PILE LEG WALKING TYPE MINING ROBOT

Abstract

Disclosed is a pile leg walking type manganese nodule mining robot. The robot includes a body, a pile walking mechanism, a vector propulsive mechanism, a negative pressure suction mechanism and a manganese nodule cutter suction mechanism. The invention involves a stable and efficient deep-sea mining robot which can complete the mining task on the geological layer where the manganese nodule are located, and effectively protects the marine life and living environment in the deep-sea mining area. The existence environment of manganese nodule is also protected. After mining, the regeneration environment of living or other resources on the deep-sea floor will not be affected, thus greatly resolving the sharp contradiction between resource exploitation and environmental protection.

Claims

1. A pile leg walking type mining robot, comprising: a body, pile walking mechanisms, a vector propulsive mechanism, a negative pressure suction mechanism and a manganese nodule cutter suction mechanism; wherein a number of the pile walking mechanisms is three; the pile walking mechanisms comprise a plurality of drive components and a plurality of lifting piles; three drive components are respectively provided on two sides of a middle wall of the body and the center of a tail of the body; the lifting piles and the drive components are respectively connected such that a horizontal or a vertical arrangement is achieved under the driving of the drive components; when the lifting piles are vertically arranged, the drive components drive the lifting piles to move back and forth in vertical and horizontal directions; the vector propulsive mechanism comprises a plurality of vertical vector propellers and horizontal vector propellers evenly provided around the body; the negative pressure suction mechanism is provided on the head of the body and configured for suction and transfer of benthic organisms; and the manganese nodule cutter suction mechanism is provided on the head of the body and located between the head of the body and the negative pressure suction mechanism; the manganese nodule cutter suction mechanism is configured to suck manganese nodules.

2. The pile leg walking type mining robot of claim 1, wherein the driving component further comprises a rotating part, a feeding hydraulic cylinder and a lifting part; the rotating part is connected with the body; a cylinder side wall of the feeding hydraulic cylinder is fixedly connected with a connecting end of the rotating part such, that a horizontal or Vertical arrangement is achieved under the rotation of the rotating part; and the lifting part, is connected with an end of a piston rod of the feeding hydraulic cylinder such that the lifting part drives the lifting pile to reciprocate vertically and horizontally.

3. The pile leg walking type mining robot of claim 2, wherein the lifting part is provided with a build-in nut driven by power; the outer side of the lifting pile is provided with a screw thread; and the screw thread is threadedly connected with the nut.

4. The pile leg walking type mining robot of claim 1, wherein the lifting pile is vertically arranged with a pointedly shaped bottom end.

5. The pile leg walking type mining robot of claim 1, wherein the number of the vertical vector propeller is four; the four vertical vector propellers are evenly arranged on peripheral side walls of the body, and blades of the four vertical vector propellers are arranged horizontally; the number of the horizontal vector propellers is four; the four horizontal vector propellers are evenly arranged on the bottom wall of the body; and blades of the four horizontal vector propellers are arranged vertically.

6. The pile leg walking type mining robot of claim 1, wherein the negative pressure suction mechanism comprises a negative pressure rotary platform, a negative pressure support arm, a negative pressure support, a biological transfer conveying hose, a flow rate adjustable water pump, a main water pump pipe and a negative pressure pipe; the negative pressure rotary platform is provided on the bottom wall of the head of the body; the negative pressure support arm comprises a plurality of bars, and one end of the negative pressure support arm is hinged with a rotating head of the negative pressure rotary platform; the negative pressure support is hinged with the other end of the negative pressure support arm; the biological transfer conveying hose is connected to the negative pressure support arm with one end opening toward the negative pressure support, and the other end opening toward the tail of the body; the flow rate adjustable water pump is provided on the body; one end of the main water pump pipe is connected with the flow rate adjustable water pump and the other end is connected with an open end of the biological transfer conveying hose toward the negative pressure support; and one end, of the negative pressure pipe is opened and fixed on the negative pressure support, and the other end is connected with the side wall of the main water pump pipe.

7. The pile leg walking type mining robot of claim 1, wherein the manganese nodule cutter suction mechanism, comprises a rotary platform of cutter suction, arm, a cutter suction arm, a cutter suction head, a rotary actuator of cutter suction arm, a driving motor of cutter suction head, a mineral conveying hose, and a manganese nodule transition treatment cabin; the rotary platform of cutter suction arm is provided on the bottom wall of the head of the body; one end of the cutter suction arm is hinged with a rotary head of the rotary platform of cutter suction arm; the cutter suction head is rotatably connected to the other end of the cutter suction arm; the rotary actuator of cutter suction arm is provided on the side wall of the rotary platform of cutter suction arm and is configured to drive the cutter suction arm to rotate in a vertical direction; the driving motor of cutter suction head is provided on the cutter suction arm; a power output end of the driving motor of cutter suction head is fixedly connected to the cutter suction head; the mineral conveying hose is connected to the cutter suction arm with one opening end located below the cutter suction head; and the manganese nodule transition treatment tank is provided on the top surface of the body and connected to the other opening end of the mineral conveying hose.

8. The pile leg walking type mining robot of claim 1, further comprising a buoyancy adjustment mechanism; the buoyancy adjustment mechanism comprises a ballast tank provided in an inner part of the body and a plurality of buoyancy adjustment oil bags provided on the top surface of the body.

9. The pile leg walking type mining robot of claim 1, further comprising an environmental detection and sensing mechanism; the environmental detection and sensing mechanism comprises an HD underwater camera, a sonar and an ultra-bright underwater lamp provided on the top surface of the head of the body.

10. The pile leg walking type mining robot of claim 1, an integrated pipe of umbilical cord cable and mineral hose for integrating lines and conveying minerals is connected at the tail of the body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0028] To more clearly describe the technical solution in the embodiments of the present invention or in the prior art, the drawings required to be used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be simply presented below. Apparently, the drawings in the following description are merely the embodiments of the present invention, and for those ordinary skilled in the art, other drawings can also be obtained according to the provided drawings without any creative work.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of, an overall structure of the robot provided for the invention.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a side view of the unfolded state of the robot in the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 3 is a top view of the unfolded state of the robot in the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 4 is a side view of the retracted state of the robot in the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of the negative pressure suction mechanism and the manganese nodule cutter suction mechanism of the robot in the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a negative pressure suction mechanism of the robot in the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the environmental detection and sensing mechanism of the robot in the present invention.

[0036] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the working state of the robot provided by the invention in contact with various layers under water.

[0037] In the drawings: [0038] 1Body; [0039] 2Pile walking mechanism; [0040] 21Driving component; 211Rotating part; 212Feeding hydraulic cylinder; [0041] 213Lifting component; 22Lifting pile; [0042] 3Vector propulsive mechanism; [0043] 31Vertical vector propeller; 32Horizontal vector propeller; [0044] 4Negative pressure suction mechanism; [0045] 41Negative pressure rotary platform; 42Negative pressure support arm; 43Negative pressure support; 44Biological transfer conveying hose; 45Flow rate adjustable water pump; 46Main water pump pipe; 47Negative pressure pipe; [0046] 5Manganese nodule cutter suction mechanism; [0047] 51Rotary platform of cutter suction arm; 52Cutter suction arm; 53Cutter suction head; 54Rotary actuator of cutter suction arm; 55Driving motor of cutter suction head; 56Mineral conveying hose; 57Manganese nodule transition treatment cabin; [0048] 6Buoyancy adjustment mechanism; [0049] 61Ballast tank; 62Buoyancy adjustment oil bag; [0050] 7Environmental detection and sensing mechanism; [0051] 71HD underwater camera; 72Sonar; 73Ultra-bright underwater lamp; [0052] 8Integrated pipe of umbilical cord cable and mineral hose; [0053] 91Benthic layer; 92Manganese nodules geological layer; 93Diluted soft silt geological layer; 94Hard soil geological layer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0054] The technical solution in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and fully described below in combination with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Apparently, the described embodiments are merely part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those ordinary skilled in the art without contributing creative labor will belong to the protection scope of the present invention.

[0055] Referring to FIGS. 1-8, embodiments of the invention disclose a pile leg walking, type mining robot with characteristics of high-efficiency and environmental protection.

[0056] The robot includes a body 1, a pile walking mechanism 2, a vector propulsive mechanism 3, a negative pressure suction mechanism 4 and a manganese nodule cutter suction mechanism 5.

[0057] The number of the pile walking mechanisms 2 is three. The pile walking mechanisms 2 include multiple drive components 21 and multiple lifting piles 22. Three drive components 21 are respectively provided on two sides of a middle wall of the body 1 and the center of a tail of the body 1. The lifting piles 22 and the drive components 21 are respectively connected such that a horizontal or a vertical arrangement is achieved under the driving of the drive components 21. When the lifting piles 22 are vertically arranged, the drive components 21 drive the lifting piles 22 to move back and forth in vertical and horizontal directions.

[0058] The vector propulsive mechanism 3 includes multiple vertical vector propellers 31 and horizontal vector propellers 32 evenly provided around the body 1;

[0059] The negative pressure suction mechanism 4 is provided on the head of the body 1 and configured for suction and transfer of benthic organisms.

[0060] The manganese nodule cutter suction mechanism 5 is provided on the head of the body 1 and located between the head of the body 1 and the negative pressure suction mechanism 5. The manganese nodule cutter suction mechanism 5 is configured to suck manganese nodules.

[0061] In order to further optimize the above technical scheme, the driving component 21 further includes a rotating part 211, a feeding hydraulic cylinder 212 and a lifting part 213. The rotating part 211 is connected with the body 1. The cylinder side wall of the feeding hydraulic cylinder 212 is fixedly connected with a connecting end of the rotating part 211 such that a horizontal or vertical arrangement is achieved under the rotation of the rotating part 211. The lifting part 213 is connected with an end of a piston rod of the feeding hydraulic cylinder 212 such that the lifting part 213 drives the lifting pile 22 to reciprocate vertically and horizontally.

[0062] In order to further optimize the above technical scheme, the lifting part 213 is provided with a build-in nut driven by power. The outer side of the lifting pile 22 is provided with a screw thread. The screw thread is threadedly connected with the nut.

[0063] In order to further optimize the above technical scheme, the lifting pile 22 is vertically arranged with a bottom end pointedly shaped.

[0064] In order to further optimize the above technical scheme, the number of the vertical vector propeller 31 is four. The four vertical vector propellers 31 are evenly arranged on peripheral side walls of the body, and blades of the four vertical vector propellers 31 are arranged horizontally. The number of the horizontal vector propellers 32 is four. The four horizontal vector propellers 32 are evenly arranged on the bottom wall of the body. Blades of the four horizontal vector propellers 32 are arranged vertically.

[0065] In order to further optimize the above technical scheme, the negative pressure suction mechanism 4 includes a negative pressure rotary platform 41, a negative pressure support arm 42, a negative pressure support 43, a biological transfer conveying hose 44, a flow rate adjustable water pump 45, a main water pump pipe 46 and a negative pressure pipe 47. The negative pressure rotary platform 41 is provided on the bottom wall of the head of the body 1. The negative pressure support arm 42 includes multiple bars, and one end of the negative pressure support arm 42 is hinged with a rotating head of the negative pressure rotary platform 41. The negative pressure support 43 is hinged with the other end of the negative pressure support arm 42. The biological transfer conveying hose 44 is connected to the negative pressure support arm 42 with one end opening toward the negative pressure support 43, and the other end opening toward the tail of the body 1. The flow rate adjustable water pump 45 is provided on the body 1. One end of the main water pump pipe 46 is connected with the flow rate adjustable water pump 45 and the other end is connected with an open end of the biological transfer conveying hose 44 toward the negative pressure support 43. One end of the negative pressure pipe 47 is opened and fixed on the negative pressure support 43, and the other end is connected with the side wall of the main water pump pipe 46.

[0066] In order to further optimize the above technical scheme, the manganese nodule cutter suction mechanism 5 includes a rotary platform of cutter suction arm 51, a cutter suction arm 52, a cutter suction head 53, a rotary actuator of cutter suction arm 54, a driving motor of cutter suction head 55, a mineral conveying hose 56 and a manganese nodule transition treatment cabin 57. The rotary platform of cutter suction arm 51 is provided on the bottom wall of the head of the body 1. One end of the cutter suction arm 52 is hinged with a rotary head of the rotary platform of cutter suction arm 51. The cutter suction head 53 is rotatable connected to the other end of the cutter suction arm 52. The rotary actuator of cutter suction arm 54 is provided on the side wall of the rotary platform of cutter suction, arm 51 and is configured to drive the cutter suction arm 52 to rotate in a vertical direction. The driving motor of cutter suction head 55 is provided on the cutter suction arm 52. A power output end of the driving motor of cutter suction head is fixedly connected to the cutter suction head 53. The mineral conveying hose 56 is connected to the cutter suction arm 52 with one opening end located below the cutter suction head 53. The manganese nodule transition treatment tank 57 is provided on the top surface of the body 1 and connected to the other opening end of the mineral conveying hose 56.

[0067] In order to further optimize the above technical scheme, the robot further includes a buoyancy adjustment mechanism 6. The buoyancy adjustment mechanism 6 includes a ballast tank 61 provided in an inner part of the body 1 and multiple buoyancy adjustment oil bags 62 provided on the top surface of the body 1.

[0068] In order to further optimize the above technical scheme, the robot further includes an environmental detection and sensing mechanism 7. The environmental detection and sensing mechanism 7 includes an HD underwater camera 71, a sonar 72 and an ultra-bright, underwater lamp 73 provided on the top surface of the head of the body 1.

[0069] In order to further optimize the above technical scheme, an integrated pipe of umbilical cord cable and mineral hose 8 for integrating lines and conveying minerals is connected at the tail of the body 1.

[0070] The working principle of the invention, is as follows:

[0071] Before the mining robot arrives at the mining area or evacuates from the mining area, it can, be completed by its own buoyancy adjustment mechanism 6 and vector propulsive mechanism 3 in cooperation with the hanging cable of the working boat. In this process, the negative pressure suction mechanism 4, manganese nodule cutter suction mechanism 5 and pile walking mechanism 2 of the mining robot can be retracted to make them as compact as possible and reduce the resistance, as shown in FIG. 4. During operation, the corresponding mechanisms work accordingly.

[0072] During the operation of the mining robots, the negative pressure support 43 always works at a certain distance in front of the cutter suction head 53 to safely transfer the benthic organisms in advance. The cutter suction head 53 and suction head of negative pressure pipe 47 make an arc movement at the head of the mining robot, and move forward through the pile walking mechanism 2. The area swept by this arc movement becomes a region, and the mining is carried out in this manner. The width direction of the range that the cutter suction head 53 can sweep exceeds the width of the mining, robot itself, as shown in FIG. 3, so its own walking will not affect the unmined mining area. The integrated pipe of umbilical cord cable and mineral hose 8 is responsible for information exchange and material transportation. The manganese nodules are screened out by the manganese nodule transition treatment cabin 57, and then the manganese nodules are put into the ore conveying hose of the integrated pipe of umbilical cord cable and mineral hose 8, so that the manganese nodules are pumped onto the working ship, and then delivered to the transport ship to the coast or other places. The useless substances screened in the manganese nodule transition treatment cabin 57 are discharged directly, which makes them return to the mining area directly and reduce the energy consumption of secondary regression. The setting of three lifting piles 22 can not only meet the operation stability of the mining robots, but also reduce the energy consumption of other auxiliary stabilizing devices.

[0073] During the operation of the mining robot, the pile walking mechanism 2 replaces the traditional track through lifting pile 22, and such point support excellently protects the deep-sea environment. The feeding hydraulic cylinder 212 can rotate vertically around the body 1 of the mining robots. When the feeding hydraulic cylinder 212 is in the horizontal direction, as shown in FIG. 2, the lifting pile 22 stands upright on the seabed, and the lifting part 213 can adjust the vertical movement of the lifting pile 22, so as to adjust the height of the mining robot, body. When the mining robot performs a feeding movement, the lifting part 213 makes the lifting pile 22 move up and down step by step to complete the movement.

[0074] Specifically: the robot has three piles, which is similar to three legs. The lifting component 213 controls the lifting and falling of the lifting pile 22, and the feeding hydraulic cylinder 212 controls the lifting pile 22 to move forward and backward of relative to the mining robot body 1. The lifting pile 22 is firstly raised and suspended under the control of lifting component 213, and then the hydraulic cylinder 213 is fed to retract the piston rod. The lifting pile 22 moves forward for a certain distance relative to the body 1 of the mining robot and stops. Then the lifting component 213 controls the descending of the lifting pile 22 and inserts it into the hard soil geological layer 94. This is one step ahead of the lifting pile 22 and corresponds to the mining robot. At this point, the lifting pile 22 has been advanced by one step relative to the mining robot, which is equivalent to a step forward. When all three lifting piles 22 take a step forward, the three feeding hydraulic cylinders 212 simultaneously extend the piston rods. The movement of the lifting pile 22 is restricted in the hard soil geological layer 94. Therefore, the robot body 1 moves forward with respect to the lifting pile 22, moving forward with respect to the ground, thus completing the walking process.

[0075] The system is equipped with three sets of pile walking mechanism 2, which can move horizontally under the control of feeding hydraulic cylinder 212 and coordinate with each other by alternating lifting and retracting to complete the feed movement of mining robot and make it move forward. The forward motion is supported by lifting pile 22, which has a very small rolling area. Three lifting piles 22 can make them stand firmly on the deposit and precisely mine the mine area.

[0076] The embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, each of which focuses on differences from other embodiments, with the same similar parts between the embodiments referring to each other only. For the apparatus disclosed in the embodiments, the description is simple as it corresponds to the method disclosed in the embodiments, and the correlation can be explained in the method section.

[0077] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to realize or use the present invention. Many modifications to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled, in the art. The general principle defined herein can be realized in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention will not be limited to these embodiments shown herein, but will conform to the widest scope consistent with the principle and novel features disclosed herein.