive component 1213 to stop rotating.

[0074] In addition, a U-shaped groove is provided on the contact end. When the first moving part 1212 moves into place, the end of the stop 1215 on the first moving part 1212 is embedded in the U-shaped groove. The cooperation between the stop 1215 and the U-shaped groove forms a very precise mechanical hard limit point. This ensures that every time the first moving part 1212 reaches this position, the stop 1215 will trigger the switch at almost the same position, ensuring extremely high repeatability.

[0075] In some embodiments, the second fixing part 1221 is a fixing block, the second moving part 1222 is a slide rail, and the top end of the push rod of the first electric push rod 1223 is fixedly connected to the top end of the slide rail; the second displacement mechanism 122 includes a first elastic member 1224, which is disposed between the slide rail and the fixing block.

[0076] In this embodiment, the movement of the detection head 130 in the Z direction is achieved based on a fixed block and a slide rail. Specifically, the movement of the slide rail in the second direction Z allows the detection head 130 to move closer to or further away from the work surface. In some embodiments, the work surface may have protrusions that are higher than the surrounding area, such as welds, obstacles, or dirt like bird droppings or clumps of dust. Therefore, when the surface detection module 001 needs to cross these protrusions, the slide rail can slide in the second direction Z, causing the detection head 130 to move away from the work surface and thus cross over these protrusions. When the transport mechanism 002 carries the surface detection module 001 to the detection point, the slide rail slides towards the work surface in the second direction Z, allowing the detection head 130 to fit against the work surface.

[0077] The second displacement mechanism 122 enables the detection head 130 to move in the second direction Z. This not only adjusts the distance between the detection head 130 and the working surface, but also gives the detection head 130 a certain obstacle-crossing ability, reducing the possibility of the detection head 130 being stuck by protrusions and improving the flexibility of the surface detection module 001 in adjusting on the working surface.

[0078] like Figure 9As shown, one end of the first elastic member 1224 in the second direction Z is connected to the second fixed part 1221 (fixed block), and the other end is connected to the second moving part 1222 (slide rail). Specifically, the end of the first elastic member 1224 in the second direction Z away from the working surface is connected to the slide rail, while the end closer to the working surface is connected to the fixed block. The elastic force of the first elastic member 1224 has a tendency to pull the top of the slide rail toward the fixed block. On the one hand, this allows the detection head 130 to fit against the working surface during operation; on the other hand, it allows the detection head 130 to quickly return to its original position when the slide rail slides along the second direction Z to allow the detection head 130 to pass over an obstacle.

[0079] In some embodiments of this application, there are two displacement components 120 and two detection heads 130, with the two detection heads 130 being positioned opposite each other and spaced apart in the first direction.

[0080] refer to Figure 7 The two sets of displacement components 120 can be symmetrically arranged relative to the fixed frame 110 in the first direction X. At this time, the two detection heads 130 are also symmetrically arranged left and right relative to the fixed frame 110 in the first direction X. Under the action of the displacement components 120, both detection heads 130 can move in the first direction X and the second direction Z. By adjusting the position of the two detection heads 130 in the first direction X, the distance between the two detection heads 130 can be adjusted, so that the detection point is within the detection range of the two detection heads 130. Furthermore, adjusting the position of the two detection heads 130 in the second direction Z can ensure that each detection head 130 is effectively attached to the working surface and that the two detection heads 130 can stably overcome obstacles.

[0081] In some embodiments of this application, the surface inspection module 001 includes: a marking assembly 140, disposed on the fixed frame 110, the marking assembly 140 being located on the side of the inspection head 130 away from the transport mechanism 002, the marking assembly 140 including a tank 141, a nozzle 142, and a nozzle control mechanism 143, the nozzle on the nozzle 142 being disposed facing the working surface, the nozzle control mechanism 143 including a second electric push rod 1431 and a rocker arm 1432, the fixed part of the second electric push rod 1431 being connected to the fixed frame 110, the push rod end of the second electric push rod 1431 being hingedly connected to the first end of the rocker arm 1432, an auxiliary connecting part being provided between the first end and the second section of the rocker arm 1432, the auxiliary connecting part being hingedly connected to the fixed frame 110, and the second end of the rocker arm 1432 being fixedly connected to the nozzle 142.

[0082] The marking assembly 140, similar to the displacement assembly 120, is also supported on the mounting bracket 110. For example... Figure 3 and Figure 6 As shown, the marking component 140 is located on the Y-axis side of the detection head 130. The marking component 140 is used to mark the locations (such as fault detection points) that need to be marked detected by the detection head 130.

[0083] refer to Figure 10 The tank 141 has a cavity for containing liquid, such as paint or ink. A nozzle 142 is mounted on the tank 141 and has a nozzle that communicates with the cavity of the tank 141. The nozzle is used to spray liquid onto the work surface, therefore the nozzle 142 is positioned facing the work surface.

[0084] The nozzle control mechanism 143 is used to realize the automatic pressing of the nozzle 142, and it may specifically include a linear drive mechanism and a rocker arm 1432. The rocker arm 1432 is located between the linear drive mechanism and the nozzle 142; in this embodiment, the linear movement of the linear drive mechanism is converted into the swing of the rocker arm 1432, and the swing of the rocker arm 1432 is further converted into the linear movement of the nozzle 142, thereby realizing the pressing of the nozzle 142. The linear drive mechanism may be exemplarily a second electric push rod 1431, in which case the fixed part of the second electric push rod 1431 is connected to the tank 141, and the linear moving part (also called the push rod) of the second electric push rod 1431 moves linearly relative to the fixed part. The first end of the rocker arm 1432 is hinged to the push rod end of the second electric push rod 1431, the second end of the rocker arm 1432 is fixedly connected to the nozzle 142, and an auxiliary connecting part is also provided between the first end and the second end of the rocker arm 1432, and the auxiliary connecting part is hinged to the fixing frame 110. Since the tank body 141 is fixed on the fixed frame 110, the hinged connection between the auxiliary connection part and the fixed frame 110 can also be understood as the hinged connection between the auxiliary connection part and the tank body 141. That is, the rocker arm 1432 can swing around the hinge axis of the auxiliary connection part under the pushing action of the second electric push rod 1431.

[0085] In the above embodiment, the linear motion of the electric push rod is converted into the pressing action of the nozzle 142 through the rocker arm 1432, thereby precisely controlling the pressing and lifting time of the nozzle 142 and achieving accurate marking.

[0086] Furthermore, the auxiliary connection part is located in the middle of the rocker arm 1432 or near the second end. The location of the auxiliary connection part near the second end of the rocker arm 1432 can be understood as the auxiliary connection part being positioned close to the nozzle 142. This embodiment is based on the lever principle, meaning that a smaller stroke of the second electric push rod 1431 can achieve a larger stroke of the nozzle 142, allowing the nozzle 142 to be quickly pressed or lifted, greatly shortening the marking cycle time and improving marking efficiency.

[0087] In some embodiments, the marking assembly 140 further includes a support frame 144, which is fixedly connected to the tank body 141. In this case, the fixing part of the first electric push rod 1223 is fixed to the support frame 144, and the support frame 144 is further connected to the fixing frame 110, thus achieving the connection between the marking assembly 140 and the detection head 130. At this time, the auxiliary connecting part on the rocker arm 1432 is specifically hinged to the support frame 144.

[0088] like Figure 11 As shown, the support frame 144 includes a support plate 1441, a first clamp 1442, and a second clamp 1443. The first clamp 1442 and the second clamp 1443 are located on the side of the support plate 1441 facing the tank body 141. The first clamp 1442 is engaged at the end of the tank body 141 away from the nozzle 142, and the second clamp 1443 is engaged at the end of the tank body 141 closer to the nozzle 142. In this embodiment, the fixing part of the second electric push rod 1431 is directly fixed to the support plate 1441, and the support frame 144 and the tank body 141 are fixedly connected by the first clamp 1442 and the second clamp 1443. Furthermore, the auxiliary connecting part on the rocker arm 1432 is hinged to the end of the support frame 144; specifically, the end of the support frame 144 near the nozzle 142 is provided with a protrusion 1444 extending from the second clamp 1443 toward the rocker arm 1432, and the auxiliary connecting part and the protrusion 1444 are hinged together by a pivot.

[0089] In some embodiments of this application, the surface detection module 001 includes an encoding wheel assembly 150, which is disposed on the fixed frame 110. The encoding wheel assembly 150 includes a third displacement mechanism 151 and an encoding wheel 152. The third displacement mechanism 151 includes a third fixed part 1511 and a third moving part 1512. The third moving part 1512 is movable relative to the third fixed part 1511 along the second direction. The encoding wheel 152 is connected to the third moving part 1512.

[0090] like Figure 3 and Figure 7 As shown, the encoder wheel assembly 150 is also located on the side of the detection head 130 away from the carrier mechanism 002, that is, the encoder wheel assembly 150 is opposite to and spaced apart from the marking assembly 140. The third displacement mechanism 151 of the encoder wheel assembly 150 can realize the movement of the encoder wheel 152 in the second direction Z. The synchronous movement of the encoder wheel 152 and the third moving part 1512 not only enables the encoder wheel 152 to have a certain obstacle-crossing ability and reduces the possibility of the encoder wheel 152 being stuck by protrusions on the working surface, but also adjusts the distance and contact pressure between the encoder wheel 152 and the working surface, thereby preventing the encoder wheel 152 from getting stuck and not rotating, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of the data acquired by the encoder wheel 152.

[0091] like Figure 12 As shown, the third displacement mechanism 151 further includes a third electric push rod 1513, the two ends of which are fixedly connected to the third fixed part 1511 and the third moving part 1512, respectively. Similar to the second displacement mechanism 122, the top end of the push rod of the third electric push rod 1513 is fixedly connected to the top end of the third moving part 1512, while the bottom end of the third electric push rod 1513 is fixedly connected to the third fixed part 1511. Thus, the movement of the encoder wheel 152 in the second direction Z is realized based on the lifting and lowering movement of the push rod in the third electric push rod 1513.

[0092] Additionally, the third displacement mechanism 151 may also include a second elastic member 1514, which is disposed between the third fixed part 1511 and the third moving part 1512. Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, one end of the second elastic member 1514 is connected to the third fixed part 1511 in the second direction Z, and the other end is connected to the third moving part 1512. The elastic force of the second elastic member 1514 also tends to pull the top of the third moving part 1512 toward the third fixed part 1511. On the one hand, this ensures that the encoder wheel 152 is always in close contact with the working surface, and on the other hand, it ensures that the encoder wheel 152 quickly resets when the surface detection module 001 crosses an obstacle.

[0093] In some embodiments of this application, the surface detection module 001 includes an image recognition module 160, which is disposed on the fixing frame 110. The image recognition module 160 is used to identify the position and / or orientation of the detection points on the working surface in order to adjust the distance between the two detection heads 130 so that the detection points are within the detection range of the detection heads.

[0094] like Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, the image recognition module 160 is specifically located on the side of the detection head 130 away from the carrier mechanism 002, and is specifically located between the marking component 140 and the encoding wheel component 150. The image recognition module 160 is used to identify the position or orientation of the detection points on the working surface, and to determine the position of the detection head 130 based on the identified position or orientation of the detection points. Then, the position of the detection head 130 is adjusted based on the displacement component 120 so that the detection points are within the detection range of the detection head 130.

[0095] In some other embodiments, reference is made to Figure 13The surface detection module 001 also includes a housing 170, which has a bottom opening structure and is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket 110. The housing 170 can effectively block fibers, dust clumps, insects, etc. in the air, preventing these contaminants from damaging the displacement mechanisms in the surface detection module 001.

[0096] According to another aspect of this application, a surface detection device is also disclosed, the surface detection device including a carrying mechanism 002 and a surface detection module 001 as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0097] The surface detection module 001 is located on one side of the transport mechanism 002. The transport mechanism 002 includes a base 210, a traveling wheel 220, a swing rod 230, and a caster wheel 240. The traveling wheel 220 is disposed on the side of the base 210 facing the working surface. The traveling wheel 220 can swing relative to the base 210 about a first axis that is parallel to the working surface and perpendicular to the wheel axle axis of the traveling wheel 220. The swing rod 230 is disposed on the side of the base 210 away from the surface detection module 001, and at least one end of the swing rod 230 can swing relative to the base 210 about a second axis that is parallel to the first axis. The caster wheel 240 is connected to the end of the swing rod 230.

[0098] The base 210 may specifically include a bottom wall and side walls, and the swing arm 230 is hinged to the side walls of the base 210; the traveling wheels 220 are used to enable the transport mechanism to move on the working surface. The traveling wheels 220 are, for example, drive wheels, which typically include wheels and drive motors. The drive motors are used to drive the rotation of the wheels, providing power for the movement of the transport mechanism 002. The wheels of the drive wheels may specifically be one or more of rolling wheels, Mecanum wheels, and swivel wheels, providing the transport mechanism 0021 with multiple degrees of freedom of movement under the drive of the drive motor.

[0099] refer to Figure 15 The traveling wheel 220 is rotatably connected to the base 210 via a first rotating shaft 251. At this time, the traveling wheel 220 can not only rotate around its own axis, but the entire traveling wheel 220 can also swing around the first axis of the first rotating shaft 251 in a plane perpendicular to the working surface. For example, the axle of the traveling wheel 220 is parallel to the first direction X, while the first rotating shaft 251 is parallel to the third direction Y. Additionally, the omnidirectional wheel 240 located on the other side of the base 210 can not only rotate around its own axis, but it and the swing arm 230 can also swing synchronously around the second axis of the second rotating shaft 252 in a plane perpendicular to the working surface. Since the second rotating shaft 252 is parallel to the first rotating shaft 251, the second axis is also parallel to the third direction Y.

[0100] In addition, the caster wheel 240 can also rotate around a third axis perpendicular to the working surface, thereby realizing its omnidirectional function. Specifically, the third axis is an axis parallel to the second direction Z. At this time, the traveling wheel 220 of the transport mechanism 002 has two degrees of freedom, while the caster wheel 240 has degrees of freedom in all three directions. This allows the surface detection device to adaptively change the posture of the traveling wheel 220 and the caster wheel 240 based on the curvature of the working surface when working on the surface with curvature, so that each wheel maintains contact with the working surface and can keep the transport mechanism 002 moving stably on the working surface.

[0101] In some embodiments, the middle part of the swing arm 230 is hinged to the base 210, and there are two casters 240, which are respectively disposed at both ends of the swing arm 230. Figure 14 and 16 As shown, both ends of the swing rod 230 are provided with casters 240, and the middle part of the swing rod 230 is hinged to the base 210 via a second pivot 252. In this embodiment, the two casters 240 are respectively provided at both ends of the same swing rod 230, and the middle part of the swing rod 230 is also hinged to the base 210. Therefore, as the swing rod 230 swings, the two casters 240 move in opposite directions. Alternatively, there can be two swing rods 230. In this case, the first ends of both swing rods 230 are hinged to the base 210, and the two casters 240 are respectively provided at the second ends of the two swing rods 230. In this embodiment, the two casters 240 can be adjusted independently.

[0102] In the above embodiments, at least two wheels in the transport mechanism 002 have three degrees of freedom in three directions, and can adjust the posture of the wheels according to the actual situation of the curved surface, so that each wheel keeps in contact with the working surface. This allows the transport mechanism 002 to avoid the working area by setting the wheels on both sides of the working area, while maintaining the stability of the transport mechanism 002 on the working surface.

[0103] The transport mechanism 002 can adjust the position and attitude of the traveling wheels 220 and the casters 240 by rotating the swing arm 230 around the second pivot 252 and the traveling wheels 220 around the first pivot 251, so that at least three wheels on the transport mechanism 002 can conform to the curved surface. Taking the transport mechanism 002 including two traveling wheels 220 and two casters 240 as an example, the two casters 240 are respectively connected to the two ends of the swing arm 230, and the two traveling wheels 220 are connected to the base 210. When the transport mechanism 002 travels on the curved surface, the two casters 240 simultaneously rotate adaptively around the second pivot 252 in the middle area of ​​the swing arm 230 to adjust the position of the two casters 240 relative to the working surface.

[0104] The swing arm 230 provides the caster wheel 240 with a degree of freedom in the direction perpendicular to the working surface, and the caster wheel 240 provides itself with a degree of rotational freedom. The caster wheel 240 connected to the swing arm 230 can adjust its position and posture according to the curvature of the working surface by rotating the swing arm 230 and its own rotation, so as to maintain its contact with the working surface.

[0105] For example, the traveling wheels 220 and the casters 240 are magnetically attracted wheels, and the magnetic attraction force of the magnetically attracted wheels can be directed towards the working surface. For the transport mechanism 002 with two traveling wheels 220 and two casters 240, all four magnetically attracted wheels can generate magnetic attraction force with the working surface. When the working surface is curved and the curvature changes, the swing arm 230 rotates in a plane perpendicular to the working surface to adjust the position of the two casters 240. When one of the traveling wheels 220 tends to detach from the working surface, the magnetic attraction force generated by the magnetically attracted wheels on the working surface can guide the traveling wheel 220 to rotate around the first pivot 251, so that the traveling wheel 220 can be adjusted to contact the working surface. This allows both traveling wheels 220 to remain in contact with the working surface.

[0106] Setting both the traveling wheel 220 and the omnidirectional wheel 240 as magnetic adsorption wheels helps guide each wheel to adjust to a state of contact with the working surface. At the same time, it can provide a nearly constant magnetic adsorption force for the traveling wheel 220 on the metal surface, which helps improve the stability of the carrying mechanism 002 on the working surface, thereby improving the detection accuracy of the surface detection device.

[0107] The surface inspection method corresponding to the surface inspection device includes at least the following steps:

[0108] The surface detection module is moved on the working surface by the carrier mechanism so that the detection points on the working surface are within the detection range of the detection head.

[0109] The transport mechanism can be a wall-climbing robot, the working surface can be the surface of a wind turbine tower, and the inspection item can be weld inspection. In one embodiment, the wall-climbing robot carries the surface inspection module of any of the above embodiments and moves it on the working surface to bring the surface inspection module close to the target inspection point, and the inspection point on the working surface is within the inspection range of the inspection head. The inspection head can be exemplarily an ultrasonic inspection probe, which uses the piezoelectric effect to convert electrical energy into sound energy. The core component is a wafer, which is used to emit and receive ultrasonic signals to achieve non-destructive testing to identify surface or internal defects of the welds on the wind turbine tower, such as cracks and lack of fusion.

[0110] The detection head is used to detect the detection points to determine whether the current detection point needs to be marked. In this step, the detection result of the detection head determines whether the current detection point needs to be marked. For example, detection points that need to be marked include locations with cracks or lack of fusion in weld inspection; detection points that do not need to be marked include locations in intact weld inspection.

[0111] When the detection point needs to be marked, the corresponding detection point is marked based on the marking component.

[0112] When a detection point that needs to be marked is detected, the detection point is further marked based on the marking component. The liquid in the tank of the marking component can be, for example, a waterproof, oil-proof, and abrasion-resistant industrial paint pen or a special marking paint.

[0113] In some embodiments of this application, when the number of detection heads is two and the surface detection module includes an encoder wheel assembly, the surface detection method further includes the following steps: acquiring an image of the detection point based on an image recognition module, and determining a target distance between the two detection heads based on the acquired image of the detection point; adjusting the position of the two detection heads along a first direction using a first displacement mechanism based on the determined target distance; acquiring position data collected by an encoder assembly, and determining the position or distance of the marked detection point relative to the detection starting point of the surface detection device based on the position data.

[0114] In the above embodiment, after the image recognition module acquires the image of the detection point, it further processes and analyzes the image to determine the center point and edge points of the detection point, and then determines the target distance between the two detection heads based on the determined position coordinates of the center point and edge points of the detection point.

[0115] After determining the target distance between the two detection heads, the position of each detection head is adjusted along the first direction X based on the first adjustment mechanism corresponding to each detection head. This not only ensures that the detection point is within the detection range of the detection head, but also ensures that the detection head and the detection point maintain the optimal relative positional relationship, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of the detection results.

[0116] In addition, the encoder component acquires position data or speed information in real time during the detection process of the surface detection module to determine the position coordinates of the marked detection point, and then determines the position or distance of the marked detection point from the detection starting point of the surface detection device.

[0117] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A surface detection module, characterized in that, The surface detection module includes: A mounting bracket (110) is used to connect to the transport mechanism (002); The displacement assembly (120) includes a first displacement mechanism (121) and a second displacement mechanism (122). The first displacement mechanism (121) includes a first fixed part (1211) and a first moving part (1212). The first fixed part (1211) is disposed on the fixed frame (110). The first moving part (1212) is movable relative to the first fixed part (1211) in a first direction parallel to the working surface. The second displacement mechanism (122) includes a second fixed part (1221) and a second moving part (1222). The second fixed part (1221) is disposed on the first moving part (1212). The second moving part (1222) is movable relative to the second fixed part (1221) in a second direction perpendicular to the working surface. The detection head (130) is disposed on the second moving part (1222) and is located on the side of the second moving part (1222) facing the working surface.

2. The surface detection module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first displacement mechanism (121) includes a rotary drive component (1213), which is fixed to the fixed frame (110). The first fixing part (1211) is a lead screw, and the first moving part (1212) is a nut. The first fixing part (1211) is connected to the output end of the rotary drive component (1213); or, The second displacement mechanism (122) includes a first electric push rod (1223), the two ends of which are connected to the second fixed part (1221) and the second moving part (1222), respectively.

3. The surface detection module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first displacement mechanism (121) includes: Limit switch assembly (1214), the limit switch assembly (1214) includes a switch body and a contact end, the switch body is fixed on the fixing frame (110), the contact end is disposed facing the first moving part (1212), and the side of the contact end facing the first moving part (1212) has a U-shaped groove; A stop block (1215) is fixed on the first moving part (1212), and the end of the stop block (1215) near the contact end can be embedded into the U-shaped groove.

4. The surface detection module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second fixed part (1221) is a fixed block, the second moving part (1222) is a slide rail, and the top end of the push rod of the first electric push rod (1223) is fixedly connected to the top end of the slide rail; The second displacement mechanism (122) includes a first elastic member (1224), which is disposed between the slide rail and the fixed block.

5. The surface detection module according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The displacement component (120) and the detection head (130) are both two in number, and the two detection heads (130) are arranged opposite to each other and spaced apart in the first direction.

6. The surface detection module according to claim 5, characterized in that, The surface detection module (001) includes: A marking assembly (140) is mounted on the fixed frame (110). The marking assembly (140) is located on the side of the detection head (130) away from the transport mechanism (002). The marking assembly (140) includes a tank (141), a nozzle (142), and a nozzle control mechanism (143). The nozzle on the nozzle (142) is positioned facing the working surface. The nozzle control mechanism (143) includes a second electric push rod (1431) and a rocker arm (1432). The fixed part of the second electric push rod (1431) is connected to the fixed frame (110). The push rod end of the second electric push rod (1431) is hinged to the first end of the rocker arm (1432). The middle part of the rocker arm (1432) is hinged to the fixed frame (110). The second end of the rocker arm (1432) is fixedly connected to the nozzle (142).

7. The surface detection module according to claim 5, characterized in that, The surface detection module (001) includes: An encoding wheel assembly (150) is disposed on the fixed frame (110). The encoding wheel assembly (150) includes a third displacement mechanism (151) and an encoding wheel (152). The third displacement mechanism (151) includes a third fixed part (1511) and a third moving part (1512). The third moving part (1512) is movable relative to the third fixed part (1511) along the second direction. The encoding wheel (152) and the third moving part (1512) are connected.

8. The surface detection module according to claim 5, characterized in that, The surface detection module (001) includes: An image recognition module (160) is disposed on the fixed frame (110). The image recognition module (160) is used to identify the position and / or posture of the detection point on the working surface in order to adjust the distance between the two detection heads (130) so that the detection point is within the detection range of the detection head.

9. A surface inspection device, characterized in that, The surface detection device includes a carrying mechanism (002) and a surface detection module (001) as described in any one of claims 1 to 8. The surface detection module (001) is located on one side of the carrying mechanism (002). The carrying mechanism (002) includes a base (210), a traveling wheel (220), a swing arm (230), and a caster wheel (240). The walking wheel (220) is disposed on the side of the base (210) facing the working surface. The walking wheel (220) can swing relative to the base (210) about a first axis that is parallel to the working surface and perpendicular to the wheel axle axis of the walking wheel (220). The swing rod (230) is disposed on the side of the base (210) away from the surface detection module (001), and at least one end of the swing rod (230) can swing relative to the base (210) about a second axis that is parallel to the first axis. The omnidirectional wheel (240) is connected to the end of the swing arm (230).

10. The surface detection device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The middle part of the swing arm (230) is hinged to the base (210), and there are two casters (240), which are respectively located at both ends of the swing arm (230); and / or, The traveling wheel (220) and the omnidirectional wheel (240) are magnetically adsorbed wheels.

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