Omni-directional Wheel Control for Underground Radar Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Underground exploration apparatuses face challenges in maintaining straight movement and stability due to omni-directional wheels, requiring excessive human power and leading to low scanning performance and missed measurement data when scanning beyond a predetermined speed limit.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates three omni-directional wheels with motors, encoders, torque sensors, an acceleration sensor, and a gyroscopic sensor, controlled by a terminal that assists in movement direction and speed, providing power assistance and restricting movement to maintain rectilinearity and prevent excessive speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If omni-directional wheels are used to enable movement in any direction, then the apparatus can move freely in all directions within 360 degrees, but it becomes difficult to move straight and stability deteriorates due to wobbling caused by skidding or turning motion
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the rotation speeds of the three omni-directional wheels based on real-time feedback from encoders and torque sensors. The control unit calculates the required wheel speeds to achieve desired movement while compensating for skidding and turning motions, enabling straight movement despite the inherent instability of omni-directional wheels.
Solution Approach 2:
Encoders measure the rotation amounts of each wheel, and torque sensors measure the torques applied to each wheel. This feedback information is sent to the control unit, which continuously adjusts the wheel rotation speeds to maintain stable straight movement and correct posture, resolving the stability issue caused by omni-directional wheel characteristics.
2Productivity
If omni-directional wheels are used to eliminate preliminary work for drawing measurement lines, then the apparatus can perform continuous two-dimensional movement, but scanning performance deteriorates due to inability to scan straight and posture instability
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit receives real-time feedback from encoders measuring wheel rotation and torque sensors measuring wheel torques. This feedback enables continuous adjustment of wheel speeds to maintain straight scanning motion, ensuring measurement precision is maintained despite the flexible movement capability provided by omni-directional wheels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual positioning and straight-line mechanical guidance with an automated control system that uses sensor feedback to dynamically adjust wheel rotations. This substitution enables the apparatus to maintain precise scanning performance while enjoying the mobility benefits of omni-directional wheels.
3Reliability
If the apparatus is made heavy with large-sized antenna and large-sized structure to explore deep areas, then exploration capability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates because excessive human power is needed to move and handle the apparatus
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical pushing with an automated motor-driven system. Three motors are connected to the omni-directional wheels, and the control unit automatically controls their rotation based on encoder and torque sensor feedback. This substitution eliminates the need for excessive human power while maintaining the heavy apparatus structure required for deep area exploration.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus becomes self-propelled through the motor system that automatically controls wheel rotation. The control unit processes sensor data and autonomously adjusts motor outputs to move the heavy apparatus, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating dependence on human physical effort for movement.
4Productivity
If scanning speed is increased to improve productivity, then measurement efficiency is improved, but measurement data quality deteriorates because data is missed when scanning beyond predetermined upper limit speed
Solution Approach 1:
Encoders continuously measure the rotation speeds of the wheels, providing real-time feedback to the control unit. This feedback enables the system to monitor and maintain scanning speed within the optimal range, preventing excessive speed that would cause data loss while still achieving high productivity through efficient steady-state scanning.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit dynamically adjusts wheel rotation speeds based on real-time conditions and feedback from sensors. This dynamic control ensures scanning speed remains within the upper limit that prevents data loss, while maximizing productivity by operating at the highest safe speed consistently throughout the scanning process.
Data Source
AI summary
An underground exploration apparatus 100 that explores underground using electromagnetic waves includes a radar unit 1 for underground exploration including an antenna and a transceiver, three omni-directional movement type wheels 2a to 2c that are rotatably fixed to three wheel shafts arranged at 120 degrees intervals and can move the underground exploration apparatus in any direction by changing rotation directions and rotation speeds of the three wheels, three motors 3a to 3c that rotate the three wheels 2a to 2c in predetermined directions at predetermined speeds, a terminal 10 that controls the radar unit 1 and the three motors 3a to 3c. The terminal 10 includes a calculation unit 23 that calculates an external force applied to the underground exploration apparatus 100 using measurement data measured by three encoders 4a to 4c, three torque sensors 5a to 5c, an acceleration sensor 6, and a gyroscopic sensor 7, and a first control unit 26 that rotates the three motors 3a to 3c according to the external force.