Patent Application
20250162698
This application claims priority to Chinese Application No. CN202311537790.2, having a filing date of Nov. 17, 2023 and CN202311537769.2, having a filing date of Nov. 17, 2023, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The invention relates to the technical field of underwater operations, in particular to a crawling and adhesion device for underwater inspection robots used on dams.
As the demand for underwater operations increases, particularly in fields such as underwater resource development and engineering construction that require underwater inspections, inclined dam surfaces are common in underwater construction. Compared to traditional vertical structures, inclined dam surfaces can reduce flow velocity, decrease the erosion of riverbanks by water flow, promote sediment deposition, and enhance the stability of river channels. The ability of underwater robots to crawl on inclined dam surfaces is crucial, as the motion interference from deep and strong currents, as well as mixed flows, poses a great challenge to crawling on inclined dam surfaces.
Robotics technology has always been one of the research focuses of researchers. Underwater robots play a crucial role in marine equipment cleaning, underwater structure exploration, and hydraulic device maintenances. The ability to crawl and adhere to dam surfaces is necessary for structures such as ports and dams. However, how to on inclined dam surfaces has been one of the challenges in the research of underwater robots.
To address the issues in the prior art, the invention provides a crawling and adhesion device for underwater inspection robots used on dams. After adjusting the posture of an underwater robot, the crawling and adhesion device can adapt to inclined dam surfaces ranging from 0° to 90°, allowing the underwater robot to stably adhere to the underwater inclined dam surfaces. Additionally, the crawling and adhesion device compensates for height and angle errors caused by the operation of two sets of wheeled leg mechanisms, preventing the underwater robot from detaching from the inclined dam surfaces due to strong currents, thus enhancing the stability of adhesion during underwater operations.
In order to achieve the above purpose, the invention provides the following technical scheme.
A crawling and adhesion device for underwater inspection robots used on dams comprises at least one set of wheeled leg mechanisms, an angle adjusting mechanism and a length adjusting mechanism, wherein an upper end of the length adjusting mechanism is connected with a robot; the wheeled leg mechanism comprises a shell, adhesion units and a crawling wheel arranged under the shell; the adhesion unit comprises a suction cup arranged under the shell and a negative pressure pump arranged in a robot body, and the suction cup is connected to the negative pressure pump via a telescopic hose, so as to adhere to a dam surface through negative pressure generated by the negative pressure pump; and the crawling wheel is a universal wheel which automatically adjusts the direction of travel under the power of the robot body, facilitating the precise attachment of the adhesion unit to the inclined dam surface. During operation of the crawling and adhesion device, the adhesion units are locked into position; when floating, the suction cups detach from the dam surface, and the crawling wheels serve as a load-bearing mechanism for the entire crawling and adhesion device and the robot to overcome obstacles. The length adjusting mechanism is used for adjusting a distance between the wheeled leg mechanism and the robot body, and the angle adjusting mechanism is used for adjusting an angle of the wheeled leg mechanism with respect to a horizontal dam surface.
Further, the length adjusting mechanism is a spiral length adjusting mechanism, and comprises a telescopic outer tube arranged outside, a telescopic inner tube arranged inside the telescopic outer tube and a bolt, and the telescopic outer tube and the telescopic inner tube are connected threadedly; and a groove is formed in the telescopic outer tube, a tube wall of the telescopic outer tube is provided with a threaded hole corresponding to the groove, and the bolt is embedded in the telescopic outer tube through the threaded hole in the tube wall to restrict the rotation of threads, secure the axial position of both the telescopic outer tube and the telescopic inner tube, and prevent axial sliding due to applied force.
Preferably, a boss is provided on an outer surface of the telescopic outer tube corresponding to the groove, and the threaded hole is located on both the boss and the tube wall.
After the underwater robot body adjusts its posture, two sets of crawling and adhesion devices exhibit a significant difference in axial distance due to the inclined dam surface. The length of threaded fit between the telescopic outer tube and the telescopic inner tube is adjusted to compensate for a height difference produced by the two sets of crawling and adhesion devices, ensuring that the adhesion unit can accurately adhere to the correct position.
Further, the angle adjusting mechanism is a swinging type angle adjusting mechanism, and comprises a telescopic inner tube arranged in the telescopic outer tube, an upper part of the telescopic inner tube is positioned in the telescopic outer tube, a lower part is arranged in the shell and connected with the shell through a first pivot pin, and the telescopic inner tube is able to swing around the first pivot pin; and a plurality of inclined positioning plates are arranged in the shell, and the inclined positioning plates are matched with a lower end of the telescopic inner tube and used for limiting a position of the telescopic inner tube.
Further, the shell further comprises a bearing wall, the plurality of inclined positioning plates are arranged on the bearing wall, and the first pivot pin is also arranged on the bearing wall.
Further, the number of the inclined positioning plates is three, one is arranged in a vertical direction, and the other two are positioned in bilateral symmetry with respect to the vertical direction. Preferably, the three inclined positioning plates are a +20° inclined positioning plate, a 0° inclined positioning plate, and a −20° inclined positioning plate from left to right.
Further, a lower end of the telescopic inner tube is provided with an external thread, a bottom of the inclined positioning plate is provided with an internal thread matching the external thread at the lower end of the telescopic inner tube, and the telescopic inner tube is fixed to the inclined positioning plate via threaded connection, allowing for the adjustment and fixation of the crawling and adhesion device to operate at a certain incline angle, enabling the crawling and adhesion device to adapt to various degrees of inclined dam surfaces; and the crawling and adhesion devices may be mounted horizontally, at a 45° angle, or vertically on the robot body.
Further, the crawling and adhesion device further comprises a connector connected with the robot, and the connector comprises a male connector arranged on an upper part of the length adjusting mechanism and a female connector arranged on the robot body. Preferably, the connector is a quick-change connector, and the female connector is embedded in the robot body, such that the streamlined shape of the robot will not be affected.
Further, one end of the male connector comprises a centrally positioned prism and an external connecting column arranged outside the prism, and the other end of the male connector is connected with the length adjusting mechanism; the female connector comprises a centrally positioned prismatic hole and an inner connecting column arranged outside the prismatic hole; and the prism matches the prismatic hole, the outer connecting column matches the inner connecting column, and threaded connection is achieved through inner threads on an inner wall of the outer connecting column and outer threads on an outer wall of the inner connecting column.
Further, the wheeled leg mechanism further comprises a buoyancy block arranged in the shell and fixedly installed on a supporting frame. The density of the buoyancy block is less than that of water, which increases the overall buoyancy of the wheeled leg mechanism, allowing the entire crawling and adhesion device to achieve neutral buoyancy in water. This configuration does not affect the center of gravity of the underwater robot body, thus enhancing the stability of the device and ensuring stable operation of the underwater robot.
Further, the crawling and adhesion device further comprises connecting tubes, the wheeled leg mechanism, the length adjusting mechanism, the angle adjusting mechanism and the connectors connected with the robot all feature at least two sets, adjacent sets are connected via the connecting tubes, and two ends of the connecting tube are respectively connected with the length adjusting mechanisms in the two sets.
Further, two ends of the connecting tube are provided with bosses which have internal threads, and a connecting column which has external threads is welded onto the length adjusting mechanism, thus realizing threaded connection. The counter-rotating threaded connection provides excellent fastening to prevent loosening and detachment at the connection points, thereby constraining the distance between different sets of wheeled leg mechanisms and improving the overall rigidity of the crawling and adhesion device, as well as its stability when the crawling and adhesion device operates in strong or turbulent flows.
Additionally, by changing the length of the connecting tube or replacing it with tubes of different lengths, the distance between the wheeled leg mechanisms can be adjusted, broadening the application range of the crawling and adhesion device.
Further, the wheeled leg mechanism, the length adjusting mechanism, the angle adjusting mechanism and the connectors connected with the robot all feature four sets, arranged as one set at the front, one at the back, and one on each side, with the front two sets forming a pair and the rear two sets forming another pair.
In use, based on design drawings of the underwater dam surface and the underwater detection posture of the robot body, the crawling and adhesion device may be mounted horizontally, at a 45° angle, or vertically on the robot body. When the operational surface of the crawling and adhesion device is an inclined dam surface, there is a significant difference in the axial distance between the front pair and rear pair of wheeled leg mechanisms. The lengths of the length adjusting mechanisms for both pairs are adjusted to compensate for the height difference produced by the two sets of wheeled leg mechanisms.
Further, the connecting tube is a hollow cylindrical tube, which not only reduces weight but also offsets part of the gravitational force acting on the crawling and adhesion device in water.
Additionally, the shell of the wheeled leg mechanism is designed with lightweight skin to ensure an overall streamlined shape, thereby reducing water resistance and weight while also alleviating part of the gravitational force acting on the crawling and adhesion device in water.
Further, the supporting framework is arranged on a bottom of the shell, serving as a base to enclose the shell, and the bearing wall is mounted on the supporting framework. The supporting framework provides rigid support for the adhesion units, the crawling wheels, and the bearing wall. Additionally, the supporting framework and the bearing wall are integrated into a single structure.
Further, the adhesion unit is designed for modular installation, allowing for the selection of an appropriate number of units to be installed on the wheeled leg mechanism as needed. Moreover, the adhesion unit is fixed to the supporting framework with a flange.
Further, by employing a mixed-flow pump to create negative pressure suction, the adhesion unit can automatically compensate for variations in height and angle on a suction surface, accommodating irregular and uneven dam surfaces.
Further, the adhesion unit further comprises an underwater negative pressure pump, a displacement compensation component and a waterproof electromagnetic directional valve; an end of the underwater negative pressure pump is provided with an inlet check valve and an outlet check valve; a bottom of the suction cup is provided with a permeable flexible cushion layer, a suction cup support is fixedly connected to a top of the suction cup, and a spherical hinge cover plate is fixedly connected to the suction cup support; the displacement compensation component comprises a hydraulic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder piston is arranged in the hydraulic cylinder, a piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder piston is connected with a spherical hinge joint, the piston rod fits into a shank of the spherical hinge joint, and the shank of the spherical hinge joint is located in the hydraulic cylinder; a return spring is arranged between the shank of the spherical hinge joint and an inner wall of the hydraulic cylinder, a spherical head of the spherical hinge joint is hinged to the spherical hinge cover plate, and a preload spring abutting against the spherical head of the spherical hinge joint is arranged in the suction cup support; and the waterproof electromagnetic directional valve is provided with four valve ports, and the four valve ports are respectively connected with the inlet check valve, the outlet check valve, the suction cup and the hydraulic cylinder.
Further, the underwater negative pressure pump comprises a watertight compartment, a gear box fixedly connected with the watertight compartment, and a negative pressure pump cylinder fixedly connected with the gear box; a gear motor is arranged in the watertight compartment, a small bevel gear and a large bevel gear engaging with the small bevel gear are arranged in the gear box, and a negative pressure pump piston and a connecting rod connected with the negative pressure pump piston are arranged in the negative pressure pump cylinder; a motor shaft of the gear motor is connected with the small bevel gear, a rotating dynamic seal is employed between the small bevel gear and the watertight compartment, the large bevel gear is connected with the connecting rod, and the gear motor drives the negative pressure pump piston to reciprocate through bevel gear transmission; and the inlet check valve and the outlet check valve are arranged at an end of the negative pressure pump cylinder, and a first filter device is arranged at a top of the gear box.
Further, a filter membrane is arranged in a suction cup chamber of the suction cup, a suction cup water outlet connected with a suction cup water inlet is formed in a side face of the suction cup, the suction cup water inlet is provided with a second filter device, and the suction cup water outlet is connected with one of the valve ports of the waterproof electromagnetic directional valve through a telescopic hose.
Further, an end, connected with the watertight compartment, of the gear box is provided with a plurality of cylindrical positioning bosses, and the plurality of cylindrical positioning bosses are connected with limiting holes in one end of the gear motor to radially fix the gear motor.
Further, a motor support plate is arranged in the watertight compartment in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the gear motor, the gear motor is fixedly installed on the motor support plate, and the motor support plate is used for axially fixing the gear motor.
Further, the displacement compensation component further comprises a guide limiting sleeve, which is arranged between the inner wall of the hydraulic cylinder and the shank of the spherical hinge joint and is tightly attached to a bottom of the hydraulic cylinder by means of an elastic force of the return spring.
Further, a plurality of suction cups are provided, and accordingly, a plurality of displacement compensation components are provided; and the plurality of suction cups are connected through telescopic hoses and then linked to one of the valve ports of the waterproof electromagnetic directional valve, and the plurality of hydraulic cylinders are also connected through telescopic hoses and then linked to one of the valve ports of the waterproof electromagnetic directional valve.
Further, a dynamic seal ring is arranged between the small bevel gear and the watertight compartment.
Further, a second Glyd ring and a second dustproof ring are arranged between the hydraulic cylinder piston and the inner wall of the hydraulic cylinder, and a third dustproof ring is arranged between a bottom end of the hydraulic cylinder and the shank of the spherical hinge joint.
The four valve ports of the waterproof electromagnetic directional valve are ports a, b, c, and d. Port a is connected to the inlet check valve, port b to the outlet check valve, port c to the suction cup, and port d to the hydraulic cylinder. A control method for the adhesion unit is as follows:
Preferably, the crawling wheel is a polyurethane universal wheel.
Compared with the prior art, the crawling and adhesion device for underwater inspection robots used on dams provided by the invention has the following beneficial effects.
(1) After adjusting the posture of the underwater robot, the crawling and adhesion device can adapt to inclined dam surfaces ranging from 0° to 90°, allowing the underwater robot to stably adhere to the underwater inclined dam surfaces. Additionally, the crawling and adhesion device compensates for height and angle errors caused by the operation of two sets of wheeled leg mechanisms, preventing the underwater robot from detaching from the inclined dam surfaces due to strong currents, thus enhancing the stability of adhesion during underwater operations.
(2) The crawling and adhesion device of the invention has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture and install, and may be mounted horizontally, at a 45° angle, or vertically on the robot. With the addition of the −20°, 0°, and 20° inclined positioning plates in the crawling and adhesion device, the crawling and adhesion device can adapt to dam surfaces with inclinations ranging from 0° to 90°. The length and angle compensation effects are excellent, and the adhesion strength is high.
(3) The adhesion unit of the invention allows the suction cup to firmly adhere to uneven dam surfaces. It can automatically compensate for the distance between the suction cup and the dam surface, enables the negative pressure pump to operate normally under varying water pressures at different depths, and achieves significant adhesion with minimal power consumption. Additionally, the suction force generated by the negative pressure pump piston can be transmitted to the hydraulic cylinder via the suction cup. The hydraulic cylinder is mounted on the supporting frame of the crawling and adhesion device, which transfers the suction force to the crawling and adhesion device. In this way, the suction force is prevented from being transmitted to the telescopic hose, allowing the telescopic hose to function solely for water intake and drainage. This effectively addresses the issue in the prior art where the water pump removes water from the suction cup chamber to create negative pressure suction, and the suction force is then transmitted to the telescopic hose, causing the device to be unable to perform stable construction due to the lack of sufficient stiffness in its structure to resist underwater strong current impacts.
The technical schemes in the embodiments of the present invention are clearly and completely described in the following with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. It is obvious that the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present invention and are not all the embodiments thereof. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of the present invention.
As shown in
In a specific implementation of this embodiment, the length adjusting mechanism is a spiral length adjusting mechanism, and comprises a telescopic outer tube 4 arranged outside, a telescopic inner tube 5 arranged inside the telescopic outer tube 4 and a bolt 15, and the telescopic outer tube 4 and the telescopic inner tube 5 are connected threadedly; and a groove 41 is formed in the telescopic outer tube 4, a tube wall of the telescopic outer tube 4 is provided with a threaded hole corresponding to the groove 41, and the bolt 15 is embedded in the telescopic outer tube 4 through the threaded hole in the tube wall to restrict the rotation of threads, secure the axial position of both the telescopic outer tube 4 and the telescopic inner tube 5, and prevent axial sliding due to applied force.
Preferably, a boss is provided on an outer surface of the telescopic outer tube 4 corresponding to the groove 41, and the threaded hole is located on both the boss and the tube wall.
After the underwater robot 13 body adjusts its posture, two sets of crawling and adhesion devices exhibit a significant difference in axial distance due to the inclined dam surface. The length of threaded fit between the telescopic outer tube 4 and the telescopic inner tube 5 is adjusted to compensate for a height difference produced by the two sets of crawling and adhesion devices, ensuring that the adhesion unit 9 can accurately adhere to the correct position.
In a specific implementation of this embodiment, the angle adjusting mechanism is a swinging type angle adjusting mechanism, and comprises a telescopic inner tube 5 arranged in the telescopic outer tube 4, an upper part of the telescopic inner tube 5 is positioned in the telescopic outer tube 4, a lower part is arranged in the shell 10 and connected with the shell 10 through a first pivot pin 6, and the telescopic inner tube 5 is able to swing around the first pivot pin 6; and a plurality of interconnected inclined positioning plates 16 are arranged in the shell 10, and the inclined positioning plates 16 are matched with a lower end of the telescopic inner tube 5 and used for limiting a position of the telescopic inner tube 5.
The shell 10 further comprises a bearing wall 8, the plurality of inclined positioning plates 16 are arranged on the bearing wall 8, and the first pivot pin 6 is also arranged on the bearing wall 8.
Preferably, the number of the inclined positioning plates is three, one is arranged in a vertical direction, and the other two are positioned in bilateral symmetry with respect to the vertical direction. Preferably, the three inclined positioning plates are a +20° inclined positioning plate, a 0° inclined positioning plate, and a −20° inclined positioning plate from left to right.
In a specific implementation of this embodiment, as shown in
In a specific implementation of this embodiment, as shown in
As shown in
The connector employs threaded constraints for axial alignment and is embedded in the length adjusting mechanism, allowing for manual locking and disassembly. Preferably, the connecting end prism 31 of the connector is a hexagonal prism which restricts the torsion of the crawling and adhesion device, enhancing the torsional resistance and ensuring the stability of the crawling and adhesion device. The female connector 14 is embedded in a casing of the robot 13, preserving the streamlined shape of the robot 13. In addition to being adjustable in installation angle and easy to install, the connector also possesses excellent sealing performance, effectively preventing leaks.
In a specific implementation of this embodiment, the wheeled leg mechanism 1 further comprises a buoyancy block 7 arranged in the shell 10 and fixedly installed on a supporting frame 17, allowing the entire crawling and adhesion device to achieve neutral buoyancy in water. This configuration does not affect the center of gravity of the underwater robot 13 body, thus enhancing the stability of the device and ensuring stable operation of the underwater robot 13.
In a specific implementation of this embodiment, the crawling and adhesion device further comprises connecting tubes 2, the wheeled leg mechanism 1, the length adjusting mechanism, the angle adjusting mechanism and the connectors connected with the robot 13 all feature at least two sets, adjacent sets are connected via the connecting tubes 2, and two ends of the connecting tube 2 are respectively connected with the length adjusting mechanisms in the two sets.
Two ends of the connecting tube 2 are provided with bosses which have internal threads, and a connecting column which has external threads is welded onto the length adjusting mechanism, thus realizing threaded connection. The counter-rotating threaded connection provides excellent fastening to prevent loosening and detachment at the connection points, thereby constraining the distance between different sets of wheeled leg mechanisms 1 and improving the overall rigidity of the crawling and adhesion device, as well as its stability when operating in strong or turbulent flows.
By changing the length of the connecting tube 2 or replacing it with tubes of different lengths, the distance between the wheeled leg mechanisms 1 can be adjusted, broadening the application range of the crawling and adhesion device.
In a specific implementation of this embodiment, the wheeled leg mechanism 1, the length adjusting mechanism, the angle adjusting mechanism and the connectors connected with the robot 13 all feature four sets, arranged as one set at the front, one at the back, and one on each side, with the front two sets forming a pair and the rear two sets forming another pair.
In use, as shown in
In a specific implementation of this embodiment, the connecting tube 2 is a hollow cylindrical tube, which not only reduces weight but also offsets part of the gravitational force acting on the crawling and adhesion device in water.
In a specific implementation of this embodiment, the shell 10 of the wheeled leg mechanism 1 is designed with lightweight skin to ensure an overall streamlined shape, thereby reducing water resistance and weight while also alleviating part of the gravitational force acting on the crawling and adhesion device in water.
In a specific implementation of this embodiment, the supporting framework 17 is arranged on a bottom of the shell, serving as a base to enclose the shell. The supporting framework 17 provides rigid support for the adhesion units 9 and the crawling wheels 12. Additionally, the supporting framework 17 and the bearing wall 8 are integrated into a single structure.
In a specific implementation of this embodiment, the adhesion unit 9 is designed for modular installation, allowing for the selection of an appropriate number of units to be installed on the wheeled leg mechanism 1 as needed. Moreover, the adhesion unit 9 is fixed to the supporting framework 17 with a flange.
In a specific implementation of this embodiment, by employing a mixed-flow pump to create negative pressure suction, the adhesion unit 9 can automatically compensate for variations in height and angle on a suction surface, accommodating irregular and uneven dam surfaces.
In a specific implementation of this embodiment, the crawling wheel 12 is a polyurethane universal wheel.
In a specific implementation of this embodiment, the suction cup 11 is a metal suction cup.
The difference between Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 1 is that Embodiment 2 proposes an adhesion unit with the following structure.
As shown in
The underwater negative pressure pump is a power generation device that enables negative pressure suction for the adhesion unit 9. Specifically, as shown in
A gear motor 1-3 is arranged in the watertight compartment 1-2, a small bevel gear 1-4 and a large bevel gear 1-5 engaging with the small bevel gear 1-4 are arranged in the gear box 1-16, a negative pressure pump piston 1-11 and a connecting rod 1-7 connected with the negative pressure pump piston 1-11 are arranged in the negative pressure pump cylinder 1-14, a motor shaft of the gear motor 1-3 is connected with the small bevel gear 1-4, the small bevel gear 1-4 engages with the large bevel gear 1-5, and the large bevel gear 1-5 is connected with the connecting rod 1-7. When the gear motor 1-3 is started, the motor shaft drives the small bevel gear 1-4 to rotate, and the small bevel gear 1-4 drives the large bevel gear 1-5 engaging therewith to rotate, thus driving the negative pressure pump piston 1-11 to reciprocate.
The negative pressure pump piston 1-11 and the connecting rod 1-7 are connected through a second pivot pin 1-13.
The inlet check valve 1-9 and the outlet check valve 1-10 are arranged at an end of the negative pressure pump cylinder 1-14, a first filter device 1-15 is arranged at a top of the gear box 1-16, one end of the negative pressure pump piston 1-11 is connected with the inlet check valve, and the other end of the negative pressure pump piston 1-11 is connected with an external water area through the first filter device 1-15, so that the water pressure at two ends of the negative pressure pump piston 1-11 can be balanced, and the negative pressure pump can work normally at various underwater depths.
To prevent water that enters the gear box 1-16 through the first filter device 1-15 from reaching the watertight chamber 1-2, a rotating dynamic seal is employed between the small bevel gear 1-4 and the watertight compartment 1-2.
More specifically, as shown in
Optionally, the first filter device 1-15 is an internal hexagonal external threaded filter device, which is fixed to a top of the gear box 1-16 through threaded connection.
As shown in
As shown in
Thus, the cylindrical positioning bosses 1601 and the motor support plate 1-1 facilitate the fixation and installation of the gear motor within the watertight chamber 1-2.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
A suction cup water outlet connected with a suction cup water inlet is formed in a side face of the suction cup 11, the suction cup water outlet is connected with a suction cup water inlet tube connector 1-33, and the suction cup water inlet is provided with a second filter device 1-35.
Optionally, the second filter device 1-35 is an internal hexagonal external threaded filter device, which is connected with the suction cup water inlet through threads.
Through the arrangement of the filter membrane 1-37 in the suction cup chamber and the second filter device 1-35 at the suction cup water inlet, a dual-layer filtration system is established, ensuring unobstructed flow in an adhesion component pipeline.
As shown in
As shown in
More specifically, the top of the suction cup 11 is connected to the suction cup support 1-32 by threads, and the suction cup support 1-32 is connected to the spherical hinge cover plate 1-29 by threads.
As shown in
A hydraulic cylinder piston 1-21 is arranged in the hydraulic cylinder 1-25, and a piston rod 1-27 is connected to the hydraulic cylinder piston 1-21.
The spherical hinge joint 1-30 comprises a shank and a spherical head, the shank of the spherical hinge joint 1-30 is located in the hydraulic cylinder 1-25, the piston rod 1-27 of the hydraulic cylinder piston 1-21 fits into the shank of the spherical hinge joint 1-30, and the spherical head of the spherical hinge joint 1-30 is hinged to the spherical hinge cover plate 1-29.
A return spring 1-24 is arranged between the shank of the spherical hinge joint 1-30 and an inner wall of the hydraulic cylinder 1-25. Together with the underwater negative pressure pump and the waterproof electromagnetic directional valve 1-39, the return spring 1-24 enables the suction cup to detach from the dam surface when the adhesion operation of the adhesion unit 9 is completed.
As shown in
The structure of the spherical hinge joint 1-30 and the preload force of the preload spring 1-31 keep the suction cup support 1-32 in a corrected rotational state with respect to the spherical hinge joint 1-30, allowing the adhesion unit 9 to automatically adapt to the uneven dam surface through the spherical hinge joint 1-30.
As shown in
As shown in
A third dustproof ring 1-28 is arranged between a bottom end of the hydraulic cylinder 1-25 and the shank of the spherical hinge joint 1-30 to prevent foreign particles in external water areas from entering the hydraulic cylinder 1-25.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
By adopting the adhesion units, the underwater negative pressure pump drives the piston to reciprocate through bevel gear transmission, alternating the opening and closing of the inlet and outlet check valves to extract water from the suction cup chamber. The suction cup 11 utilizes the underwater negative pressure pump to create a pressure differential between the suction cup chamber and the external water, generating a suction force, while automatically adapting to the uneven dam surface through the spherical hinge joint 1-30 and the permeable flexible cushion layer 1-36. The displacement compensation component uses the underwater negative pressure pump to discharge water extracted from the suction cup chamber into the hydraulic cylinder 1-25, pushing the hydraulic cylinder piston 1-21 to move axially and actively compensating for the distance between the suction cup 11 and the dam surface. The return of the suction cup 11 relies on the waterproof electromagnetic directional valve 1-39, and the underwater negative pressure pump extracts water from the hydraulic cylinder 1-25, allowing the suction cup 11 to detach from the dam surface under the force of the return spring 1-24.
In another embodiment, the control method for the adhesion unit 9 is as follows:
The adhesion unit 9 of the invention is designed with the preload spring 1-31 positioned between the spherical hinge joint 1-30 and the suction cup support 1-32, and the structure of the spherical hinge joint 1-30 and the preload force of the preload spring 1-31 keep the suction cup support 1-32 in a corrected rotational state with respect to the spherical hinge joint 1-30. Together with the permeable flexible cushion layer 1-36 positioned at the bottom of the suction cup 11, this allows the suction cup 11 to securely adhere to the uneven dam surface.
The adhesion unit 9 uses the negative pressure pump to discharge water extracted from the suction cup chamber into the hydraulic cylinder, pushing the hydraulic cylinder piston 1-21 to move axially to actively compensate for the distance between the suction cup 11 and the dam surface. The return of the suction cup relies on the waterproof electromagnetic directional valve 1-39, and the negative pressure pump extracts water from the hydraulic cylinder, allowing the suction cup 11 to detach from the dam surface under the force of the return spring 1-24.
The adhesion unit 9 of the invention features the inlet and outlet check valves 1-9 at one end of the negative pressure pump piston 1-11, while the other end of the negative pressure pump piston 1-11 is connected to the external water area via the first filter device 1-15. This arrangement balances the water pressure at two ends of the piston, allowing the negative pressure pump to function properly at various underwater depths.
The suction force generated by the negative pressure pump piston 1-11 can be transmitted to the hydraulic cylinder 1-25 via the suction cup 11. The hydraulic cylinder 1-25 is provided with a flange, allowing it to be connected to the supporting frame 17 of the crawling and adhesion device, and then the hydraulic cylinder 1-25 transfers the suction force to the crawling and adhesion device. The telescopic hoses 1-38 are installed on side faces of the suction cup 11 and function solely for water intake and drainage. This effectively addresses the issue in the prior art where the water pump removes water from the suction cup chamber to create negative pressure suction, and the suction force is then transmitted to the telescopic hose 1-38, causing the device to be unable to perform stable construction due to the lack of sufficient stiffness in its structure to resist underwater strong current impacts.
The crawling and adhesion device of the invention has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture and install, and can adhere to dam surfaces with varying degrees of inclination, utilizing three mounting methods: horizontal, 45-degree inclined, and vertical, to accommodate inclined dam surfaces from 0° degrees to 90°. With excellent length and angle compensation effects and high adhesion strength, the crawling and adhesion device is capable of navigating and inspecting dam surfaces with slopes between 0° and 90°, thereby enhancing the stability and safety of underwater robots during operation.
It should be noted that in this application, relational terms such as first and second are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Further, terms such as “comprise”, “include” or any variation thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a series of elements not only includes those listed elements but also includes other elements not expressly listed or also includes inherent elements of such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further restrictions, an element defined by the phrase “comprising a” does not exclude the existence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or apparatus comprising the element.
Although the embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023115377692 | Nov 2023 | CN | national |
| 2023115377902 | Nov 2023 | CN | national |
