CN110520253B

CN110520253B - Robot walking in pipeline

Info

Publication number: CN110520253B
Application number: CN201880025018.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 李茂林; 姜秉权; 金基善; 朴洙种; 崔哲熏
Original assignee: Samsung Heavy Industries Co Ltd
Current assignee: Samsung Heavy Industries Co Ltd
Priority date: 2017-02-14
Filing date: 2018-02-13
Publication date: 2022-11-08
Anticipated expiration: 2038-02-13
Also published as: JP2020507486A; SG11201907478TA; WO2018151511A1; JP6863656B2; CN110520253A

Abstract

Disclosed is an in-tunnel walking robot. The in-tunnel walking robot according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include: a front support and a rear support supported by and running along the inner wall of the pipeline; and a holder connected between the front bracket and the rear bracket and flexibly adjusted.

Description

Robot walking in pipeline

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an in-tunnel travel robot that travels inside a tunnel.

Background

A robot that can investigate and repair the condition of a pipe of an industrial facility while moving inside the pipe is needed.

Conventional robots include electric motors and cables for driving wheels or rollers. However, the use of electric motors and cables is limited due to the risk of explosion caused by electric sparks in high temperature and high pressure pipes or gas pipes for power generation. Therefore, there is a need for an improved structure of a mobile robot that can be driven by a power source, rather than by an electric drive for internal piping investigation, at the risk of such an explosion.

Due to manufacturing tolerances, the pipe may have an oval shape rather than a full circle. The pipe is also connected to a series of accessories such as 90 ° elbows, 45 ° elbows, tees and reducers to form a piping system.

These pipes and many accessories are connected together to form a pipe system and the robot must be able to walk through the complex path of the pipe system.

The robot needs to travel straight through a portion whose lower portion is open in a piping system connected in the shape of a T-pipe at a downward position, or needs to travel to an open lower portion in a curved state.

The pipe system includes a plurality of attachments and a plurality of pipes connected together, and it is an important task to enable the robot to walk through the complex path of the pipe system.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been made in an effort to provide an in-tunnel walking robot that can move inside a complex connected tunnel.

Further, the present invention provides an in-tunnel walking robot that can stably walk by effectively compensating for a power loss.

Also, the present invention provides an in-tunnel walking robot that can secure a sufficient braking force while removing or minimizing a braking device in the walking robot by forming a braking circuit.

Technical solution

The in-tunnel walking robot according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a front bracket and a rear bracket which are supported by the inner wall of the pipeline and walk along the inner wall of the pipeline; and a holder connected between the front bracket and the rear bracket and flexibly adjusted.

The holder may include an air chamber whose internal pressure is changed according to the injection or discharge of air, and the flexibility of the holder may be adjusted according to the internal pressure of the air chamber.

The air cell may include: a first air chamber disposed adjacent to the front chassis; and a second plenum disposed adjacent to the rear bracket, wherein the first and second plenums are separate from each other.

The cage may comprise a plurality of support rollers provided between the first and second air chambers and arranged at a distance from each other along the outside of the cage.

The cage may become flexible as it passes through the curved conduit, allowing the front and rear frames to travel in the curved conduit.

When the walking robot linearly passes through an area in the duct, the lower portion of which is open, the holder may become rigid to enable the front and rear holders to linearly walk.

The front and rear brackets may include: a pneumatic cylinder operated by gas pressure; a first plate disposed at a rear end of the pneumatic cylinder; a guide post connected to an outer side of the first plate; a second plate connected to one end of the guide post; a link portion having first and second links pivotably connected to the first and second plates, respectively; and a roller portion connected to a front end of the link portion.

The roller may include: a driving roller connected to a front end of the first link and to which a driving motor is connected; and an auxiliary roller connected to a front end of the second link.

The walking robot in the pipeline may include: a driving motor receiving power from an external power source and supplying driving power to the front and rear cradles; an internal power source moving along the duct together with the front and rear brackets and selectively connected to a current path between the external power source and the driving motor by operation of a switch; and a controller that turns on the switch to connect the internal power source to compensate the power supplied to the driving motor with as much power as the power difference when the power difference occurs between the power supplied to the driving motor by the external power source and the target power currently required.

An external power source may be fixed to a point at the outside of the pipe, and the drive motor may receive power from the external power source through a power cable (which forms at least a portion of the current path).

The in-tunnel walking robot may further include a voltage measurer measuring a voltage supplied to the driving motor, and the controller may connect the internal power supply to compensate for the voltage difference when the difference occurs between the voltage measured by the voltage measurer and a target voltage according to the target power.

The robot walking in the pipe may further include a current measurer measuring a current supplied to the driving motor, wherein the controller may determine the target voltage according to a relationship between the current measured by the current measurer and the target power.

The controller may connect the internal power supply when the voltage difference is greater than the voltage reference value, and may determine the reference voltage value as a smaller value when the measured current is higher.

The robot walking in the pipe may include: a driving motor receiving power from an external power source and supplying driving power to the front and rear cradles; a driving circuit including an external power source and selectively connected to the driving motor; a brake circuit selectively connected to the drive motor; and a controller which controls one of the driving circuit and the braking circuit in a connected state with the driving motor, wherein the controller may control the driving circuit in the connected state in a walking mode of the front and rear cradles, and control the braking circuit in the connected state in a braking mode of the cradles.

A control switch selectively connected with one of the driving circuit and the braking circuit may be provided at an opposite end of the driving motor, and the controller may control a connection state of the driving circuit and the braking circuit by controlling the control switch.

A resistive line including a resistor and a non-resistive line in a short-circuit state are disposed in parallel with each other in the brake circuit, and a resistive switch connects one of the resistive line and the non-resistive line between opposite ends of the drive motor.

In a normal braking mode of the braking modes, the controller may connect the resistive line in the braking circuit when a speed of the front and rear carriages is above a reference speed, and the controller may connect the non-resistive line in the braking circuit when the speed is below the reference speed.

The controller may control the non-resistive line in the braking circuit in a fast braking mode of the braking mode regardless of the speed of the front and rear carriages.

The resistor may comprise an NTC element, the resistance of which decreases as the temperature increases.

The variable resistor (whose resistance is adjusted by the controller) and the NTC element may be arranged in series, the drive motor may be connected with the drive circuit and the braking circuit through a power cable, and the resistance of the variable resistor may be controlled to be smaller as the length of the power cable increases.

Advantageous effects

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention enable an in-pipe robot to easily move inside a pipe that is complicatedly connected.

Further, even if a loss of power supplied to a driving motor (which supplies a driving force to a driving roller of the walking robot) occurs, the lost power can be effectively and stably compensated for the travel of the robot.

Further, a braking circuit is formed in the walking robot to effectively provide a sufficient braking force even if an additional braking device is removed or minimized.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an in-tunnel walking robot according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bracket applied to FIG. 1;

fig. 3 is a perspective view of the holder applied to fig. 1;

fig. 4 illustrates a state in which the walking robot walks in the downward direction of the downward position T-shaped pipe according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5 illustrates a state in which the walking robot in the pipe walks linearly across the tee pipe at the downward position according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 schematically illustrates an in-duct walking robot disposed inside a duct while being connected to an external power source through a power cable according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 7 schematically shows a circuit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in which an internal power supply is provided in the in-tunnel walking robot.

Fig. 8 schematically shows a circuit related to a driving motor according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in which a braking circuit is provided in the in-tunnel walking robot.

Detailed Description

The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification.

Also, since the size and thickness of each element shown in the drawings are randomly shown for convenience of description, the present invention is not necessarily limited to those elements shown in the drawings.

Furthermore, unless explicitly described to the contrary, the word "comprise" and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" will be understood to imply the inclusion of stated elements but not the exclusion of any other elements.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a walking robot in a tunnel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to fig. 1, the in-tunnel walking robot 100 may include a support frame 10 and a holding frame 20.

The in-tunnel walking robot 100 may be used for the purpose of inspecting the inside of a tunnel, and for example, a camera (not shown) may be provided in the driving direction of the in-tunnel walking robot 100.

The stand 10 includes a front stand 10a and a rear stand 10b. The in-tunnel walking robot 100 can travel using the support 10 while being supported by the inner wall of the tunnel 200 (see fig. 4).

The holder 20 is disposed between the front bracket 10a and the rear bracket 10b, and connects the front bracket 10a and the rear bracket 10b to each other. The length and internal pressure of the cage 20 may be changed due to the air injection.

For example, air may be injected into the cage 20 or exhausted from the cage 20 by the controller 90 (see fig. 6) to make the cage 20 flexible or rigid, depending on the state of the duct 200.

When the cage 20 is flexible, it means that the relative positions of the front and

rear brackets

10a and 10b are changed such that the longitudinal direction of the front bracket 10a and the longitudinal direction of the rear bracket 10b are different from each other, and when the cage 20 is rigid, it means that the relative positions or the longitudinal directions of the front and

rear brackets

10a and 10b are fixed.

As described, the front chassis 10a or the rear chassis 10b may move while being supported by the rear chassis 10b or fixed to the rear chassis 10b or supported by the front chassis 10a or fixed to the front chassis 10a through the cage 20 by changing the state of the cage 20.

Accordingly, the walking robot 100 in a pipe having the holder 20 whose state is changed according to the stent 10 can accommodate the change in the diameter of the pipe 200 and can travel straight while passing through a bent pipe or a downward position tee 210 (see fig. 5). In this case, the flexibility and length of the holder 20 may be adjustable, and thus the relative length or distance between the front and rear brackets may be adjustable.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bracket applied to FIG. 1;

referring to fig. 1 and 2, the bracket 10 may include a pneumatic cylinder 12, a plate portion 11, and a link portion 13. The stent 10 may travel while being supported by the inner wall of the pipe 200, and may be separated from the inner wall of the pipe 200.

The carriage 10 includes a pneumatic air cylinder 12. Air may be introduced into the pneumatic cylinder 12 or exhausted from the pneumatic cylinder 12, and thus the pneumatic cylinder 12 may expand or contract in length.

The control unit 90 can determine the relative positional relationship between the front bracket 10a and the rear bracket 10b by adjusting the flexibility of the holder 20.

The pneumatic cylinders 12 of each of the front and

rear frames

10a and 10b may be controlled by a controller and the like. For example, air may be introduced into the pneumatic cylinders 12 of the front carrier 10a, and air may be discharged from the pneumatic cylinders 12 of the rear carrier 10b. In this case, the front supporter 10a is in a state of being drivable while being supported by the inner wall of the duct 200, and the rear supporter 10b is in a state of being undrivable because it is separated from the inner wall of the duct 200. However, the rear supporter 10b is allowed to move inside the duct 200 due to being driven by the front supporter 10 a.

The plate portion 11 includes a first plate 11a and a second plate 11b.

The first plate 11a may be connected to a rear end of the pneumatic cylinder 12. The second plate 11b is connected to the first plate 11a by a guide post 16 and may be fixed to one end of the guide post 16. The first plate 11a disposed at the rear end of the pneumatic cylinder 12 may have a variable distance from the second plate 11b due to expansion or contraction of the pneumatic cylinder 12.

For example, a first plate 11a is connected to the rear end of the pneumatic cylinder 12, and a guide post 16 is disposed between the first plate 11a and the second plate 11b to connect the first plate 11a and the second plate 11b to each other from the outsides thereof. The first plate 11a provided at the rear end of the pneumatic cylinder 12 is movable along the guide post 16 by expansion and contraction of the pneumatic cylinder 12.

The second plate 11b provided at one end of the guide post 16 is fixed. For example, when air is injected into the air cylinder 12 and the pneumatic cylinder 12 is thus expanded, the first plate 11a provided at the rear end of the pneumatic cylinder 12 moves along the guide post 16.

The link portions 13 may be pivotably disposed on opposite sides of the first plate 11a and the second plate 11b, the opposite sides facing each other. The link portion 13 includes a first link 13a and a second link 13b, and they are provided in the first plate 11a and the second plate 11b, respectively.

For example, the first link 13a is provided in the first plate 11a, the second link 13b is provided in the second plate 11b, and the first link 13a and the second link 13b may be connected in an X shape. Accordingly, the link part 13 may be adjustable in length in a direction perpendicular to the bracket 10 according to the distance between the first plate 11a and the second plate 11b.

For example, when the pipe 200 has a large diameter, the link portion 13 may be adjusted to contact the inner wall of the pipe 200 by reducing the distance between the first plate 11a and the second plate 11b. In contrast, when the pipe 200 has a small diameter, the rod portion 13 may be adjusted to contact the inner wall of the pipe 200 by extending the distance between the first plate 11a and the second plate 11b.

The link portion 13 including the X-connected first link 13a and second link 13b may be provided in plurality along the outer circumferential surface of the plate portion 11. For example, three or more link portions 13 may be provided at regular intervals along the outer circumferential surface of the plate portion 11. Therefore, the bracket 10 can be placed at the inner center by supporting the pipe 200 more stably in the inner wall.

A roller 14 may be provided at the front end of each of the link portions 13. The roller portion 14 may contact the inner wall of the tube 200 to allow the stent 10 to travel. For example, the link portion 13 may contact the inner wall of the pipe 200 through the roller portion 14. The link portion 13 presses the roller portion 14 and thus may be supported by the inner wall of the duct 200.

The roller portion 14 may include a driving roller 14a and an auxiliary roller 14b. For example, the drive motor 15 may be connected to the drive roller 14a. The driving roller 14a may be connected to a front end of the first link 13 a. The driving motor 15 is connected with the driving roller 14a, and thus may be connected to a side surface of the first link 13 a. The auxiliary roller 14b may be provided in the second link 13 b. For example, when the carriage 10 is driven by the driving roller 14a, the auxiliary roller 14b may guide the carriage 10 to safely travel without being separated from the inner wall of the duct 200.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the holder applied to fig. 1.

Referring to fig. 1 and 3, the holder 20 is disposed between the front bracket 10a and the rear bracket 10b, and connects the front bracket 10a and the rear bracket 10b to each other.

The holder 20 may include an air chamber 22, and the length and pressure of the air chamber 22 may be changeable by the injection or discharge of air by the control of the controller 90. Therefore, the holder 20 may flexibly or rigidly connect the front bracket 10a and the rear bracket 10b.

For example, when air is injected into the air chamber 22 of the holder 20 and thus the internal pressure of the air chamber 22 increases, one of the front and

rear holders

10a and 10b, which is not supported by the inner wall of the duct 200, may be fixed or supported by the other holder, which is supported by the inner wall of the duct 200. That is, the cage 20 can transmit the supporting force between the front bracket 10a and the rear bracket 10b. As another example, the front bracket 10a and the rear bracket 10b pass through a bent pipe, and thus the front bracket 10a makes a bending walk with respect to the rear bracket 10b, and the cage 20 discharges air from the air chamber 22 to reduce the internal pressure thereof. In this case, the holder 20 becomes flexible, and the length of the holder 20 may be changed according to the relative positional change of the front bracket 10a and the rear bracket 10b.

The cage 20 may include a plurality of air chambers 22. For example, the cage 20 may include a first air chamber 22a disposed adjacent to the front bracket 10a and a second air chamber 22b disposed adjacent to the rear bracket 10b. The first and

second air cells

22a and 22b may be separated from each other.

For example, the holder 20 including the plurality of air cells 22 may gradually adjust the flexibility by injecting air into one of the plurality of air cells 22 or exhausting air from one of the plurality of air cells 22.

That is, when the front supporter 10a enters the bent pipe, the controller 90 exhausts air to reduce the internal pressure, and when the front supporter 10a is completely in the bent pipe, the controller 90 exhausts air from the second air chamber 22b to reduce the internal pressure, and injects air into the first air chamber 22a to increase the internal pressure, thereby improving the tensile force.

The support roller 23 may be connected between the first air chamber 22a and the second air chamber 22b. The support rollers 23 are connected in the radial direction of the first and

second air cells

22a and 22b while being separated from each other in the circumferential direction.

The support rollers 23 may assist the holder 20 to more easily move from the duct 200 when the holder 20 becomes a flexible state due to the injection of air into the first and

second air cells

22a and 22b or the discharge of air from the first and

second air cells

22a and 22b.

Referring to fig. 1 to 4, the walking robot 100 in the tunnel may move in a downward direction of the opening of the downward position T-shaped pipe 210. However, this is not restrictive, and the in-tunnel walking robot 100 may move along a curved tunnel.

Hereinafter, a case where the walking robot 100 in the tunnel moves in the downward direction of the opening of the downward position tee 210 will be exemplarily described.

When moving in the walking direction of the walking robot 100 in the duct, the front holder 10a supported by the inner wall of the duct 200 naturally bends in the downward direction in which the supporting force of the opened portion is lost when approaching the opened downward direction of the downward position T-shaped pipe 210.

In this case, the controller 90 reduces the internal pressure by discharging air from the first air chamber 22a of the holder 20 to bend the front chassis 10a downward. The front supporter 10a moves farther downward in the downward direction and walks while being supported and driven while contacting the inner wall of the duct 200 connected in the downward direction.

The rear bracket 10b moves along the moving path of the front bracket 10a, and the second air chamber 22b reduces the internal pressure by discharging air so that the rear bracket 10b can be bent. In this case, the support rollers 23 of the holder 20 may assist the traveling robot 100 in the curved pipe to move more smoothly by contacting the inner wall of the T-shaped pipe 210 in the downward position. The first air cell 22a increases the internal pressure before the second air cell 22b, and the pulling force can be increased.

Referring to FIG. 5, a method for walking along a straight line across the downward position tee 210 is shown.

The front and

rear supports

10a and 10b are supported by the inner wall of the tunnel 20, and thus the in-tunnel walking robot 100 is driven by the driving roller 14a. Air is injected into the holder 20 to increase the internal pressure of the holder 20. The link portion 13 of the front supporter 10a is separated from the inner wall of the duct 200.

For example, air from the pneumatic cylinder 12 of the front bracket 10a is discharged to separate the first plate 11a and the second plate 11b of the pneumatic cylinder 12 from each other, so that the link portion 13 may be separated from the inner wall of the tube 200. The in-tunnel walking robot 100 is supported on the inner wall of the tunnel 200 by the rear support 10b, and can walk in the traveling direction through the rear support 10b.

The front bracket 10a supported by the rear bracket 10b can be linearly moved across the opened lower portion of the tee pipe 210 in the downward position. Next, the front supporter 10a injects air into the pneumatic cylinder 12 to move the link portion 13 toward the inner wall of the duct 200 such that the roller portion 14 contacts the inner wall of the duct 200. The front supporter 10a may walk by being supported on the inner wall of the duct 200.

Next, the rear bracket 10b separates the link portion 13 from the inner wall of the duct 200. For example, air in the pneumatic cylinder 12 of the rear bracket 10b is discharged to separate the first plate 11a and the second plate 11b from each other, thereby separating the link portion 13 from the inner wall of the duct 200.

In this case, the rear bracket 10b supported by the front bracket 10a may walk across the opened lower portion of the downward position tee 210.

When the walking robot 100 in the pipe passes through the opened lower portion of the downward position tee 210, the holding frame 20 maintains a rigid state by greatly increasing the internal pressure through air injection. As described, the robot 100 walking in a pipe can walk through the opened lower portion of the downward position T-shaped pipe 210 by changing the properties of the holding frame 20 to be rigid or flexible, and can travel in a curved pipe more smoothly.

Fig. 6 schematically shows a state in which the in-tunnel walking robot 100 walks inside the tunnel 200 by receiving power from the external power supply 250 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 6, the in-tunnel walking robot 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include: a driving motor 15 receiving power from an external power source 250 and supplying driving power to the front supporter 10a and the rear supporter 10 b; an internal power source 70 which moves inside the duct 200 together with the stand 10 and is selectively connected to a current path between the external power source 250 and the driving motor 15; and a controller 90 which operates the switch 75 when the power supplied from the external power supply 250 to the driving motor 15 and the currently required target power are different from each other to compensate the power supplied to the driving motor 15 with as much power as the power difference by connecting the internal power supply 70.

The carriage 10 including the front carriage 10a and the rear carriage 10b may be provided with a driving roller 14a. The carriage 10 travels inside the duct 200 by the driving of the driving roller 14a, and the driving motor 15 receives power from the external power supply 250 to supply driving power to the driving roller 14a.

The drive motor 15 is provided singly and supplies drive power to the plurality of drive rollers 14a, or may be provided in plural to supply drive power individually to the respective drive rollers 14a.

In fig. 6, as an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a structure is shown in which a plurality of driving rollers 14a are provided in a carriage 10 and each driving roller 14a is provided with a driving motor 15 to supply driving power.

Further, the walking robot 100 inside the pipe needs to be reduced in volume or load to walk inside the pipe 200, and thus according to the current exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an external power supply 250 arranged outside the pipe 200 is provided to transmit power from the external power supply 250 to the driving motor 15.

Meanwhile, the internal power supply 70 may be provided in the stand 10 separately from the external power supply 250. The internal power source 70 is selectively connected to a current path between the external power source 250 and the driving motor 15 by the operation of the switch 75 while moving inside the duct 200 together with the stand 10.

The internal power supply 70 may be mounted on the stand 10 or other component and in fig. 6 the internal power supply 70 is mounted on the stand 10, while in fig. 7 the circuitry connected in the current path between the external power supply 250 and the drive motor 15 via the switch 75 is schematically shown.

As shown in fig. 7, a switch 75 is provided in the current path of the drive motor 15 to selectively connect the internal power supply 70 to the path of the current transmitted to the drive motor 15 or disconnect the internal power supply 70 from the path of the current transmitted to the drive motor 15.

The operation of the switch 75 is controlled by the controller 90, and the controller 90 may operate the switch by receiving a manipulation signal from a user or according to a predetermined condition.

Since the internal power supply 70 is not always a main power supply connected to a path of the current transmitted to the driving motor 15, the internal power supply 70 may be provided with a smaller volume and a lighter weight than the external power supply 250, and thus the internal power supply 70 may be mounted on the walking robot 100 while the walking robot 100 is separately equipped with the external power supply 250, which is advantageous for walking.

Meanwhile, when the power supplied from the external power supply 250 to the driving motor 15 and the currently required target power are different from each other, the controller 90 operates the switch 75 to connect the internal power supply 70 so as to compensate as much power as the power difference to the driving motor 15.

The controller 90 may be provided in the walking robot 100 or may be provided in a manipulation device of a user, and hereinafter the controller 90 will be described as being provided in the walking robot 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The controller 90 determines a current target power for the walking robot 100 to walk, and the target power means a power satisfying an output required by the driving motor 15 for the current walking of the walking robot 100. The target power may be determined based on the type of the driving motor 15 or the current required for acceleration determined by the user.

Further, the controller 90 determines whether a power difference occurs between the power supplied to the drive motor 15 and the target power. The power supplied to the driving motor 15 is supplied from an external power supply 250 separate from the walking robot 100, and a power different from the power set by the external power supply 250 may be supplied for various reasons.

For example, there may be a loss of power transmitted to the drive motor 15 due to an abnormality in the power cable 255 and the like as a power transmission path or a voltage loss occurring during power transmission.

When it is determined that the loss of the power transmitted to the drive motor 15 occurs and thus a power difference occurs with respect to the target power, the controller 90 controls the switch 75 to connect the internal power supply 70 to the current path to the drive motor 15.

That is, the power from the external power supply 250 is transmitted to the drive motor 15 together with the power from the internal power supply 70 to compensate the power difference with the power from the internal power supply 70, and thus the loss of power that may occur in each case can be effectively dealt with.

Meanwhile, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the external power supply 250 of the in-tunnel walking robot 100 is fixed to one external position of the tunnel 200, and the driving motor 15 receives power from the external power supply 250 through the power cable 255.

As described previously, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the external power supply 250 disposed outside the duct 200 is provided as a main power supply to reduce the volume and load of the walking robot 100. Therefore, a means for supplying power from the external power supply 250 to the driving motor 15 is required, and thus the power cable 255 is used in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7 shows a circuit in which power is supplied to the drive motor 15 from an external power supply 250 through a power cable 255. When the power cable 255 is used, a line resistance 257 generated by the power cable 255 may occur, and a power loss may occur due to the line resistance 257.

In fig. 7, a line resistance 257 resulting from power cable 255 is shown. As the length of the power cable 255 increases, the line resistance 257 present in the power cable 255 increases. When the line resistance 257 increases, the voltage transmitted from the power supply 250 to the drive motor 15 is lost, thereby causing power loss.

As shown in fig. 6, the walking robot 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, which supplies electric power from the external power supply 250 fixed at one point outside the pipe 200 through the power cable 255, requires a much longer power cable 255 as the walking distance of the robot 100 increases, and needs to compensate for power loss due to the line resistance 257 existing in the power cable 255.

On the other hand, when the robot 100 walks on a chute or a vertical path or requires high acceleration, the drive motor 15 increases the amount of current consumption for outputting high torque, and when the amount of current increases, the voltage drop generated from the line resistance 257 of the power cable 255 increases and the amount of power transmitted from the external power supply 250 also increases.

Therefore, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the walking robot 100 is driven by using the external power supply 250 to reduce the volume and load of the walking robot 100, and at the same time, the internal power supply 70 is provided to compensate for a power loss that may occur during walking.

Therefore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the external power supply 250 fixed at one point outside the duct 200 is provided, and power is supplied from the external power supply 250 to the driving motor 15 through the power cable 255, and when the power consumption of the driving motor 15 increases due to an increase in the walking distance, the power deviation can be compensated by using the internal power supply 70, so that the current target power required for the driving motor 15 can be stably satisfied.

Meanwhile, as shown in fig. 7, the in-tunnel walking robot 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include a voltage measurer 65 measuring a voltage supplied to the driving motor 15, and when the voltage measured by the voltage measurer 65 and a target voltage according to a target power are different from each other, the controller 90 connects the internal power supply 70 to compensate for the voltage difference.

The controller 90 can determine the power actually supplied to the driving motor 15 by using various methods, and according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller 90 determines the power supplied to the driving motor 15 by measuring the voltage supplied to the driving motor 15 through the voltage measurer 65.

Specifically, the controller 90 determines an output required to drive the motor 15 according to a user, and determines a target power of the output. Further, the controller 90 adjusts the amount of current supplied from the external power supply 250 for the achievement of the target power.

The target power may be generally satisfied when the desired voltage corresponding to the adjusted amount of current is supplied to the drive motor 15, but a power difference occurs when the voltage actually supplied to the drive motor 15 has a voltage difference with respect to the target power.

Therefore, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller 90 determines the voltage actually transmitted to the driving motor 15 through the voltage measurer 65 and determines whether there is a voltage deviation between the target voltage determined by the target power and the measured voltage.

When the voltage deviation occurs, the controller 90 operates the switch 75 shown in fig. 7 toward the internal power supply 70 so that the voltage from the internal power supply 70 can compensate for the voltage transmitted from the external power supply 250. When the voltage transmitted to the driving motor 15 is compensated, the power loss in the driving motor 15 can be compensated.

Meanwhile, as shown in fig. 7, the in-tunnel walking robot 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include a current measurer 63 that measures a current supplied to the driving motor 15, and the controller 90 may determine a target voltage according to a relationship between the current measured by the current measurer 63 and a target power.

In fig. 7, a current measurer 63 is provided in a path of the current supplied to the driving motor 15 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The controller 90 controls the value of the current transmitted to the drive motor 15 according to the target power.

That is, the controller 90 controls to supply the drive motor 15 with a current value that can achieve the target power with respect to the theoretical voltage supplied from the external power supply 250. However, the current value set by the controller 90 and the current value actually supplied to the drive motor 15 may be different from each other for various reasons, such as control reasons or physical reasons.

Therefore, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the actual current value supplied to the driving motor 15 is measured by the current measurer 63, and the currently required target voltage is calculated in consideration of the current value measured with respect to the current target power.

In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in determining the current deviation, not only the voltage supplied to the driving motor 15 but also the current deviation indicated by the current value is considered, and thus the current deviation that may occur due to various causes can be accurately and efficiently determined, and the target power for the travel of the walking robot 100 can be achieved with high reliability.

Meanwhile, in the in-tunnel walking robot 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller 90 may connect the internal power supply 70 when the voltage deviation is higher than the reference voltage, and may adjust the reference voltage to a smaller value when the measured current increases.

The voltage deviation between the measured voltage and the target voltage measured by the voltage measurer 65 may occur due to instability of the external power supply 250, a physical defect in the power cable 255, or a sudden change in the traveling state.

Further, the voltage deviation generated when the walking state of the walking robot 100 suddenly changes (for example, acceleration changes) or the like may be a natural result that temporarily occurs, and the influence on the walking of the walking robot 100 may be weak.

Also, since the voltage deviation below the reference voltage value is small enough not to affect the current required to be output to the drive motor 15, the reference voltage is set as a reference for compensation of power by the internal power supply 70 in the embodiment of the present invention.

The reference voltage value may be set to various values by various methods. For example, the voltage deviation of the unstable driving of the driving motor 15 due to the power shortage is determined through a plurality of experiments, and then the reference voltage value may be statistically determined.

Also, the reference voltage value may be changed in consideration of strategic control aspects based on statistical results. For example, when stability is emphasized, the reference voltage may be set to a larger value, and when validity is emphasized, the reference voltage may be set to a smaller value.

Meanwhile, when the current supplied to the driving motor 15 increases, the controller 90 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention sets the reference voltage value to a smaller value. When the measured current is high, it means that the target power required to drive the motor 15 is high.

The high target power is required when a large load is generated in the walking robot 100 or the walking robot 100 needs to be accelerated rapidly. In this case, the driving motor 15 may be unstably driven due to power loss, which results in deterioration of safety of the walking robot 100.

Therefore, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the reference voltage value is set for stability and effectiveness of the control of the walking robot 100, and the reference voltage value is set to a lower value when the current supplied to the driving motor 15 corresponds to a high current, thereby improving the stability of walking.

Referring back to fig. 6, the in-tunnel walking robot 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a driving motor 15 receiving power from an external power source 250 and providing a driving force to the bracket 10 or the driving roller 14 a; a drive circuit 120 including an external power supply 250 and selectively connected to the drive motor 15; a brake circuit 130 selectively connected to the drive motor 15; and a controller 90 which controls one of the driving circuit 120 and the braking circuit 130 to be in a connected state, and the controller 90 controls the driving circuit 120 to be in the connected state in the walking mode of the cradle 10 and controls the braking circuit 130 to be in the connected state in the braking mode of the cradle 10.

The controller 90 of the present invention may be provided as separate entities independent of each other according to each function, or may exist in a single configuration that performs a plurality of functions as described above.

As an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, fig. 6 shows a structure in which an external power supply 250 is placed outside the duct 200 to reduce the volume and load of the walking robot 100, and a power cable 255 is used to supply power to the driving motor 15.

In fig. 8, a driver circuit 120 and a braking circuit 130 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention are shown.

The drive circuit 120 includes an external power source 250 and may be selectively connected to the drive motor 15. Referring to fig. 8, the driving circuit 120 includes an external power supply 250, and may be connected to the opposite end of the driving motor 15 through the control switch 122.

The control switch 122 connects one of the drive circuit 120 and the brake circuit 130 to the drive motor 15 through the controller 90. The control switch 122 alternately connects the drive circuit 120 or the brake circuit 130 to the drive motor 15.

Thus, when the drive circuit 120 is connected with the drive motor 15, the brake circuit 130 is in the released state and thus separated from the drive motor 15, and when the brake circuit 130 is connected with the drive motor 15, the drive circuit 120 is in the released state and thus separated from the drive motor 15.

In the present invention, the detailed structure of the driving circuit 120 may be variously set, and in fig. 8, the driving circuit 120 is formed as a line including an external power source 250, and opposite ends of the driving circuit 120 are selectively connected with opposite ends of the line in which the driving motor 15 is disposed through the control switch 122 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Meanwhile, the braking circuit 130 is a circuit that does not include the external power supply 250, and is selectively connected to the driving motor 15 by the control of the control switch 122. In fig. 8, the braking circuit 130 is schematically shown.

Since the braking circuit 130 does not include the external power supply 250, when the braking circuit 130 is controlled while the braking circuit 130 is connected with the driving motor 15, the driving motor 15 operates as a generator generating electricity by an external force, and thus a braking mode consuming the external force of the driving motor 15 is realized.

Referring to fig. 8, the braking circuit 130 is connected to opposite ends of a line in which the drive motor 15 is disposed.

The braking circuit 130 may be provided to short-circuit the positive electrode of the drive motor 15, and may include a resistor 136 and a resistor 137, as described below.

In the present invention, the braking circuit 130 selectively connecting the opposite ends of the driving motor 15 may be provided with various structures, but the control switch 122 is provided in each of the opposite ends of the line of the driving motor 15 in fig. 8, and the driving circuit 120 may be alternately connected to the opposite ends of the driving motor 15 by the control of the control switch 122.

Further, the braking circuit 130 may be provided on the walking robot 100, or may be provided in the external power supply 250. When the braking circuit 130 is provided in the external power supply 250, the driving circuit 120 and the braking circuit 130 may be electrically connected to the driving motor 15 through a power cable 255 and the like.

In fig. 8, a structure is exemplarily shown in which the brake circuit 130 is disposed in parallel above the drive circuit 120 and electrically connected to the drive motor 15 through a power cable 255 and the like.

As previously described, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the driving circuit 120 and the braking circuit 130 are alternately controlled to be connected or released through the control switch 122.

At the same time, the controller 90 controls one of the driving circuit 120 and the braking circuit 130 to be connected. That is, when the driving circuit 120 is controlled to be connected by the controller 90, the braking circuit 130 may be controlled to be released, and when the braking circuit 130 is controlled to be connected, the driving circuit 120 may be controlled to be released.

The determination of the connection state of the driver circuit 120 and the braking circuit 130 may be determined by a user's control module operation. For example, when the user manipulates to decelerate or stop the walking robot 100 according to the present invention by using a control module provided to control the walking state of the walking robot 100, the controller 90 determines the connection state of the driving circuit 120 and the braking circuit 130 according to the corresponding signals.

Meanwhile, the controller 90 controls the driving circuit 120 to be connected when the cradle 10 is in the walking mode, and controls the braking circuit 130 to be connected when the cradle 10 is in the braking mode.

In the present invention, the term "driving mode" means a state in which power is supplied to the driving motor 15 to generate power, and the term "braking mode" means a state in which no power is generated from the driving mode 15 and braking force is generated to stop the stand 10.

The controller may determine the driving mode and the braking mode through manipulation signals of the controller 90. That is, the controller 90 may recognize the driving mode when the user manipulates the control module to generate power from the driving motor 15 for walking, and the controller 90 may recognize the braking mode when the user presses a separate stop button or controls the speed of the walking robot 100 to be decelerated or zero.

In the driving mode, the controller 90 controls the driving circuit 120 to be connected. Accordingly, power may be supplied from the external power supply 250 to the drive motor 15, and the drive motor 15 supplies drive power to the drive roller 14a by using the power from the external power supply 250.

Meanwhile, in the braking mode, the controller 90 controls the braking circuit 130 to be connected while controlling the driving circuit 120 to be released. The power supply to the driving motor 15 is blocked at the same time when the driving circuit 120 is released, and thus no power is generated from the driving motor 15, and the braking circuit 130 is connected to function as a generator that generates power by an external force.

When the brake circuit 130 is connected, an inertial force existing in the walking robot 100 in the walking state or a load of the walking robot 100 is applied to the driving roller 14a as an external force, and the external force is transmitted to the driving motor 15, so that the driving motor 15 functions as a generator by the external force.

That is, when the brake circuit 130 is in the connected state, the amount of power generation of the drive motor 15 functions as a braking force that consumes an external force.

Since the walking robot 100 according to the present invention has a small walking space due to walking inside the duct 200, it is advantageous to reduce the volume or load of the robot 100, and when the braking circuit 130 is provided in the driving motor 15 as in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a braking force can be formed in the driving roller 14a without a separate braking device, and thus it is advantageous in reducing the volume or load of the walking robot 100 walking inside the duct 200.

Also, a brake device may be provided together with the brake circuit 130 in order to ensure a sufficient braking force, and this is also advantageous in this case, because the size or load of the brake device can be significantly reduced.

Meanwhile, the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is advantageous in braking the walking robot 100 in the vertical pipe by using the braking circuit 130. The vertical pipe preferably means a pipe 200 extending perpendicular to the ground, and means a pipe 200 in which the gravity of the walking robot 100 is parallel or similar to the walking direction.

In order to stop the walking robot 100 in the vertical pipe, not only the inertial force existing in the walking robot 100 but also the braking force corresponding to the external force according to the load applied to the walking robot 100 needs to be provided.

In the case of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, by using the braking circuit 130, the external force applied to the driving motor 15 is consumed and provided together with the reaction force, and the external force caused by the load is continuously maintained in the case of the vertical pipe, and thus the braking force needs to be continuously provided to stop the walking robot 100.

In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a brake system consuming an external force applied to the driving motor 15 through the brake circuit 130 connecting the opposite ends of the driving motor 15 is provided, and thus an additional power source for generating a braking force is required, and a much more braking force can be provided when the external force is strong.

Accordingly, in case of continuously maintaining the braking force as in the chute or the vertical duct, the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is advantageous in that the braking force corresponding to the external force can be continuously provided to the walking robot 100 through the braking circuit 130 without providing a separate power.

Meanwhile, as previously described, the driving circuit 120 and the braking circuit 130 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention are illustrated in fig. 8, and the control switch 122 selectively connected to one of the driving circuit 120 and the braking circuit 130 is provided at the opposite end of the driving motor 15, and the controller 90 controls the connection state of the driving circuit 120 and the braking circuit 130 by controlling the control switch 122.

As shown in fig. 8, control switches 122 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be respectively disposed at opposite ends of a line including the driving motor 15.

In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the control switches 122 are provided as a pair, and each of the pair of control switches 122 is provided at each of opposite ends of the driving motor 15 for stable and rapid control of the driving circuit 120 and the braking circuit 130.

Meanwhile, as shown in fig. 8, in the in-tunnel walking robot 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a resistive line 135 provided with

resistors

136 and 137 and a non-resistive line 138 in a short-circuited state are provided in parallel with each other in the brake circuit 130, and one of the resistive line 135 and the non-resistive line 138 may be provided with a resistive switch 133 connecting opposite ends of the driving motor 15.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the resistive line 135 includes the resistor 136 and the resistor 137, and the non-resistive line 138 does not include the resistor 136 and the resistor 137, and thus the non-resistive line 138 connects opposite ends of the external power source 250 to be in a short-circuited state.

The braking force required by the traveling robot 100 in the braking mode of the traveling robot 100 may be variously required. In the embodiment of the invention, the resistive line 135 and the non-resistive line 138 are separately provided so that the braking force can be variously formed.

As described previously, when the brake circuit 130 is in the connected state, the drive motor 15 functions as a generator, and the power consumed by the brake circuit 130 becomes a braking force applied to the drive motor 15.

That is, when the power consumed by the brake circuit 130 increases, the external force consumed by the drive motor 15 increases, and thus the power consumed by the brake circuit 130 is controlled to control the braking force formed in the drive motor 15 in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

For example, the resistive line 135 including the resistor 136 and the resistor 137 has a larger resistance that consumes power than the non-resistive line 138 that has no resistance and forms a short-circuited state, and when the resistance is large, the amount of power consumed by the voltage decreases.

Therefore, the braking circuit 130 (which has the resistive line 135 connected to it) consumes less power than the power consumed by the non-resistive line 138 at the same time, and therefore the braking force provided to the drive motor 15 becomes smaller.

On the other hand, the non-resistive line 138 is free of the resistor 136 and the resistor 137 and consumes power generated by the drive motor 15 in the entire line, and the non-resistive line 138 is much less resistive than the resistive line 135 and therefore consumes a greater amount of power at the same time.

Thus, the braking circuit 130 to which the non-resistive line 138 is connected provides a much stronger braking force to the drive motor 15.

Accordingly, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the resistive line 135 and the non-resistive line 138 selectively and alternately connected to the brake circuit 130 are provided so that the braking force required for the walking robot 100 can be variously satisfied.

The resistive line 135 and the non-resistive line 138 are alternately connected to the brake circuit 130 by operation of the resistive switch 133, and the controller 90 connects one of the resistive line 135 and the non-resistive line 138 to the brake circuit 130 by controlling the resistive switch 133.

Meanwhile, when the in-tunnel walking robot 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is in a normal braking mode of the braking mode, the controller 90 connects the resistive line 135 in the braking circuit 130 when the speed of the cradle 10 is higher than the reference speed, and connects the non-resistive line 138 in the braking circuit 130 when the speed of the cradle 10 is lower than the reference speed.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the braking mode may be classified into a general braking mode and a quick braking mode. When the user manipulates a quick brake button in the console or in the case where the walking robot 100 is manipulated to decelerate from the current speed more than a predetermined level, the controller 90 may recognize the current mode as a quick brake mode.

The speed at which the predetermined level is exceeded and thus the quick braking mode is identified can be set variously by experiment and statistics as needed. In addition, this will be understood by way of example, and the quick braking mode may be set in various other ways.

On the other hand, the control unit 90 may recognize a case that does not correspond to the quick braking mode as the normal braking mode. Also, the user may previously set one of the general braking mode and the quick braking mode, and thus the subsequent control may be controlled to the normal braking mode or the quick braking mode.

In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the braking force is directly increased to the maximum braking force in the braking force mode, and the normal braking mode may be understood as a braking mode in which a smaller braking force is formed at the start of braking than that in the rapid braking mode to reduce a shock generated by braking.

From this point of view, by way of example, the criteria for distinguishing the normal braking mode and the quick braking mode described above should be understood and may be set in various ways in view of the intention.

When determined as the normal braking mode, the controller 90 connects the resistance line 135 on the braking circuit when the current speed of the cradle 10 is higher than the reference speed. As described above, the resistive line 135 forms a smaller driving force in the driving motor 15 than the non-resistive line 138.

When the speed is higher than the reference speed and the initial braking force is higher than the reference speed, the impact of the initial braking force is increased and the impact is applied to the walking robot 100, thereby deteriorating the stability and durability of the walking robot 100. Therefore, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the resistance line is connected to the resistance line 135 on the braking circuit 130 when the speed is higher than the reference speed, thereby mitigating a shock due to braking.

The reference speed becomes a reference for the alternative connection of the resistive line 135 and the non-resistive line 138, and it can be variously determined in consideration of the aspect of the control strategy. For example, when rapid braking is required, the reference speed may be set to a large value, and when the impact due to braking needs to be alleviated, the reference speed is set to a smaller value.

At the same time, when braking is applied through the connection of the resistive line 135 and thus the speed of the carriage 10 decreases below the reference speed, the controller 90 increases the braking force by connecting the non-resistive line 138 in the braking circuit 130.

The braking circuit 130 to which the non-resistive line 138 is connected provides a greater braking force to the drive motor 15 than in the case where the resistive line 135 is connected, provides a braking force to the motor 15 through the resistive line 135 to mitigate shock when the speed of the cradle 10 is higher than the reference speed, and provides a braking force to the drive motor 15 through the non-resistive line 138 to form a maximum braking force for the final stop state when the speed is lower than the reference speed.

Meanwhile, in the in-tunnel walking robot 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller 90 connects the non-resistance line 138 in the braking circuit 130 regardless of the speed of the cradle 10 in the rapid braking mode among the braking modes.

As described above, in the braking mode of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the quick braking mode brakes the bracket 10 faster than the priority of relieving the impact that may be applied to the bracket 10, and thus the braking force is maximized regardless of the speed of the bracket 10 in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

That is, when the quick braking mode is recognized, the controller 90 connects the non-resistance line 138 to the braking circuit 130 to short-circuit the opposite ends of the external power source 250 so that the maximum braking force can be provided to the driving motor 15 through the braking circuit 130 to implement quick braking.

Meanwhile, as shown in fig. 8, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include an NTC element 136, the resistance of the NTC element 136 being decreased as the temperature of the resistor 136 and the resistor 137 is increased. An NTC (negative temperature coefficient of resistance) element means a resistive element whose resistance decreases as the temperature of the corresponding element increases.

As described previously, the resistance line 135 of the present invention is provided with the resistor 136 and the resistor 137, and thus the external force driving the motor 15 is consumed by the resistor 136 and the resistor 137 as power, and since power is generally consumed as heat in the resistor 136 and the resistor 137, the temperatures of the resistor 136 and the resistor 137 increase when the braking mode continues.

That is, the resistance of the NTC element 136 provided in the resistor 136 and the resistor 137 decreases as braking continues, and thus the braking force applied to the driving motor 15 gradually increases as the amount of power consumed by the resistor 136 and the resistor 137 increases.

That is, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the resistance line 135 that forms a lower braking force than the non-resistance line 138 in the driving motor 15 is provided, and the NTC element is included in the resistor 136 and the resistor 137 of the resistance line 135 such that the braking force is gradually increased by the NTC element 136 when braking continues in the braking mode in which the resistance line 135 is connected.

Accordingly, the braking force provided to the walking robot 100 is gradually increased, and thus the impact is relieved, and a sufficient amount of braking force can be provided for stopping the walking robot 100 when the braking process is continued.

Meanwhile, as shown in fig. 8, the in-tunnel walking robot 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a variable resistor controlled in resistance by a control unit and an NTC element, and a driving motor is selectively connected to a driving circuit and a braking circuit through a power cable. The variable resistance may be adjusted so that the resistance value becomes smaller as the length of the power cable becomes longer.

In the case where the driving motor 15 is supplied with power from the external power supply 250 through the power cable 255, the braking force of the driving motor 15 may be formed in the braking circuit 130 by using the line resistance 257 provided in the power cable 255.

However, according to the length of the power cable 255, the magnitude of the line resistance 257 existing in the power cable 255 may vary, and thus when the resistive line 135 forms a braking force by using the line resistance 257 of the power cable 255, the magnitude of the braking force may vary. In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, therefore, the variable resistor 137 is disposed on the resistance line 135.

The controller 90 may control the variable resistor 137 such that the sum of the line resistance 257 of the power cable 255 and the variable resistor 137 has a constant value. For example, when the length of the power cable 255 is long and the line resistance 257 becomes large, the controller 90 controls the size of the variable resistor 137 to be small, and when the length of the power cable 255 is short and the line resistance 257 becomes small, the controller 90 controls the size of the variable resistor 137 to be large to maintain a constant resistance value supplied to the braking circuit 130.

Therefore, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the braking circuit 130 is formed by using the line resistance 257 of the power cable 255, the variable resistor 137 is arranged so that the braking force provided to the driving motor 15 can be constant even when the line resistance 257 of the power cable 255 is changed.

While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, the intention is to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims.

Description of the symbols-

100: the in-tunnel walking robot 10: support frame

10a: front bracket 10b: rear support

11: plate portion 11a: first plate

11b: second plate 12: pneumatic cylinder

13: shaft portion 13a: first connecting rod

13b: second link 14: roller

14a: the drive roller 14b: auxiliary roller

15: the drive motor 16: guide post

20: cage 22: air chamber

22a: first air chamber 22b: second air chamber

23: support rollers 63: current measuring device

65: voltage measuring device 70: internal power supply

75: the switch 90: controller

120: the drive circuit 122: control switch

130: the braking circuit 135: resistance circuit

138: non-resistance line 200: pipeline

210: downward position tee 250: external power supply

255: power cable 257: a line resistance.

Claims

1. An in-pipeline walking robot comprising:

a front supporter and a rear supporter supported by and running along an inner wall of the duct; and

a holder connected between the front bracket and the rear bracket and having its flexibility adjusted,

wherein the holder includes an air chamber of which an internal pressure is changed according to the injection or discharge of air, and the flexibility of the holder is adjusted according to the internal pressure of the air chamber,

wherein the air chamber comprises:

a first plenum disposed adjacent to the front mount; and

a second air chamber disposed adjacent to the rear bracket,

wherein the first and second air chambers are separated from each other.

2. The in-tunnel walking robot of claim 1, wherein the holder comprises a plurality of support rollers disposed between the first and second air cells and arranged at a distance from each other along an outer side of the holder.

3. The in-tunnel walking robot of claim 1, wherein the holder becomes flexible when passing through a curved tunnel, so that the front and rear supports walk in the curved tunnel.

4. The in-tunnel walking robot of claim 1, wherein the holder becomes rigid when the walking robot passes straight through an area in the tunnel whose lower part is open, so that the front and rear cradles can walk straight.

5. The in-tunnel walking robot of claim 1, wherein the front and rear supports comprise:

a pneumatic cylinder operated by gas pressure;

a first plate disposed at a rear end of the pneumatic cylinder;

a guide post connected to an outer side of the first plate;

a second plate connected to one end of the guide post;

a link portion having first and second links pivotably connected to the first and second plates, respectively; and

a roller portion connected to a front end of the link portion.

6. The in-tunnel walking robot of claim 5, wherein the roller part comprises:

a driving roller connected to a front end of the first link; and

an auxiliary roller connected to a front end of the second link,

wherein a drive motor is connected to the drive roller.

7. An in-pipeline walking robot comprising:

a front supporter and a rear supporter supported by and running along an inner wall of the duct;

a holder connected between the front bracket and the rear bracket and having flexibility adjusted;

a driving motor receiving power from an external power source and supplying driving power to the front supporter and the rear supporter;

an internal power source moving along the duct together with the front and rear brackets and selectively connected to a current path between the external power source and the driving motor by operation of a switch; and

a controller that, when a power difference occurs between the power supplied to the drive motor by the external power supply and a currently required target power, turns on the switch to connect the internal power supply to compensate for the power supplied to the drive motor with as much power as the power difference.

8. The in-tunnel walking robot of claim 7, wherein the external power supply is fixed to a point at the outside of the tunnel, and the driving motor receives power from the external power supply through a power cable, the power cable forming at least a part of the current path.

9. The in-tunnel walking robot of claim 8, further comprising a voltage measurer measuring a voltage supplied to the driving motor,

wherein the controller connects the internal power supply to compensate for a voltage difference between the voltage measured by the voltage measurer and a target voltage according to the target power when the voltage difference occurs.

10. The in-tunnel walking robot of claim 9, further comprising a current measurer measuring a current supplied to the driving motor,

wherein the controller determines the target voltage according to a relationship between the current measured by the current measurer and the target power.

11. An in-pipeline walking robot comprising:

a drive circuit including the external power source and selectively connected to the drive motor;

a braking circuit selectively connected to the drive motor; and

a controller that controls one of a driving circuit and a braking circuit in a connected state with the driving motor,

wherein the controller controls the driving circuit to be in the connected state in a walking mode of the front and rear cradles, and controls the braking circuit to be in the connected state in a braking mode of the cradles.

12. The in-tunnel walking robot of claim 11, wherein a control switch selectively connected with one of the driving circuit and the braking circuit is provided at an opposite end of the driving motor, and the controller controls the connection state of the driving circuit and the braking circuit by controlling the control switch.

13. The in-tunnel walking robot of claim 11, wherein a resistive line including a resistor and a non-resistive line in a short-circuit state are provided in the brake circuit in parallel with each other, and a resistive switch connects one of the resistive line and the non-resistive line between opposite ends of the driving motor.

14. The in-tunnel walking robot of claim 13, wherein in a normal braking mode of the braking modes, the controller connects the resistive line in the braking circuit when a speed of the front and rear cradles is higher than a reference speed, and connects the non-resistive line in the braking circuit when the speed is lower than the reference speed.

15. The in-tunnel walking robot of claim 13, wherein said controller controls said non-resistive line in said braking circuit in a fast braking mode of said braking modes regardless of the speeds of said front and rear carriages.

16. The in-tunnel walking robot of claim 13, wherein the resistor comprises an NTC element whose resistance decreases as temperature increases.

17. The in-tunnel walking robot of claim 16, wherein a variable resistor whose resistance is adjusted by the controller and the NTC element are arranged in series,

the drive motor is connected with the drive circuit and the brake circuit through a power cable, an

The resistance of the variable resistor is controlled to be smaller as the length of the power cable increases.