CN111237587A

CN111237587A - Recoverable pipeline detection robot

Info

Publication number: CN111237587A
Application number: CN202010347195.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 赵成颢; 高雷; 吴世彬; 顾伟耀
Original assignee: Shanghai Rainbowfish Ocean Technology Co ltd
Current assignee: Shanghai Rainbowfish Ocean Technology Co ltd
Priority date: 2020-04-28
Filing date: 2020-04-28
Publication date: 2020-06-05
Anticipated expiration: 2040-04-28
Also published as: CN111237587B

Abstract

Provided in the examples of this application is a recoverable pipeline inspection robot. The pipeline detection robot can flexibly work in complex and small-diameter pipelines in a single-side extrusion mode. And can be when the trouble takes place, thereby release extrusion pressure through cutting off the power supply to electromagnetism push rod device, can retrieve pipeline inspection robot smoothly. The pipeline detection robot has the advantages of low production cost and strong adaptability, and can be timely recovered when in failure, so that pipeline blockage is avoided.

Description

Recoverable pipeline detection robot

Technical Field

The application relates to the field of pipeline detection, in particular to a robot for detecting a recoverable pipeline.

Background

In recent decades, with the great progress of automation technology and the remarkable improvement of national substance living standard, the development of various industries has more and more dependences on material transportation. The pipeline transportation has the advantages of unique circular structure, small occupied area, large transportation capacity, convenience, rapidness, low cost and the like, is widely applied to the fields of petroleum, chemical industry, energy, food processing, urban water supply and drainage, agricultural irrigation, nuclear industry and the like, and becomes an indispensable transportation means.

However, due to the influence of natural disasters such as corrosion and resistance of the pipe wall of the pipe and self defects and the like of the conveyed medium (gas, liquid and the like) along with the lapse of time, the pipe is likely to be thinned, damaged and cracked after a while, and serious accidents such as leakage of the conveyed substance and the like are caused. In view of the fact that most pipelines are distributed in places with dense population, once corrosion leakage occurs, not only is natural resources wasted, but also explosion or fire accidents, environmental pollution, inflammable explosion, energy waste and the like are caused. The interior of the pipe needs to be inspected, maintained and cleaned periodically.

The traditional pipeline detection is carried out manually, so that the workload is high, and the efficiency is very low. And for some pipelines, the detection personnel cannot reach the designated position to carry out detection, such as the condition that the transported toxic chemicals or the internal structure of the pipeline is complicated and narrow. Thus, the pipe robot has been widely used in these fields.

CN110762337A discloses an inner wall detection robot and a pipeline detection system. This system adjusts the distance that detects between drum plate and the support pivot through adjusting part to make the applicable different pipeline inner wall diameters of inner wall inspection robot, thereby realize detecting the pipeline in the certain diameter scope. CN110614623A and CN110594526A provide similar pipeline inspection robots.

CN110805785A provides a climbing robot for pipeline inspection. This robot can stabilize the stabilizer blade, prevent touching, stably shoot the main part when turning through band-type brake mechanism to can not lead to the collision or the friction of pipeline inner wall at the walking in-process, reduce the resistance of walking process.

However, the pipeline inspection robot in the prior art still has a great improvement space in the face of the difficulties of vertical pipelines, bent pipes, branch pipes, reducing pipelines, micro pipelines and the like. The pipeline robot that can realize perpendicular climbing at present adopts the mode of extrusion pipeline to realize mostly, and the drive mode is mostly adopted and is realized at a plurality of drive wheels of equipartition or track around drive arrangement. Although the extrusion force is large, the detection in a small-diameter pipeline (the diameter of below 250 mm) is difficult due to the limitation of the volume of the motor and the volume of the pressure device. In addition, the biggest problems of the conventional pipeline robot at present are that: when the robot fails, the applied squeezing force cannot be released, resulting in the pipeline robot blocking the pipeline and requiring a great deal of manpower and material resources to be expended for recovery.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a pipeline robot that can accommodate different pipelines, and that can facilitate recovery in the event of a failure.

Disclosure of Invention

To current pipeline robot's defect and not enough, this application provides a recoverable pipeline inspection robot. The robot can adapt to various types of pipelines such as horizontal pipelines, vertical pipelines, bent pipelines and the like, and can be conveniently recycled when faults such as power failure occur, so that the pipeline detection efficiency is greatly improved. Meanwhile, the pipeline detection robot does not need a large number of additional components and manual operation, so that the production cost and the labor cost are saved, and the pipeline detection robot has good usability and simplicity.

It is noted that this summary is not an extensive overview and is intended to neither identify key/critical elements nor delineate the scope of such embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a retrievable pipeline inspection robot is provided. This robot mainly includes: camera module, running gear, electron jar. The walking device mainly comprises an extrusion device, an electromagnetic push rod device and a driving device. The pipeline inspection robot can extrude the pipe wall on one side through the supporting wheels in the extruding device and the rubber wheels in the walking device, so that the pipeline inspection robot can walk freely in small-diameter pipelines (such as 200mm diameter, whether horizontal pipelines, vertical pipelines and bent pipelines). And when the robot breaks down, the power supply is only needed to be cut off, the spring in the electromagnetic push rod device retracts, the extrusion force is released, and the pipeline detection robot can be easily pulled back through the cable.

Compared with the pipeline robot in the prior art, the pipeline detection robot has great advantages in adaptability, usability and cost.

Drawings

So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present disclosure can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the disclosure, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to aspects, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only certain typical aspects of this disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the description may admit to other equally effective aspects.

In the drawings:

fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a recyclable pipeline inspection robot 1 according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 2 is a left side view of the recyclable pipe inspection robot 1 according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 3 is a front view of a recyclable pipeline inspection robot 1 within a pipeline according to an embodiment of the application;

fig. 4 is a schematic structural view of the camera module 10 of the recyclable pipe inspecting robot 1 according to the embodiment of the present application;

fig. 5 is a schematic structural view of a traveling device 20 of the recyclable pipe inspection robot according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 6 is a schematic structural view of an electronic tank 30 of a recyclable pipe inspection robot according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7 is a schematic structural view of the pressing device 201 of the traveling device 20 according to the embodiment of the present application before power is cut off;

fig. 8 is a schematic structural view of the pressing device 201 of the running gear 20 according to the embodiment of the present application after power is cut off; and

fig. 9 is a schematic over-bending diagram of a recyclable pipe inspection robot 1 according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

In order to make the technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure more clearly understood, the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings makes it obvious that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than an exhaustive list of all the embodiments. It is to be noted that the embodiments and features of the embodiments in the present disclosure may be combined with each other unless specifically stated otherwise. Other embodiments may incorporate structural, logical, electrical, process, and other changes. The examples merely typify possible variations. Individual components and functions are optional unless explicitly required, and the sequence of operations may vary. Portions and features of some embodiments may be included in or substituted for those of others. The scope of embodiments of the invention encompasses the full ambit of the claims, as well as all available equivalents of the claims.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic structure of a recyclable pipe inspection robot 1 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 1, the recyclable pipe inspecting robot includes: camera module 10, running gear 20, electronics can 30 and support plate 40.

Fig. 2 shows a left side view of the recoverable tubing inspection robot 1 as shown in fig. 1. As shown in fig. 2, the camera module 10 and the running gear 20 are rigidly or semi-rigidly connected, and this connection can ensure that the camera performs detection shooting at a desired angle, so as to obtain a desired effect. The running gear 20 and the electronic tank 30 are generally hinged by two spherical hinges. Of course, other attachment means known in the art are also suitable for use in the present application.

Fig. 3 shows a front view of the recyclable pipe inspection robot 1 shown in fig. 1 inside a pipe. As shown in fig. 3, the running gear 20 and the electronic tank 30 are in contact with the pipe, and the camera module 10 is not in contact with the pipe. The running gear 20 is provided with rubber wheels to facilitate running. 3 groups of driven wheels are uniformly distributed on the electronic tank 30 in the axial direction, so that the electronic tank 30 runs under the dragging of the running device 20.

Fig. 4 shows a schematic structure of the camera module 10 of the recyclable pipe inspecting robot 1 of the present application as shown in fig. 1. As shown in fig. 4, the camera module 10 mainly includes: the device comprises an inner cylinder 101, an outer cylinder 102, a lens black screen 103, a glass sheet 104 and a camera 105. The inner cylinder 101 is provided with an O-ring therein, which is tightly fitted to the outer cylinder 102 to form a sealing structure.

Fig. 5 shows a schematic structure of the traveling device 20 of the recyclable pipe inspecting robot 1 shown in fig. 1. As shown in fig. 5, the running gear 20 mainly includes: a pressing device 201, an electromagnetic pusher device 202, and a driving device 203. For the sake of clarity, the upper press shows its internal construction.

The pressing device 201 mainly includes: supporting wheel 2011, connector 2012, spring stop 2013, upper end rod 2014, slider 2015, lower end rod 2016, upper end spring 2017, lower end spring 2018, linear bearing 2019 and copper column 2020. A bearing is also arranged in the supporting wheel 2011, so that the rolling resistance is small; the upper stem 2014 can telescope within the lower stem 2016; the spring stop 2013 is in resilient connection with the slider 2015. Copper post 2020 secures linear bearing 2019 to support plate 40. The linear bearing 2019 fixes the lower end rod 2016 so that it can move linearly only in the vertical direction.

The electromagnetic handspike apparatus 202 mainly includes: an electromagnetic push rod box 2021, a push rod spring 2022, a push rod 2023, a push rod joint 2024, a connecting rod 2025 and a supporting block 2026. Wherein, the coil wound inside the box 2021 is electrified to generate suction force so as to tightly suck the push rod 2023; the push rod spring 2022 rebounds the push rod 2023 when de-energized. The push rod 2023 can freely extend and contract inside the case 2021. The push rod connector 2024 is hinged to a link 2025, which is hinged to the lower end rod 2016 of the press 201. The pushrod junction 2024 is also connected to 2023. A support block 2026 supports the pushrod connector 2024.

The driving device 203 mainly includes: brushless motor, motor mounting bracket, worm gear reducing gear box, rubber wheel, wheel hub, and fixed plate. Wherein the brushless motor is waterproof and is mounted on the support plate 40 through a motor mounting bracket; the worm gear reduction box is fixed to the support plate 40 by a fixing plate; the outer surface of the rubber wheel is a cambered surface, so that the rubber wheel can be tightly attached to a pipeline; the hub supporting rubber wheel is connected with the reduction gearbox, so that the reduction gearbox decelerates and increases torque.

Fig. 6 shows a schematic structure of the electronic tank 30 of the recyclable pipe inspecting robot 1 shown in fig. 1. As shown in fig. 6, the electronic tank 30 mainly includes: can 301, ball hinge 302, follower 303, connecting arm 304 and plug 305. The ball joint 302 connects the running gear 20 and the electronic tank 30, and the tank 301 is internally provided with electronic elements such as a control panel. 3 groups of driven wheels 303 are uniformly distributed by taking the center of the tank body as an axis, and the driven wheels 303 are connected to the tank body 301 through connecting arms 304. Plug 305 is a watertight plug connection cable.

Fig. 7 shows a schematic structure of the pressing device 201 shown in fig. 5 before power-off. As shown in fig. 7, before the power is turned off, the link 2025 is vertically placed, and thus the height of the pipe inspecting robot 1 in the vertical direction increases. The upper end spring 2017 is compressed, the supporting wheel 2011 exerts pressure on the pipe wall, the electromagnetic push rod box 2021 sucks the push rod 2023 to the right, and the push rod spring 2022 contracts. In this operating state, the pipeline inspection robots are all in a powered-on state.

Fig. 8 shows a schematic structure of the pressing device 201 shown in fig. 5 after power is off. As shown in fig. 8, after power failure, the electromagnetic ram box 2021 loses suction force on the ram 2023, the spring 2022 recovers to the original state, the ram 2023 moves to the left, the pulling link 2025 rotates and is no longer vertical, the overall height of the robot decreases, the decreasing height is greater than the compression amount of the upper end spring 2017 and the lower end spring 2018 (not shown) of the squeezing device 201, the upper end spring 2017 and the lower end spring 2018 recover to the original state, and the supporting wheel 2011 leaves the pipe wall above the upper end, so that pressure is lost on the pipe wall.

Fig. 9 shows an over-bending schematic of the recoverable tubing inspection robot 1 as shown in fig. 1. As shown in fig. 9, the running gear 20 is connected to the electronic tank 30 through two spherical hinges 302, so that the running gear 20 and the electronic tank 30 can freely rotate. In the process of bending, the camera module 10 and the walking device 20 firstly pass through the elbow, the electronic tank 30 forms a certain angle with the previous device, and then the electronic tank passes through the elbow under the dragging of the walking device 20.

The recoverable pipeline inspection robot according to the present application works as follows.

When the pipeline inspection robot is in a normal power-on state, the supporting wheel 2011 of the extrusion device 201 of the walking device 20 extrudes the pipe wall, the upper end spring and the

lower end springs

2017 and 2018 of the extrusion device 201 are compressed, pressure is transmitted to the rubber wheel 2034 of the driving device 203, the rubber wheel 2034 is in contact with the pipe wall to generate positive pressure, and therefore the rubber wheel 2034 rolls under the action of the driving device 203 to generate friction. The friction force pulls the pipeline detection robot to advance in various types of pipelines such as horizontal pipelines, vertical pipelines, elbows and the like.

Under normal conditions, the electromagnetic handspike device 202 is always in the power-on state, the handspike spring 2022 contracts, and the box 2021 always and firmly sucks the handspike 2023. The link 2025 remains vertical, transmitting pressure.

The diameters of the various pipes cannot be kept absolutely uniform in practical cases, but pipe diameter problems such as sudden changes in the elbow diameter can be automatically adjusted by changing the compression amounts of the upper and lower end springs 2017, 2018 of the pressing device 201.

Once the robot fails to work properly, the pressure of the pressing device 201 cannot be released. At this time, the power supply is only needed to be cut off, the push rod 2023 retracts under the action of the elastic force of the push rod spring 2022, the connecting rod 2025 hinged with the push rod joint 2024 is pulled through the push rod joint 2024, and the height of the connecting rod 2025 in the vertical direction is shortened. Because the connecting rod 2025 is hinged with the lower end rod 2016 of the press 201, and the bearing in the supporting wheel 2011 is provided with a ball, the sliding block 2015 of the press moves downwards smoothly in the bearing, the whole press moves downwards, the downwards moving length is larger than the compression length of the spring, and the pressure is released. After the pressure is released, the pipeline detection robot can be easily dragged back through the cable.

Compared with the traditional pipeline detection robot in the prior art, the pipeline detection robot in the embodiment of the application has many advantages.

First, the pressing device in the present application adopts a configuration in which a rubber wheel is combined with a supporting wheel, that is, a single-sided pressing manner rather than an omni-directional pressing manner, as compared to a driving manner in which 3 or more driving wheels or caterpillars are uniformly distributed around a driving shaft in a conventional robot. Therefore, compared with the traditional robot, the robot has the advantages that the size is reduced, and the robot can be suitable for pipeline detection with various complex conditions and smaller pipe diameter; and the use of parts is reduced, and the production cost is greatly reduced.

Second, when a failure occurs in a conventional pipeline robot, the pressure is difficult to release, which results in that the robot cannot be recovered, or a great amount of manpower and material resources are required to recover, so that the pipeline is prevented from being blocked. And robot in this application just can in time release extrusion pressure through the outage when breaking down to just can easily retrieve the robot through the cable, thereby practiced thrift a large amount of manpower and material resources cost.

While there have been shown and described what are at present considered the fundamental principles of the invention, the essential features and advantages thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by the embodiments described above, which are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention, but rather, is capable of numerous changes and modifications in various forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, and it is intended that the invention be limited not by the foregoing descriptions, but rather by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Furthermore, it should be understood that although the present description refers to embodiments, not every embodiment may contain only a single embodiment, and such description is for clarity only, and those skilled in the art should integrate the description, and the embodiments may be combined as appropriate to form other embodiments understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A faulty retrievable pipeline inspection robot, comprising:

a support plate;

a camera module;

a running gear installed on the support plate and connected with the camera module, and the running gear includes:

at least two sets of pressing devices, wherein each set of pressing devices comprises a support wheel;

an electromagnetic ram device connected to the extrusion device;

a driving device for driving the pipeline inspection robot; and

the electronic tank is hinged with the walking device,

when a fault occurs, the supporting wheel is driven by the electromagnetic push rod device to be separated from the pipe wall, so that the recoverable pipeline detection robot is recovered smoothly.

2. The recyclable pipe inspection robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support wheels are driven by the electromagnetic push rod device to press the pipe wall and transmit pressure to the driving device to guide the recyclable pipe inspection robot to operate when the pipe robot is in normal operation.

3. The retrievable pipeline inspection robot of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic thrusting device includes:

the electromagnetic push rod box comprises an electromagnetic push rod box body, a push rod spring, a push rod joint, a connecting rod and a supporting block.

4. The retrievable pipe inspection robot of claim 3, wherein during normal operation, the push rod spring is retracted, the housing catches the push rod, and the link remains vertical to transmit pressure to the support wheel to compress the pipe wall.

5. The retrievable pipeline inspection robot of claim 3, wherein the support wheel being urged away from the pipe wall by the electromagnetic thrusting device further comprises:

the push rod spring rebounds the push rod when the power is off, and pulls the railing to rotate and not to keep vertical any more, so that the supporting wheels are separated from the pipe wall.

6. The retrievable pipe inspection robot of claim 1, wherein the pressing device further comprises:

the connecting head, the spring stop, the upper end rod, the sliding block, the lower end rod, the upper end spring, the lower end spring, the linear bearing and the copper column.

7. The retrievable pipeline inspection robot of claim 6, wherein the upper rod telescopes within the lower rod, the spring catch is in resilient engagement with the slider, and the copper post secures the linear bearing to the support plate, the linear bearing securing the lower rod for linear movement in a vertical direction only.

8. The retrievable pipe inspection robot of claim 1, wherein the drive means includes:

brushless motor, motor mounting bracket, worm gear reducing gear box, rubber wheel, wheel hub, fixed plate.

9. The recyclable pipe inspection robot of claim 8, wherein the brushless motor is mounted on the support plate by the motor mount, the worm gear reduction gearbox is secured to the support plate by the fixing plate, and the hub supports the rubber wheel for connection to the reduction, such that the reduction gearbox decelerates and increases torque.