Steel wire rope centering device for autonomous intelligent crawling robot

Abstract

The utility model discloses a steel wire rope centering device of autonomous intelligent crawling robot, including two rows of gyro wheel subassembly, and each row gyro wheel subassembly contains at least two sets of gyro wheel subassembly, and all gyro wheel subassembly is arranged in rows, and each gyro wheel subassembly includes gyro wheel seat, axle, directional gyro wheel, bearing and nut, gyro wheel seat has first end plate and second end plate, and first end plate and second end plate are all worn on axle, and directional gyro wheel is installed on axle through bearing, and directional gyro wheel is located between first end plate and second end plate, and the inner ring of bearing is gap fit with axle, and the one end of axle close to first end plate is connected the nut of screw thread, and the one end of axle close to second end plate has the limit boss, and the nut and limit boss cooperate and hold first end plate and second end plate, the outer circular surface of directional gyro wheel has the channel. The utility model discloses the centering of the steel wire rope of detection is realized to directional gyro wheel, can guarantee the automatic centering of the steel wire rope of detection after installation, and its operation is convenient, and has improved the detection work efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of robotics, and more specifically, relates to a wire rope centering device for an autonomous intelligent crawling robot. Background Technology

[0002] In modern industrial production, construction, and various special environmental operations, wire ropes, as important load-bearing and transmission components, are widely used in lifting machinery, elevators, cableways, mining hoisting equipment, and other fields. The safety and reliability of wire ropes are directly related to the normal operation of equipment and the safety of personnel and property. Therefore, regular inspection and maintenance of wire ropes are crucial to ensuring their safe use. With continuous technological advancements, traditional wire rope inspection methods have gradually revealed many limitations. Autonomous intelligent crawling robots, as an emerging inspection technology, are gradually becoming an important development direction in the field of wire rope inspection due to their advantages such as high efficiency, accuracy, and automation.

[0003] Traditional wire rope inspection relies primarily on manual operation. Inspectors must meticulously examine each section of the wire rope along its path, visually inspecting and manually touching it to determine defects such as wear, broken strands, and deformation. However, this method has several drawbacks. First, manual inspection is inefficient, especially when dealing with long-distance, high-altitude, or complex environments. The work is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and it's difficult to guarantee comprehensiveness and accuracy. Second, manual inspection is heavily influenced by subjective factors; differences in experience and judgment standards among inspectors can easily lead to inconsistent results. Furthermore, manual inspection poses significant safety risks in dangerous or inaccessible environments.

[0004] To overcome the shortcomings of manual inspection, wire rope inspection equipment based on robotics technology has gradually emerged in recent years. Autonomous intelligent crawling robots, equipped with various sensors and detection devices, can autonomously walk on wire ropes, collecting real-time status information and thus achieving automated inspection. This inspection method not only improves efficiency but also reduces the risks associated with manual inspection. However, in practical applications, existing autonomous intelligent crawling robots still face some technical challenges in wire rope inspection, the most prominent being the problem of wire rope alignment.

[0005] In the process of wire rope inspection, ensuring that the wire rope under inspection remains centered on the detection probe is crucial for accurate testing. However, existing autonomous intelligent crawling robots typically use tension wheels to adjust the tension between the wire rope and the robot to ensure smooth crawling. But this tension adjustment process cannot effectively guarantee that the wire rope remains centered on the detection probe. During the robot's crawling, the wire rope may rotate and vibrate, causing it to compress the tension spring and deviate from its centered position. Once the wire rope deviates from its centered position, it not only affects the accuracy of the test results but may also damage the core components of the testing equipment due to long-term wear, thus affecting the equipment's lifespan and reliability.

[0006] Furthermore, current alignment methods largely rely on manual visual judgment. Inspectors need to observe the wire rope's position in real time during the robot's crawling process and manually adjust the robot's posture or position to ensure the wire rope is centered. This manual alignment method is not only cumbersome and inefficient, but also extremely inconvenient in actual operations, especially in complex environments or situations with poor visibility, where manual alignment becomes even more difficult and may even fail to achieve precise alignment. Therefore, how to achieve automatic wire rope alignment, improve inspection efficiency and accuracy, and reduce the complexity and risk of manual operation has become a pressing technical challenge in the field of autonomous intelligent crawling robot wire rope inspection. Utility Model Content

[0007] In view of the above-mentioned defects or improvement needs of the existing technology, this utility model provides a wire rope centering device for an autonomous intelligent crawling robot. It uses fixed directional rollers to center the wire rope to be inspected. After installation, it can ensure the automatic centering of the wire rope to be inspected. Its structure is simple, the operation is convenient, and the inspection efficiency is improved.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, according to this utility model, a wire rope alignment device for an autonomous intelligent crawling robot is provided, comprising two rows of roller assemblies for clamping the wire rope to be inspected, each row of roller assemblies comprising at least two sets of roller assemblies, and all roller assemblies arranged in rows and columns, wherein: Each roller assembly includes a roller seat, a wheel axle, a directional roller, a bearing, and a nut. The roller seat is mounted on a connecting shell and has a first end plate and a second end plate. Both the first and second end plates are mounted on the wheel axle. The directional roller is mounted on the wheel axle via a bearing and is located between the first and second end plates. The inner ring of the bearing is clearance-fitted with the wheel axle, and the outer ring of the bearing is interference-fitted with the directional roller. The nut is threaded to the end of the wheel axle near the first end plate, and a limiting boss is provided at the end of the wheel axle near the second end plate. Both the first and second end plates are located between the nut and the limiting boss. The nut and the limiting boss cooperate to clamp the first and second end plates, thereby detachably connecting the wheel axle to the first and second end plates. The outer surface of the directional roller has a groove so that the steel wire rope to be inspected can contact the directional roller at the groove.

[0009] Preferably, each roller assembly further includes a cotter pin, the nut is a hexagonal slotted nut, and the axle has a radial through hole at one end near the nut, where the cotter pin is installed.

[0010] Preferably, a bushing is provided at the gap between the first end of the axle and the first end plate, and a bushing is provided at the gap between the second end of the axle and the second end plate.

[0011] Preferably, each roller assembly further includes a gasket located between the nut and the roller seat.

[0012] Preferably, there are two bearings, each bearing is installed at one end of the directional roller.

[0013] Preferably, the directional roller is provided with blind holes at both ends, and a bearing is installed at each blind hole.

[0014] Preferably, the directional roller is made of hard plastic, polyurethane soft material, stainless steel, or wear-resistant engineering plastic.

[0015] Preferably, the groove on the outer surface of the directional roller is a U-shaped groove, a toothed groove, or a worm groove.

[0016] Preferably, the roller seat is provided with a group of mounting holes formed by multiple mounting holes, so that the roller seat can be mounted on the connecting shell of the robot body by means of threaded fasteners.

[0017] Preferably, the mounting hole group includes a plurality of first mounting holes and a plurality of second mounting holes, wherein the axes of the first mounting holes are parallel to each other, the axes of the second mounting holes are parallel to each other, and the axes of the first mounting holes and the axes of the second mounting holes are perpendicular to each other.

[0018] In summary, compared with the prior art, the above-described technical solution conceived by this utility model can achieve the following beneficial effects: 1) The wire rope centering device of this utility model for an autonomous intelligent crawling robot, by setting two rows of roller assemblies, can constrain and guide the wire rope to be inspected from two directions. The outer circumference of the directional roller has a groove, and the wire rope to be inspected contacts the directional roller at the groove. This design ensures that the wire rope to be inspected is always confined within the groove of the directional roller during crawling, thereby ensuring that the wire rope to be inspected is in the center position of the inspection equipment. This utility model can effectively avoid the errors and uncertainties caused by manual operation, significantly improve the inspection accuracy, and ensure the reliability and consistency of the inspection results.

[0019] 2) The wire rope centering device of the autonomous intelligent crawling robot of this utility model has a roller shaft that can be detachably installed on the first end plate and the second end plate of the roller seat through a nut and a limiting boss. Moreover, the roller shaft is clearance-fitted with the inner ring of the bearing, which makes it easy to remove the roller shaft from the roller seat. This design allows for the replacement and adaptation of different directional rollers for different application scenarios and various specifications of wire ropes to be inspected. It facilitates quick and effective replacement of different directional rollers, improves on-site inspection efficiency and inspection applicability, and thus meets the inspection needs of various working conditions.

[0020] 3) The wire rope alignment device of the autonomous intelligent crawling robot of this utility model, when the robot is installed on the wire rope to be inspected, forcibly constrains the wire rope to be inspected to the center line of the inspection equipment through the groove of the directional roller. It avoids the need for manual alignment and realizes alignment upon installation, making on-site operation very convenient. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the present invention; In all the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same technical features, specifically: 1. Connecting shell; 2. Roller assembly; 3. Roller seat; 31. First end plate; 32. Second end plate; 33. Mounting hole; 4. Bushing; 5. Axle; 51. Limiting boss; 6. Directional roller; 7. Gasket; 8. Nut; 9. Bearing. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present utility model and are not intended to limit the present utility model. Furthermore, the technical features involved in the various embodiments of the present utility model described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0023] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 The wire rope alignment device for the autonomous intelligent crawling robot includes two rows of roller assemblies 2 for clamping the wire rope to be inspected. Each row of roller assemblies 2 contains at least two sets of roller assemblies 2, and all roller assemblies 2 are arranged in rows and columns.

[0024] Each roller assembly 2 includes a roller seat 3, a wheel axle 5, a directional roller 6, a bearing 9, and a nut 8. The roller seat 3 is mounted on the connecting shell 1 and has a first end plate 31 and a second end plate 32. Both the first end plate 31 and the second end plate 32 are mounted on the wheel axle 5. The directional roller 6 is mounted on the wheel axle 5 via the bearing 9 and is located between the first end plate 31 and the second end plate 32. The first end plate 31 and the second end plate 32 limit the directional roller 6 to prevent it from falling off the wheel axle 5. The inner ring of the bearing 9 is clearance-fitted with the axle 5, and the outer ring of the bearing 9 is interference-fitted with the directional roller 6. The axle 5 is threaded to the nut 8 at one end near the first end plate 31, and has a limiting boss 51 at one end near the second end plate 32. The first end plate 31 and the second end plate 32 are both located between the nut 8 and the limiting boss 51. The nut 8 and the limiting boss 51 cooperate to clamp the first end plate 31 and the second end plate 32, thereby detachably connecting the axle 5 to the first end plate 31 and the second end plate 32.

[0025] The outer surface of the directional roller 6 has a groove so that the steel wire rope to be inspected can contact the directional roller 6 at the groove.

[0026] The clearance fit between the inner ring of bearing 9 and axle 5 gives roller assembly 2 excellent dynamic adaptability, especially in effectively addressing the jumping phenomenon of the wire rope under inspection. Wire rope is a flexible material with a twist pitch, an uneven surface, and undergoes elasto-plastic deformation under stress. When the robot crawls on the wire rope under inspection, it experiences complex jumping (including radial vibration and axial torsion). The clearance fit plays a crucial buffering role. The small radial clearance between the inner ring of bearing 9 and axle 5 allows the directional roller 6 to float relative to axle 5 within a very small range. When the wire rope under inspection experiences slight changes in surface diameter or local bending due to the twisting process, this floating amount compensates for geometric errors, preventing hard impacts between the directional roller 6 and the wire rope. When the wire rope under inspection experiences high-frequency jumping, the clearance fit interrupts the rigidity transmission path. Vibration energy is first absorbed by the air damping in the gap, rather than being directly and rigidly transmitted to the axle 5 and the robot body. This protects the precision detection probes inside the robot from severe vibration interference, thus ensuring the signal-to-noise ratio and validity of the detection data. The outer ring of the bearing 9 is interference-fitted with the directional roller 6, ensuring that when the wire rope drives the directional roller 6 to rotate, the directional roller 6 can drive the outer ring of the bearing 9 to rotate synchronously, preventing slippage and wear.

[0027] In addition, the axle 5 is equivalent to a quick-disassembly pin structure. When it is necessary to replace the directional roller 6 with a different groove type for wire ropes of different diameters on site, or when the directional roller 6 is severely worn and needs to be replaced, there is no need to use tools such as presses or pullers to remove the axle 5. The axle 5 can be easily pulled out from the roller seat 3 simply by unscrewing the nut 8.

[0028] Furthermore, each roller assembly 2 also includes a cotter pin, the nut 8 is a hexagonal slotted nut, and the axle 5 has a radial through hole at one end near the nut 8, where the cotter pin is installed. The cooperation between the cotter pin and the nut 8 further enhances the reliability of the roller assembly 2's fixation on the axle 5. The addition of the cotter pin effectively prevents the nut 8 from loosening due to vibration during operation, thus ensuring that the roller assembly 2 maintains a stable and reliable fixed state throughout the entire testing process.

[0029] Furthermore, a bushing 4 is provided at the gap between the first end of the axle 5 and the first end plate 31, and a bushing 4 is provided at the gap between the second end of the axle 5 and the second end plate 32. By adding bushings 4 between the axle 5 and the roller seat 3, the direct contact and friction between the axle 5 and the roller seat 3 can be effectively reduced, thereby improving the running smoothness of the roller assembly 2. The addition of bushings 4 not only improves the running smoothness, but also effectively reduces the wear between the axle 5 and the roller seat 3. By providing bushings 4 at the gaps, the metal friction between the axle 5 and the roller seat 3 can be transformed into low-friction contact between the bushing 4 and the axle 5 or the roller seat 3.

[0030] Furthermore, each roller assembly 2 also includes a liner 7, which is located between the nut 8 and the roller seat 3. The liner 7 increases the contact area and buffering effect between the nut 8 and the roller seat 3. The liner 7 can effectively disperse and buffer external forces, reduce direct friction between the nut 8 and the roller seat 3, thereby improving the structural stability of the roller assembly 2.

[0031] Furthermore, there are two bearings 9, each mounted on one end of the directional roller 6. The two bearings 9 significantly improve the operational stability and precision of the directional roller 6. The use of bearings 9 effectively reduces friction between the directional roller 6 and the axle 5, making the directional roller 6 rotate more smoothly and steadily.

[0032] Furthermore, blind holes are provided at both ends of the directional roller 6, and a bearing 9 is installed at each blind hole. The design of the blind holes allows the two ends of the directional roller 6 to better bear the weight of the bearing 9 and the forces generated during operation, thereby improving the stability of the directional roller 6 under high load conditions. This structural optimization enables the directional roller 6 to withstand greater radial and axial forces during operation, reducing the risk of failure due to structural deformation.

[0033] Furthermore, the directional roller 6 is made of hard plastic, soft polyurethane, stainless steel, or wear-resistant engineering plastic. This choice of material significantly improves the wear resistance and service life of the directional roller 6. Hard plastic and soft polyurethane offer excellent wear resistance and self-lubricating properties, effectively resisting wear while reducing friction; stainless steel provides higher strength and corrosion resistance, making it suitable for use in harsh environments; and wear-resistant engineering plastic combines the advantages of high strength and low friction, enabling it to withstand high loads and high-frequency use. By selecting appropriate materials, the directional roller 6 can maintain good performance during long-term operation, reducing the frequency of replacement due to wear.

[0034] Furthermore, the groove on the outer surface of the directional roller 6 is a U-shaped groove, a toothed groove, or a worm groove. This diverse groove design significantly improves the adaptability of the directional roller 6 to different types of steel wire ropes to be inspected. Different groove shapes can be selected based on the diameter, material, and surface characteristics of the steel wire rope to be inspected, thereby better conforming to the shape of the steel wire rope and ensuring stable operation within the groove. U-shaped grooves are suitable for most standard circular steel wire ropes to be inspected, providing good support and centering; toothed grooves are more suitable for steel wire ropes with special surface structures, increasing friction through the toothed structure to prevent slippage; worm grooves provide higher centering accuracy and stability in high-precision inspection scenarios. By optimizing the groove shape, the directional roller 6 can better maintain the centering state of the steel wire rope to be inspected, reducing inspection errors caused by wire rope misalignment, thereby significantly improving inspection accuracy. In practical applications, steel wire ropes to be inspected in different scenarios may have different specifications and characteristics. By selecting a suitable channel shape, the directional roller 6 can adapt to various types of steel wire ropes to be inspected, thereby improving the applicability of the autonomous intelligent crawling robot in different application scenarios.

[0035] Furthermore, the roller seat 3 is provided with a group of mounting holes formed by multiple mounting holes 33, so as to install the roller seat 3 onto the connecting shell 1 of the robot body by means of threaded fasteners. Further, the multiple mounting holes 33 on the roller seat 3 include a first mounting hole and a second mounting hole. The axes of the first mounting holes are parallel to each other, the axes of the second mounting holes are parallel to each other, and the axes of the first mounting holes and the axes of the second mounting holes are perpendicular to each other. By providing mounting holes 33 with mutually perpendicular axes, screws can fix the roller seat 3 to the shell from two different directions. This bidirectional orthogonal locking structure can effectively restrict the displacement of the roller seat 3 in each degree of freedom, preventing the screws from loosening or the roller seat 3 from shifting due to vibration in one direction, thus providing stronger vibration resistance and structural rigidity than simple parallel mounting holes 33.

[0036] This utility model adapts to different directional rollers 6 to suit different application scenarios and various specifications of steel wire ropes to be inspected; after installation, the device can automatically ensure centerline alignment; at the same time, with the help of the quick disassembly and replacement function design, it realizes efficient inspection of steel wire ropes to be inspected.

[0037] Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A wire rope alignment device for an autonomous intelligent crawling robot, characterized in that, This includes two rows of roller assemblies for clamping the steel wire rope to be inspected, each row of roller assemblies comprising at least two sets of roller assemblies, and all roller assemblies arranged in rows and columns, wherein: Each roller assembly includes a roller seat, a wheel axle, a directional roller, a bearing, and a nut. The roller seat is mounted on a connecting shell and has a first end plate and a second end plate. Both the first and second end plates are mounted on the wheel axle. The directional roller is mounted on the wheel axle via a bearing and is located between the first and second end plates. The inner ring of the bearing is clearance-fitted with the wheel axle, and the outer ring of the bearing is interference-fitted with the directional roller. The nut is threaded to the end of the wheel axle near the first end plate, and a limiting boss is provided at the end of the wheel axle near the second end plate. Both the first and second end plates are located between the nut and the limiting boss. The nut and the limiting boss cooperate to clamp the first and second end plates, thereby detachably connecting the wheel axle to the first and second end plates. The outer surface of the directional roller has a groove so that the steel wire rope to be inspected can contact the directional roller at the groove.

2. The wire rope alignment device for the autonomous intelligent crawling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each roller assembly also includes a cotter pin, the nut is a hexagonal slotted nut, and the axle has a radial through hole at one end near the nut, where the cotter pin is installed.

3. The wire rope alignment device for the autonomous intelligent crawling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, A bushing is provided in the gap between the first end of the axle and the first end plate, and a bushing is provided in the gap between the second end of the axle and the second end plate.

4. The wire rope alignment device for the autonomous intelligent crawling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the roller assemblies also includes a liner located between the nut and the roller seat.

5. The wire rope alignment device for the autonomous intelligent crawling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, There are two bearings, each of which is installed at one end of the directional roller.

6. The wire rope alignment device for the autonomous intelligent crawling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The directional roller has blind holes at both ends, and a bearing is installed at each blind hole.

7. The wire rope alignment device for the autonomous intelligent crawling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The directional rollers are made of hard plastic, soft polyurethane, stainless steel, or wear-resistant engineering plastic.

8. The wire rope alignment device for the autonomous intelligent crawling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The groove on the outer surface of the directional roller is a U-shaped groove, a toothed groove, or a worm groove.

9. The wire rope alignment device for the autonomous intelligent crawling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The roller seat is provided with a group of mounting holes formed by multiple mounting holes, so that the roller seat can be installed on the connecting shell of the robot body by means of threaded fasteners.

10. The wire rope alignment device for the autonomous intelligent crawling robot according to claim 9, characterized in that, The mounting hole group includes a plurality of first mounting holes and a plurality of second mounting holes. The axes of the first mounting holes are parallel to each other, the axes of the second mounting holes are parallel to each other, and the axes of the first mounting holes and the axes of the second mounting holes are perpendicular to each other.

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