IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,981,203
Granted Patent B2
US 10,981,203 · App. 16/076,685 · Granted Apr 20, 2021

Single-drive bidirectional-crawling pipe-cleaning robot

Inventors: Songyong Liu (Jiangsu, CN); Qizhi Xie (Jiangsu, CN); Hongxiang Jiang (Jiangsu, CN); Hongzhuang Wu (Jiangsu, CN); Cheng Cheng (Jiangsu, CN); Wei Li (Jiangsu, CN); Gang Shen (Jiangsu, CN); Wei Tang (Jiangsu, CN); Houguang Liu (Jiangsu, CN); Jianhua Yang (Jiangsu, CN)
Assignees: China University of Mining and Technology; Xuzhou Zhirun Mining Equipment Science and Technology Co., Ltd
B08B9/051B08B13/00F16L55/32B08B2209/04E02F3/205E03F9/002E03F9/005F16L2101/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,981,203
App. No.
16/076,685
Granted
Apr 20, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention discloses a single-drive bidirectional-crawling pipe-cleaning robot, including a front body assembly, a transmission assembly, and a rear body assembly. The transmission assembly is driven by a single power source, and a transmission effect of a connecting rod mechanism, a gear mechanism, and an equal-dwell cam mechanism is used to implement alternate retraction and support of the front body assembly and the rear body assembly in a radial direction and a telescopic motion in an axial direction between the front body assembly and the rear body assembly and at the same time implement synchronous rotation of a dredging cutter head, so as to implement bidirectional crawling and pipe cleaning work of the robot along a pipe. The present invention is stable, reliable, compact, and practical, and implements single-drive bidirectional crawling and pipe cleaning in a pipe having a greatly changing pipe diameter, so that the obstacle negotiation performance and adaptability to pipe diameter changes of an in-pipe robot are effectively improved, the endurance of the in-pipe robot is improved, and practical engineering significance in cleaning of a horizontal pipe having a greatly changing pipe diameter is provided.

Claims (19)

1. A single-drive bidirectional-crawling pipe-cleaning robot comprising a front body assembly ( 1 ), a transmission assembly ( 2 ), and a rear body assembly ( 3 ), wherein:

the transmission assembly ( 2 ) is driven by a single power source, and a transmission effect of a connecting rod mechanism, a gear mechanism, and a equal-dwell cam mechanism is used to implement alternate retraction and support of the front body assembly ( 1 ) and the rear body assembly ( 3 ) in a radial direction and a telescopic motion in an axial direction between the front body assembly ( 1 ) and the rear body assembly ( 3 ) and at the same time implement synchronous rotation of a dredging cutter head ( 1 - 2 ), such that the robot achieves bidirectional crawling and pipe cleaning along a horizontal pipe;

the single-drive bidirectional-crawling pipe-cleaning robot further characterized in that, the front body assembly ( 1 ) comprises a front housing ( 1 - 1 ), the dredging cutter head ( 1 - 2 ), a front frame ( 1 - 3 ), front elastic telescopic arms ( 1 - 4 ) on an upper side and a lower side, and front elastic supporting wheels ( 1 - 5 ) on a left side and a right side, wherein

the front housing ( 1 - 1 ) is sleeved over the front frame ( 1 - 3 ) and is fixedly connected to the front frame ( 1 - 3 ); and the dredging cutter head ( 1 - 2 ) is disposed on a front side of the front frame ( 1 - 3 ), and comprises a wheel disc ( 1 - 2 - 3 ), cutter bars ( 1 - 2 - 2 ) evenly arranged on the wheel disc in a circumferential direction ( 1 - 2 - 3 ), and dredging blades ( 1 - 2 - 1 ) fixedly connected to the cutter bars ( 1 - 2 - 2 );

each of the front elastic telescopic arms ( 1 - 4 ) comprises an elastic rubber pad ( 1 - 4 - 1 ), a sliding rod ( 1 - 4 - 2 ), a first pressure spring ( 1 - 4 - 3 ), a spring stopper ( 1 - 4 - 4 ), and a roller ( 1 - 4 - 5 ), and the elastic rubber pad ( 1 - 4 - 1 ) is disposed at a top end of the sliding rod ( 1 - 4 - 2 ); the first pressure spring ( 1 - 4 - 3 ) is sleeved over the sliding rod ( 1 - 4 - 2 ), and the spring stopper ( 1 - 4 - 4 ) at the bottom of the sliding rod ( 1 - 4 - 2 ) is used to implement a lower limit of the first pressure spring ( 1 - 4 - 3 ); a groove ( 1 - 4 - 6 ) leading to the bottom is disposed on a side outer wall of the sliding rod ( 1 - 4 - 2 ), the roller ( 1 - 4 - 5 ) is mounted at the bottom of the groove ( 1 - 4 - 6 ) through a supporting rod ( 1 - 4 - 7 ), and a slidable fixation of the supporting rod ( 1 - 4 - 7 ) along the groove ( 1 - 4 - 6 ) is used to implement the adjustment of spacing between the roller ( 1 - 4 - 5 ) and the sliding rod ( 1 - 4 - 2 ); and the bottom of the front elastic telescopic arm ( 1 - 4 ) passes through the front housing ( 1 - 1 ), and the front housing ( 1 - 1 ) is used to implement an upper limit of the first pressure spring ( 1 - 4 - 3 ) on the sliding rod ( 1 - 4 - 2 );

each of the front elastic supporting wheels ( 1 - 5 ) comprises a telescopic shaft ( 1 - 5 - 2 ), a telescopic sleeve ( 1 - 5 - 3 ) sleeved over the telescopic shaft ( 1 - 5 - 2 ) and a wheel ( 1 - 5 - 1 ) disposed at a top end of the telescopic shaft ( 1 - 5 - 2 ), a second pressure spring connected to the bottom of the telescopic shaft ( 1 - 5 - 2 ) is disposed in the telescopic sleeve ( 1 - 5 - 3 ), and the second pressure spring is used to implement telescopic movement of the telescopic shaft ( 1 - 5 - 2 ) and the telescopic sleeve ( 1 - 5 - 3 ); and the front elastic supporting wheels ( 1 - 5 ) are disposed on a left side and a right side of the front housing ( 1 - 1 ) through the telescopic sleeves ( 1 - 5 - 3 );

the rear body assembly ( 3 ) comprises a rear housing ( 3 - 1 ), a rear frame ( 3 - 2 ), rear elastic telescopic arms ( 3 - 3 ) on an upper side and a lower side, and rear elastic supporting wheels ( 3 - 4 ) on a left side and a right side, wherein the rear housing ( 3 - 1 ) is sleeved over the rear frame ( 3 - 2 ) and is fixedly connected to the rear frame ( 3 - 2 ); and the structures of the rear elastic telescopic arms ( 3 - 3 ) and the rear elastic supporting wheels ( 3 - 4 ) are respectively the same as those of the front elastic telescopic arms ( 1 - 4 ) and the front elastic supporting wheels ( 1 - 5 ) in the front body assembly ( 1 );

transmission assembly ( 2 ) comprises a rotary motor ( 2 - 6 ), a cutter head driving assembly, a front-drive assembly, a rear-drive assembly, and a middle-drive assembly, wherein the rotary motor ( 2 - 6 ) is disposed on a front side of the rear frame ( 3 - 2 ), a first spur gear ( 2 - 7 ) is sleeved over an output shaft of the rotary motor ( 2 - 6 ) that passes through a front side plate of the rear frame ( 3 - 2 ), and the first spur gear ( 2 - 7 ) abuts a rear side of the front side plate of the rear frame ( 3 - 2 );

the middle-drive assembly comprises several guiding mechanisms connecting the front frame ( 1 - 3 ) and the rear frame ( 3 - 2 ), a transmission mechanism ( 2 - 12 ), and a crank connecting rod mechanism; and each of the guiding mechanisms comprises a guiding rod ( 2 - 4 ) disposed on a rear side plate of the front frame ( 1 - 3 ) and a linear bearing ( 2 - 5 ) disposed on the front side plate of the rear frame ( 3 - 2 ), and a sliding fit between the guiding rod ( 2 - 4 ) and the linear bearing ( 2 - 5 ) is used to implement telescopic connection between the front frame ( 1 - 3 ) and the rear frame ( 3 - 2 );

the transmission mechanism ( 2 - 12 ) comprises a sliding shaft ( 2 - 12 - 3 ) and a bearing sleeve ( 2 - 12 - 5 ) matching with each other, a strip-shaped through slot ( 2 - 12 - 6 ) is provided on a side wall of the bearing sleeve ( 2 - 12 - 5 ), a cylindrical pin ( 2 - 12 - 4 ) is disposed on a side wall of the sliding shaft ( 2 - 12 - 3 ), and a sliding fit between the cylindrical pin ( 2 - 12 - 4 ) and the through slot ( 2 - 12 - 6 ) is used to implement synchronous rotation and telescopic sliding of the sliding shaft ( 2 - 12 - 3 ) and the bearing sleeve ( 2 - 12 - 5 ); an end of the sliding shaft ( 2 - 12 - 3 ) that is located away from the bearing sleeve ( 2 - 12 - 5 ) penetrates the rear side plate of the front frame ( 1 - 3 ), two first limit rings ( 2 - 12 - 2 ) are disposed on the sliding shaft ( 2 - 12 - 3 ), the first limit rings ( 2 - 12 - 2 ) respectively abut a front side and a rear side of the rear side plate of the front frame ( 1 - 3 ), and the two first limit rings ( 2 - 12 - 2 ) are used to limit axial sliding of the sliding shaft ( 2 - 12 - 3 ) with respect to the rear side plate of the front frame ( 1 - 3 ); an end of the bearing sleeve ( 2 - 12 - 5 ) that is located away from the sliding shaft ( 2 - 12 - 3 ) penetrates the front side plate of the rear frame ( 3 - 2 ), a second limit ring ( 2 - 12 - 7 ) and a second spur gear ( 2 - 12 - 8 ) are disposed on the bearing sleeve ( 2 - 12 - 5 ), the second limit ring ( 2 - 12 - 7 ) abuts a front side of the front side plate of the rear frame ( 3 - 2 ), and the second spur gear ( 2 - 12 - 8 ) abuts the rear side of the front side plate of the rear frame ( 3 - 2 ); the second limit ring ( 2 - 12 - 7 ) and the second spur gear ( 2 - 12 - 8 ) are used to limit axial sliding of the bearing sleeve ( 2 - 12 - 5 ) with respect to the front side plate of the rear frame ( 3 - 2 ), and the second spur gear ( 2 - 12 - 8 ) and the first spur gear ( 2 - 7 ) are engaged for transmission; and a first bevel gear ( 2 - 12 - 1 ) is sleeved over the end of the sliding shaft ( 2 - 12 - 3 ) that is located away from the bearing sleeve ( 2 - 12 - 5 ), and a second bevel gear ( 2 - 12 - 9 ) is sleeved over the end of the bearing sleeve ( 2 - 12 - 5 ) that is located away from the sliding shaft ( 2 - 12 - 3 );

the front-drive assembly comprises a front rotating shaft ( 2 - 15 ), a front equal-dwell cam group ( 2 - 3 ), and a third bevel gear ( 2 - 14 ) disposed in the front frame ( 1 - 3 ), and the front equal-dwell cam group ( 2 - 3 ) and the third bevel gear ( 2 - 14 ) are sleeved over the front rotating shaft ( 2 - 15 ); the third bevel gear ( 2 - 14 ) and the first bevel gear ( 2 - 12 - 1 ) are engaged for transmission, and actuate synchronous rotation of the front rotating shaft ( 2 - 15 ) and the front equal-dwell cam group ( 2 - 3 ); the front equal-dwell cam group ( 2 - 3 ) comprises two identical front equal-dwell cams, and the two front equal-dwell cams are stacked in a staggered manner by 180 °; and the rollers ( 1 - 4 - 5 ) at the bottom of the front elastic telescopic arms ( 1 - 4 ) on the upper side and the lower side in the front body assembly ( 1 ) are respectively mounted abutting the two front equal-dwell cams, and the two front equal-dwell cams are used to implement synchronous telescopic adjustment of the two front elastic telescopic arms ( 1 - 4 ) in a radial direction;

the rear-drive assembly comprises a rear rotating shaft ( 2 - 8 ), a rear equal-dwell cam group ( 2 - 9 ), and a fourth bevel gear ( 2 - 10 ) disposed in the rear frame ( 3 - 2 ), and a connection structure of the rear-drive assembly is the same as that of the front-drive assembly; the fourth bevel gear ( 2 - 10 ) and the second bevel gear ( 2 - 12 - 9 ) are engaged for transmission, and actuate synchronous rotation of the rear rotating shaft ( 2 - 8 ) and the rear equal-dwell cam group ( 2 - 9 );

and the rear equal-dwell cam group ( 2 - 9 ) comprises two identical rear equal-dwell cams, and the two rear equal-dwell cams are used to implement synchronous telescopic adjustment of the two rear elastic telescopic arms ( 3 - 3 ) in a radial direction;

the cutter head driving assembly comprises a fifth bevel gear ( 2 - 16 ), a belt transmission mechanism ( 2 - 2 ), and a cutter head rotating shaft ( 2 - 1 ), the fifth bevel gear ( 2 - 16 ) and the third bevel gear ( 2 - 14 ) are engaged for transmission, and actuate rotation of the cutter head rotating shaft ( 2 - 1 ) through the belt transmission mechanism ( 2 - 2 ), and the wheel disc ( 1 - 2 - 3 ) of the dredging cutter head ( 1 - 2 ) is sleeved over an end of the cutter head rotating shaft ( 2 - 1 ) that passes through a front side plate of the front frame ( 1 - 3 ); and

the crank connecting rod mechanism comprises connecting rods ( 2 - 13 ) and cranks ( 2 - 11 ) disposed on a left side and a right side of the front frame ( 1 - 3 ) and the rear frame ( 3 - 2 ), and each of the cranks ( 2 - 11 ) is sleeved over the rear rotating shaft ( 2 - 8 ) extending outside the rear frame ( 3 - 2 ) to rotate synchronously with the rear rotating shaft ( 2 - 8 ); and an end of each of the connecting rods ( 2 - 13 ) is hinged on a left/right side plate of the front frame ( 1 - 3 ), the other end of the connecting rod ( 2 - 13 ) is hinged on the crank ( 2 - 11 ) on the same side, and the crank connecting rod mechanism is used to implement telescopic adjustment in an axial direction between the front body assembly ( 1 ) and the rear body assembly ( 3 ).

2. The single-drive bidirectional-crawling pipe-cleaning robot according to claim 1 , wherein the cutter bars ( 1 - 2 - 2 ) and the dredging blades ( 1 - 2 - 1 ) of the dredging cutter head ( 1 - 2 ) are both detachable.

3. The single-drive bidirectional-crawling pipe-cleaning robot according to claim 1 , wherein a first long slot is opened on the supporting rod ( 1 - 4 - 7 ), a first threaded hole is opened in the groove ( 1 - 4 - 6 ), and by threading a fastening bolt through the first long slot into fastening fit with the first threaded hole, telescopic adjustment of the supporting rod ( 1 - 4 - 7 ) along the groove ( 1 - 4 - 6 ) is implemented.

4. The single-drive bidirectional-crawling pipe-cleaning robot according to claim 1 , wherein a second long slot is opened on a side wall of the telescopic sleeve ( 1 - 5 - 3 ), a second cylindrical pin is disposed on a side wall of the telescopic shaft ( 1 - 5 - 2 ), and the second cylindrical pin and the second long slot cooperate to limit telescopic movement of the telescopic shaft ( 1 - 5 - 2 ) along the telescopic sleeve ( 1 - 5 - 3 ).

5. The single-drive bidirectional-crawling pipe-cleaning robot according to claim 1 , wherein farthest dwell angles of the front equal-dwell cams are less than 180 °.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 10, 2018
From: LIU, SONGYONG; XIE, QIZHI; JIANG, HONGXIANG; WU, HONGZHUANG; CHENG, CHENG; LI, WEI; SHEN, GANG; TANG, WEI; LIU, HOUGUANG; YANG, JIANHUA
To: CHINA UNIVERSITY OF MINING AND TECHNOLOGY; XUZHOU ZHIRUN MINING EQUIPMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD
Reel/Frame 047055/0472 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 201710328185.2 · May 11, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200384512A1 · Dec 10, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,280,681