Pipeline robot capable of steering actively

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10690281-B2
Application number	US-201616062117-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2016
Priority date	Jul 7, 2016
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

A pipeline robot capable of steering actively comprises at least two driving knuckles and at least one steering knuckle. Every two adjacent driving knuckles are connected by the steering knuckle. A front end cover is fixed on the front end surface of the driving knuckle at the most front end. A sensor is mounted in the center of the front end cover. A rear end cover is fixed on the rear end surface of the driving knuckle at the rearmost end. A universal spherical hinge is arranged in the center of the rear end cover. Each driving knuckle comprises a main frame, driving mechanisms and telescopic mechanisms; the telescopic mechanisms are mounted in the main frame, and capable of causing contraction of the driving mechanisms into the main frame. The steering knuckle can drive the front driving knuckle connected thereto to steer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pipeline robot configured to steer actively, comprising at least two driving knuckles and at least one steering knuckle, wherein every two adjacent driving knuckles are connected by the steering knuckle; a front end cover is fixed on a front end surface of the driving knuckle at the most front end of the pipeline robot; a sensor for detecting path distribution conditions of pipelines in a pipeline network is mounted in a center of the front end cover; a rear end cover is fixed on a rear end surface of the driving knuckle at a rearmost end of the pipeline robot; a universal spherical hinge for connecting other pipeline detection equipment is arranged in a center of the rear end cover;
each of the at least two driving knuckles comprises a main frame, driving mechanisms and telescopic mechanisms, wherein the driving mechanisms are mounted on a side wall of the main frame at uniform intervals; the telescopic mechanisms are mounted in the main frame, and is configured to cause contraction of the driving mechanisms into the main frame; and
the steering knuckle is configured to drive a front driving knuckle connected thereto to steer, wherein a screw frame is fixed in the main frame in an axial direction of the main frame; the side wall of the main frame is provided with a plurality of concave receiving grooves at the uniform intervals; a first bearing pedestal and a second bearing pedestal are symmetrically arranged on a first sides and a second side of a receiving groove from a top to a bottom in sequence; a connecting plate is arranged on an upper end surface and a lower end surface of the main frame respectively; the driving mechanisms are mounted inside the plurality of concave receiving grooves; the telescopic mechanisms are mounted on the screw frame and are connected with the driving mechanisms in a transmission manner.

2. The pipeline robot configured to steer actively according to claim 1 , wherein each of the driving mechanisms comprises two side plates, a drive motor and a track, wherein the two side plates are arranged face to face; the drive motor is fixed between the two side plates through a motor mounting plate; a first bevel gear is mounted on an output shaft of the drive motor; a drive shaft and a driven shaft, wherein the drive shaft and the driven shaft are parallel with each other, are further rotatably mounted on two ends of the two side plates; a second bevel gear is fixed on the drive shaft and meshed with the first bevel gear; a driving gear is also fixed on both ends of the drive shaft respectively; a driven gear is fixed on both ends of the driven shaft respectively; a rack inside the track is meshed with the driving gear and the driven gear and is then connected with the driving gear and the driven gear end to end; a guide rail is also arranged inside each of the two side plates; an inside edge of the track is in contact fit with the guide rail.

3. The pipeline robot configured to steer actively according to claim 2 , wherein each of the telescopic mechanisms comprises a telescopic drive motor, a screw, a threaded shaft sleeve, a plurality of connecting rods, a first rotating frame and a second rotating frame, wherein the screw is rotatably mounted on the screw frame; the telescopic drive motor is fixedly mounted on a lower part of the screw frame; a first gear is mounted on an output shaft of the telescopic drive motor; a second gear is mounted on a lower end of the screw; the first gear is in meshing transmission with the second gear; the threaded shaft sleeve is connected with the screw through threads in a fit manner; the plurality of connecting rods are hinged on a side wall of the threaded shaft sleeve; a middle part of each of the connecting rods is sleeved with a strong spring; a first rotating shaft is mounted on the first bearing pedestal through a bearing; a first end of the first rotating frame is fixed to the middle part of the first rotating shaft, and a second end of the first rotating frame is hinged to a first end of a side plate; a second rotating shaft is mounted on the second bearing pedestal through a bearing; a first end of the second rotating frame is fixed to a middle part of the second rotating shaft, and a second end of the second rotating frame is hinged to a second end of the side plate; a first end of each of the connecting rods is hinged to a middle part of the first rotating frame.

4. The pipeline robot configured to steer actively according to claim 1 wherein the steering knuckle comprises an upper housing, a splined shaft sleeve, a steering housing, a lower housing, a mounting plate, a steering mechanism and a planetary gear mechanism, wherein the upper housing is fixedly connected to the connecting plate of the front driving knuckle by a bolt; the splined shaft sleeve is fixed on the upper housing by means of welding; the mounting plate is fixed on the steering housing by means of welding; the steering housing and the lower housing are rotatably connected in a fit manner through a guide groove; the lower housing is fixedly connected to the connecting plate of a rear driving knuckle by a bolt; the planetary gear mechanism is configured to drive the front driving knuckle and the rear driving knuckle to rotate around a central axis thereof; the steering mechanism is configured to cause the two adjacent driving knuckles to rotate around an axis of a spindled shaft.

5. The pipeline robot configured to steer actively according to claim 4 , wherein the steering mechanism comprises a steering motor, a third gear, a fourth gear and a splined shaft, wherein the steering motor is fixed on a motor mounting frame of the mounting plate by a bolt; an output shaft of the steering motor is connected to the third gear through a first key slot; the fourth gear is connected to an end part of the splined shaft through a second key slot; the third gear is meshed with the fourth gear; the splined shaft is fixed on a bearing pedestal of the steering housing through a bearing and is matched with the splined shaft sleeve.

6. The pipeline robot configured to steer actively according to claim 5 , wherein the planetary gear mechanism comprises a planetary carrier, a ring gear, a rotating motor, a planetary gear, and a sun gear, wherein the planetary carrier is fixed on the lower housing by means of welding; the ring gear is fixed on the mounting plate by a bolt; the rotating motor is fixed on a motor mounting support of the planetary carrier by a bolt; an output shaft of the rotating motor is connected with the sun gear through a third key slot; the planetary gear is fixed on a planetary gear support column of a planetary gear carrier and is meshed with the sun gear and the ring gear respectively.

7. The pipeline robot configured to steer actively according to claim 2 , wherein the steering knuckle comprises an upper housing, a splined shaft sleeve, a steering housing, a lower housing, a mounting plate, a steering mechanism and a planetary gear mechanism, wherein the upper housing is fixedly connected to the connecting plate of the front driving knuckle by a bolt; the splined shaft sleeve is fixed on the upper housing by means of welding; the mounting plate is fixed on the steering housing by means of welding; the steering housing and the lower housing are rotatably connected in a fit manner through a guide groove; the lower housing is fixedly connected to the connecting plate of a rear driving knuckle by a bolt; the planetary gear mechanism is configured to drive the front driving knuckle and the rear driving knuckle to rotate around a central axis thereof; the steering mechanism is configured to cause the two adjacent driving knuckles to rotate around an axis of a spindled shaft.

8. The pipeline robot configured to steer activ

Assignees

• Univ Chengdu Technology
• Univ Southwest Petroleum
• Chengdu Uneversity Of Tech

Inventors

• Liu Qingyou
• Zhu Haiyan
• Luo Xu
• Wang Guorong

Classifications

• F16L55/32 Primary

  being self-contained · CPC title

• F16L55/34 Primary

  the pig or mole being moved step by step · CPC title

• B25J18/025

  telescopic · CPC title

• B25J9/1694

  characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion · CPC title

• B25J9/102

  Gears specially adapted therefor, e.g. reduction gears (gearings in general F16H) · CPC title