Attitude adjustment apparatus for self-propelled bio-inspired robotic fish

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12351285-B2
Application number	US-202217811299-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2022
Priority date	Jul 16, 2021
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

An attitude adjustment apparatus for a self-propelled bio-inspired robotic fish includes a fish body, where the fish body includes: a housing; a center-of-gravity adjustment assembly, located in the housing to adjust a center of gravity of the fish body, and including at least one counterweight and a screw-slider mechanism that drives the counterweight to move in a head-to-tail direction; and a suction and drainage system, located in the housing to adjust a weight of the fish body, and including a ballast tank and a water control assembly for controlling a water level in the ballast tank. The center-of-gravity adjustment assembly is combined with the suction and drainage system to rapidly change the weight and center of gravity of the fish body, so as to quickly adjust the pitching attitude and heaving state of the robotic fish.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An attitude adjustment apparatus for a self-propelled bio-inspired robotic fish, comprising a fish body, wherein the fish body comprises:
a housing ( 100 );
a center-of-gravity adjustment assembly ( 200 ), located in the housing ( 100 ) to adjust a center of gravity of the fish body, and comprising at least one counterweight ( 218 ) and a screw-slider mechanism that drives the at least one counterweight ( 218 ) to move in a head-to-tail direction; and
a suction and drainage system ( 300 ), located in the housing ( 100 ) to adjust a weight of the fish body, and comprising a ballast tank ( 310 ) and a water control assembly for controlling a water level in the ballast tank ( 310 ).

2. The attitude adjustment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the screw-slider mechanism comprises a fixed seat ( 211 ) fixed in the housing ( 100 ), a slide rail ( 214 ) fixed to the fixed seat ( 211 ), a mover ( 216 ) movable along the slide rail ( 214 ), a screw rod ( 213 ) connected to the mover ( 216 ), and a stepping motor ( 212 ) for driving the screw rod ( 213 ) to rotate; the at least one counterweight ( 218 ) is fixed to the mover ( 216 ); the mover ( 216 ) is provided with a slider ( 215 ) that is matched with the slide rail ( 214 ) and slidable along the slide rail ( 214 ); and the mover ( 216 ) is provided with a screw hole matched with the screw rod ( 213 ), such that the screw rod ( 213 ) is rotated to drive the mover ( 216 ) to move, so as to change a position of the at least one counterweight ( 218 ) in the fish body.

3. The attitude adjustment apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the mover ( 216 ) is provided with a counterweight holder ( 217 ), and the at least one counterweight ( 218 ) is held by the at least one counterweight holder ( 217 ).

4. The attitude adjustment apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the fixed seat ( 211 ) is provided with a first limit switch ( 221 ) and a second limit switch ( 222 ); and the at least one counterweight holder ( 217 ) is provided with a first limit guard ( 223 ) matched with the first limit switch ( 221 ) and a second limit guard ( 224 ) matched with the second limit switch ( 222 ), so as to control a stroke of the mover ( 216 ).

5. The attitude adjustment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the water control assembly comprises a water pump ( 321 ) provided with a water suction pipe and a water outlet pipe; the water outlet pipe of the water pump ( 321 ) is connected to the ballast tank ( 310 ) to feed water into the ballast tank ( 310 ); the ballast tank ( 310 ) is connected to a drain pipe to drain water in the ballast tank ( 310 ).

6. The attitude adjustment apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the ballast tank ( 310 ) comprises a rear tank body ( 311 ) and a front end cover ( 312 ), which are in sealed connection to form a chamber inside the ballast tank ( 310 ).

7. The attitude adjustment apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the front end cover ( 312 ) is provided with a water inlet port ( 333 ) and a drain port ( 334 ); the drain pipe is connected to the drain port ( 334 ); and the water outlet pipe of the water pump ( 321 ) is connected to the water inlet port ( 333 ).

8. The attitude adjustment apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the housing ( 100 ) comprises a head portion ( 110 ), a trunk portion ( 120 ) and a tail portion ( 130 ) which are connected in sequence; the center-of-gravity adjustment assembly ( 200 ) is located within the head portion ( 110 ); a head base ( 114 ) is provided between the head portion ( 110 ) and the trunk portion ( 120 ); the water pump ( 321 ) is provided at a head end of the head base ( 114 );
and the trunk portion ( 120 ) comprises the ballast tank ( 310 ) and a trunk housing ( 122 ) connected to the ballast tank ( 310 ).

9. The attitude adjustment apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the head base ( 114 ) is provided with a water suction joint ( 331 ) and a water outlet joint ( 332 ); the water suction pipe of the water pump ( 321 ) passes through the water suction joint ( 331 ) to contact with water; and the water outlet pipe of the water pump ( 321 ) passes through the water outlet joint ( 332 ) to connect the water inlet port ( 333 ).

Assignees

• Univ South China Tech

Inventors

• Wan Zhenping
• Yu Jiahao
• Hu Xuesong
• Huang Guangquan
• Huang Guanyuan
• Zhao Hang
• Dong Liujie
• Luo Zhao

Classifications

• B63H1/36

  swinging sideways, e.g. fishtail type · CPC title

• B63G8/26

  Trimming equipment · CPC title

• B63G8/22 Primary

  Adjustment of buoyancy by water ballasting; Emptying equipment for ballast tanks ({conduits for emptying or ballasting on vessels in general B63B13/00;} stabilising vessels using ballast tanks B63B43/06) · CPC title

• B63C11/52 Primary

  Tools specially adapted for working underwater, not otherwise provided for · CPC title