• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
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    • 专利摘要:
    "UNDERWATER COBRA ROBOT, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN UNDERWATER COBRA ROBOT, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT". The present invention relates to an underwater manipulator-arm robot comprising: a plurality of links which are connected to each other by joint modules 2 for generating a bending movement of the robot; multiple thrust devices 6, 8, 18 located at different points along the length of the robot for applying thrust to the robot for propulsion and/or guidance; and at least one tool 12, 14 or at least one connection point for a tool attached to the robot; wherein the bending motion and/or thrust devices 6, 8, 18 allow the robot to move and control the orientation and/or location of the tool 12, 14.
    公开号:BR112017016074B1
    申请号:R112017016074-9
    申请日:2016-01-13
    公开日:2021-05-25
    发明作者:Kristin Y. Pettersen；Pal Liljebãck；Asgeir J. Sorensen；Oyvind Stavdahl；Fredrik Lund；Aksel A. Transeth；Jan Tommy Gravdahl
    申请人:Eelume As；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    [0001] The present invention relates to a subsea manipulator arm robot with a tool, for example, a submersible robot capable of transit, maneuvering and dynamic positioning (station/float maintenance), also providing capabilities for inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR).
    [0002] Underwater robots are used for various purposes in the prior art. Autonomous and remotely controlled robots can take many shapes and sizes and have been adapted for numerous purposes. Some known designs are only used for surveillance and monitoring and are not able to directly interact with other objects on a physical level. These robots include so-called "snake robots", which move with a movement similar to an eel or a fish. Other known projects include gliders using buoyancy-driven propulsion for mapping and monitoring, ROVs (remotely operated vehicles) and AUVs (autonomous underwater vehicles) with manipulators for physical interaction with other objects, such as robotic arms holding pickup mechanisms and other tools. The ROV or AUV must provide a stable base to support the arm and therefore these vehicles are relatively large and heavy. Gliders are limited in accuracy when it comes to guidance, navigation and control and are only able to work effectively as they undulate downward or upward. This makes it difficult to use underwater manipulator robots when it is necessary to manipulate an object in a small space or when access to the work area is narrow.
    [0003] Viewed from a first aspect, the invention provides an underwater manipulator-arm robot comprising: a plurality of links that are connected to each other by junction modules for generating a bending movement of the robot; multiple impulse devices located at different points along the length of the robot for applying impulse to the robot for propulsion and/or guidance; and a tool or a connection point for a tool attached to the robot; wherein the bending motion and/or impulse devices allow the robot to move and control the orientation and/or location of the tool.
    [0004] A join module is any mechanism that allows a controlled relative rotation and/or a translation between two elements (referred to as links) around a single axis or multiple axes of rotation. Bonds are rigid or flexible elements and typically provide the physical connections between junction modules. Connections and joint modules can also contain other components or have other functions. For example, these could include one or more thrust devices or attachment points for tools. In some examples of modalities, some of the links include push modules as discussed further below and the common modules can be hinge mechanisms between links. Joint modules can include moving parts housed in a forging bellows, for example, an oil-filled forging bellows. Using an oil-filled forge bellows provides protection against water ingress, as well as reducing the risk of clogging mechanical parts during use.
    [0005] The use of thrust devices for propulsion and/or guidance encompasses all desirable uses of thrust forces in the robot. This can include: rotational and/or translational movement of the entire robot or parts of the robot; maintenance of stations (eg "hovering"), with thrusters acting against gravity, buoyancy and/or water currents; change of position during the ongoing movement; changes in robot configuration/shape; and/or propulsion forces used to assist or amplify the robot's bending movements; Among other things.
    [0006] The tool can be any type of tool needed for underwater operations, including all types of underwater tools, mapping, monitoring and IMR, for example inspection tools such as a camera or manipulative tools such as a gripping tool. The first aspect robot effectively provides a manipulator arm without the burden of an ROV or AUV holding the arm. The robot can maneuver itself to a destination, which can include moving through pipes, risers and through narrow spaces, performing station maintenance or hovering (also called dynamic positioning) and then using the tool to perform an operation required, with some or all robot links acting as manipulator arm links.
    [0007] The flexion movement can be an articulated movement with rigid connections rotating and/or translating in relation to each other. It can also use flexible structures that can be moved in curved shapes. Typically, a repeated bending motion can be used if it is necessary to propel the robot using joint motion. Joint modules act to generate bending motion. In this way, the joint modules can actively drive the movement of the links relative to one another and can be driven by one or more drives, as mentioned below. Triggers can be contained within links or maintained between links.
    [0008] In some preferred examples, the bending movement of the robot may be an undulating movement capable of propelling the robot. An example of a robot that can perform such a move is an underwater snake robot. For centuries, engineers and scientists have drawn inspiration from the natural world in their search for solutions to technical problems. This process is called biomimetics. Underwater snake robots are a form of robot that emerged from biomimicry. These types of robots have been proposed for use in underwater exploration, monitoring, surveillance and inspection. Also, for the ocean science community, including oceanography, biology and marine archeology, snake robots that are able to swim smoothly without much noise and that can navigate difficult environments such as shipwrecks and other confined environments are very interesting. However, snake robots and similar robots have not previously been proposed for use as a manipulator arm as described in this document.
    [0009] The manipulator arm robot may be a snake robot. In the current context a snake robot is any type of multi-link robot designed to perform bending at two or more joints, typically a large number of joints, to thereby generate an undulating movement similar to the movement of a snake or an eel. The entire robot can be flexible or the robot can have flexible sections and rigid/fixed sections. A combination of flexible and fixed sections can also be achieved by clamping/freezing the junction modules along part of the length of a fully flexible robot. Such multilink robots may alternatively be designated as eel robots or lamprey robots and the term "snake robot" is intended to encompass both.
    [0010] The robot may alternatively take the form of a fish robot. Fish robots typically have fewer links and do not have the elongated body structure that is characteristic of a snake robot. The snake robot can be distinguished from fish robots by reference to its elongated shape, for example, the snake robot can have a length that is at least five times its maximum or its average width, preferably a length that is at least ten times its maximum maximum or its average width. Currently, it is thought that a snake robot can provide additional advantages due to its greater length and range of motion, but a fish robot with the characteristics of the first aspect would also provide improvements compared to known underwater robots.
    [0011] The underwater robot is also to be distinguished from land-based snake robots. Land-based snake robots are considerably different as they rely on friction between the robot and the ground, often using free-rolling wheels to prevent side-slip and/or to reduce longitudinal friction, to move the robot in one motion. undulating. In contrast, underwater robots can move laterally and can push against the surrounding fluid with the movement of the structure and do not rely on interaction with a solid surface using friction.
    [0012] The robot comprises multiple impulse devices mounted at multiple different points along the length of the robot. Impulse devices may include a thrust device for applying lateral and/or vertical pressure, i.e. a thrust in a direction that extends along the length of the robot. The thrust devices may alternatively or additionally include a thrust device for applying longitudinal thrust, i.e. pushing in a direction that extends along the length of the robot. Impulse devices can be mounted in any required angular orientation. They can be mounted to provide thrust along a line that intersects a robot's longitudinal axis, or they can be mounted spaced apart from the robot's longitudinal axis with a direction of thrust that does not cross the robot's longitudinal axis (at least when the robot is in a straight configuration). Thrust devices located in this way can be used to apply torque to the robot, including torque on yaw, launch, or roll depending on the position and orientation of the propeller.
    [0013] Thrust devices may include propellers, rotors, tunnel thrusters, rotary thrusters (azimuth), retractable thrusters, screws (single, double, counter-rotating, controlled pitch, nozzle style etc.), vanes, vacuum pumps, or propellants and/or water jets. Impulse devices can provide impulse with a controllable direction and impulse magnitude. In some examples, one or more directionally controllable thrust devices may be capable of being oriented to provide longitudinal thrust or lateral thrust. In addition, control surfaces such as rudders and vanes, guide vanes and/or relative rotation between links can contribute to steering control. This can be while the robot is being propelled by an impulse device and/or in a situation where the robot is being towed.
    [0014] The robot may also be equipped with wings or fins to produce lift and/or may have a body shape that can produce lift. Thus, in some examples the robot includes one or more steerable fins. These fins or control surfaces can be used in order to prevent or suppress random disturbances from ocean currents, unpatterned cable buoyancy, and so on. Impulse devices can be used for the same purpose, instead of or in conjunction with the steerable fins.
    [0015] The impulse devices can advantageously allow the robot to maintain a constant position and/or orientation in the water, even during the movement of the articulated connections (which can be an undulating movement). Thus, thrust devices can be arranged to provide thrust to provide the robot with the ability to hover.
    [0016] An example of a thrust device for lateral thrust application is a thrust module with one or more thrusters, the thrust module being integrated with a joint module and/or a link or being mounted in front of or behind a a junction module and/or a link. Such thrust module may, for example, include tunnel thrusters using propellers or water jet thrusters. One example uses an impulse module with thrusters oriented in two perpendicular directions, which can be two directions that are generally orthogonal to the robot's longitudinal extent (or a tangent to the robot's extent when in a curved shape). This allows the impulse to be applied in any lateral direction, such as an up and down direction or a lateral direction. Alternatively or additionally, there may be one or more impulse modules with a thruster which can be rotated around the axis of the robot to thereby apply a thrust in all lateral directions. Rotation of such an impeller can be achieved by moving the impeller relative to the thrust module or by rotating the thrust module relative to adjacent junction modules. There can be multiple impulse modules along the length of the robot. This allows the impulse to be applied to different parts of the robot in different directions, which means that all types of movement can be achieved, such as a translational movement of the robot or a rotation in a roll, pitch or yaw without translation or combinations of these movements. Lateral thrust forces can also be used to push joint modules to new angles and positions, for example, in order to aid a change to a new robot shape/configuration. This can be done to increase the transition speed or to provide movement between links in the event that a common module has a fault.
    [0017] An example of a thrust device for applying a longitudinal thrust is an aft thrust device mounted on the stern of the robot for applying a thrust at the end of the robot. Longitudinal thrust devices can alternatively or additionally be mounted at any point along the robot or in front of the robot and this has the advantage of leaving the stern of the robot free for tool mounting. This impulse device could be protruding at a constant angle to the snake structure or its direction could be changed and it could also be retractable. An aft-mounted device allows the propeller to be in-line with the robot's length, rather than resulting in a protrusion of the robot on one side, which might be necessary to allow thrust in a longitudinal direction. The propeller for longitudinal thrust application can be any suitable propeller, such as a propeller or a water jet propeller. A thrust device capable of providing lateral thrust can be used to adjust the robot's vertical position and/or to adjust its orientation in a vertical plane by applying thrust away from the robot's center of mass. However, in the likely event that the robot is not perfectly floating neutral, a continuous thrust will be required to maintain a constant vertical position and/or orientation. This can be a disadvantage with regard to energy usage and therefore it is desirable to avoid this, especially when the robot is battery powered.
    [0018] To solve this issue, the robot can be optionally equipped with elements with controllable buoyancy. For example, the robot can include ballast tanks that can be filled with pressurized air or alternatively any "bladder" or fluid that can be compressed or expanded to change its buoyancy or weight. An element with controllable buoyancy can provide the forces necessary to maintain a constant vertical position without requiring energy consumption, except during inflation or deflation. Furthermore, as the robot has linkages and junction modules that allow bending and shape/configuration changes, then it is possible to use the junctions to change the relative position between the buoyancy elements and thus manipulate the robot's buoyancy center. Motion through the junction modules can therefore be used to manipulate how buoyancy elements affect robot motion.
    [0019] A preferred implementation may include both thrust devices for vertical thrust as well as one or more elements with controllable buoyancy. The impulse devices and the controlled buoyancy elements can be incorporated in a single module, so that an impulse module as described above can also have a controlled buoyancy capability. Advantageously, buoyancy or weight can be used to provide a slowly varying vertical force to compensate for the robot's weight and/or for constant vertical currents, while impulse devices can provide a fast corrective force to compensate for rapid changes in forces that affect the robot, for example, sudden changes in currents or changes resulting from changes in the shape of the robot. This arrangement can make effective use of the most energy-efficient buoyancy elements while allowing precise and fast control of the robot's position and orientation. In a preferred example, the buoyancy of the controllable buoyancy elements can be locally controlled as the time integral (i.e., an integral controller) of the vertical component of the local thruster control inputs, so that the average vertical thrust converges to zero under stationary conditions. Thus, the high frequency vertical forces are provided by thrusters, while the low frequency component is provided by the buoyancy elements.
    [0020] In preferred examples, the robot comprises at least three links joined by joint modules allowing articulated movement. The connections can take any suitable form and, in particular, can be impulse modules, rigid connections with guide fins or rigid coupling connections without impulse or guidance function. There can be at least ten links, for example, for the robot to take the form of a snake robot. A typical snake-type robot can have between three and twenty junction modules joined end-to-end, each junction providing one or more degrees of freedom.
    [0021] The joint modules can allow relative rotation in a single plane to provide a two-dimensional movement. Alternatively, joints can allow for higher dimensional movement, for example, allowing both horizontal and vertical undulations. The junction modules each allow relative rotation in one or more of the robot's yaw, pitch and roll directions, optionally rotation in all three: yaw, pitch and roll. Relative rotation allows control of tool orientation and/or position. Joining modules may include one or more actuators to drive the articulated movement, for example electric, pneumatic and/or hydraulic actuators. Joining modules can also allow translation movements of the links on each side of the join.
    [0022] The tool or connection point can be attached at any convenient point on the robot and, as mentioned above, can be any type of tool, including inspection tools, manipulative tools and other types of IMR tools. Thus, the tool or connection point can be at the front end of the robot, in a front module; it can be at a midpoint, integrated with one of the rigid links at an average length of the robot, for example; or it could be at the aft end of the robot. There may be multiple tools or connection points, for example there may be a tool or connection point at the front end of the robot as well as a tool or connection point at the aft end of the robot. An example includes a tool or attachment point at the front end and aft end, as well as another tool or attachment point at a midpoint of the robot's length. Multiple tool arrangements like this can be used to allow a manipulation tool at one end of the robot and an inspection tool at the other end of the robot, thus allowing the robot to monitor the operation of the manipulation tool using the inspection tool, which could be a camera, for example. There can be tools at both ends of the robot with an inspection tool mounted at a midpoint. Tools at both ends can be manipulation tools. This can allow for complicated "two-handed" operations using the tools at both ends while monitoring operations using the inspection tool at the midpoint. Another option is to include inspection tools with the manipulation tools, such as a camera mounted on the same module as a tweezer. When there is a connection point, there may be a tool mounted to it in a releasable way, preferably using a standardized type of coupling. Advantageously, the connection point can be arranged for connecting alternative types of tools, which can therefore allow a single robot to be equipped with different tools for different subsea operations.
    [0023] In some preferred examples, the robot has a tool or a connection point for a tool in a front module, so that the tool is located at the front end of the robot. A front end mounted tool can have a wide range of motion, especially when combined with a longitudinal thrust device such as a stern thrust device and one or more thrust modules for lateral thrust.
    [0024] With this in mind, it will be appreciated that an example robot modality may comprise a robot snake with a front module with a tool or a connection point for a tool, a thrust device for producing a longitudinal thrust, which can be a stern thrust device at the opposite end of the robot to the front module, multiple connections between the front end and the stern end, the connections coupled by junction modules and one or more thrust modules along the length of the robot to produce lateral thrust. Such a snake robot is capable of a wide range of motion and can perform a wide range of different types of underwater operations.
    [0025] Another example omits the stern thrust device and may also omit longitudinal thrust capabilities to focus on increasing maneuverability and performing more complex operations. Such an example may comprise a snake robot having a front module with a tool or a connection point for a tool, a stern module with an additional tool or connection point for a tool, multiple connections between the forward end and the stern end , links coupled by joint modules for generating bending motion, multiple thrust modules along the length of the robot for producing lateral thrust; and an inspection tool mounted at a midpoint of the robot's length.
    [0026] The undulating movement of the snake robot can be characterized as a sinusoidal-type movement. This can, for example, be a lateral undulation or an eel-like movement. This type of movement is different to the multi-linked fish robot movement. In modality examples, snake robot motion is generated by making each snake robot i joint underwater with N junction modules follow a sinusoidal reference signal:
    where α and w are the maximum amplitude and frequency, respectively, δ determines the phase shift between the junctions, while the function g(i,n) is a scaling function for the amplitude of junction i that allows us to describe a very general class. of sinusoidal functions, including several different snake movement patterns. The Y parameter is a joint displacement coordinate that can be used to control the snake robot's locomotion direction. Preferably, parameters α and α are fixed and parameters w and Y are varied in order to control the speed and direction, respectively, of the snake robot. The above equation can be used separately for each set of joints that have, for a straight robot, parallel axes of rotation. Thus, a separate set of parameters in the above equation can be used for the joints that control, for example, yaw motion and pitch motion, respectively.
    [0027] The robot may include a gait pattern controller to generate the undulating motion of the robot. The preferred robot may include an orientation control device to adjust the orientation to the desired orientation. This, for example, could be a position control device to adjust the position to follow the desired orientation. This device would thus provide adjustments in the yaw direction. The robot may alternatively or additionally include a step control device to allow ascending and descending during forward movement. Pitch and/or position control devices can act during undulating motion, during impulse-driven motion, or with ripples and thrusters that excite the robot's motion. Steering and/or pitch control devices may be capable of controlling thrusters, in particular thrust modules, thereby controlling direction and/or pitch during forward motion. Alternatively or additionally, the joining modules can be used to change the robot's shape and thus provide guidance for the direction of thrust forces, as well as guiding movement of the robot through its shape when it is already moving.
    [0028] The robot may have a tool controller to control the movement of the tool, which may therefore be a controller for controlling the orientation and location of the part of the robot where the tool is mounted, for example, the front module.
    [0029] The various controllers can be separate control modules formed as separate hardware or separate software in common hardware or there can be an integrated system that handles all aspects of the robot's control.
    [0030] The robot can be provided with a fixing device to attach the robot to another structure, for example to fix the robot to the other structure. This can be done by any suitable device, such as a mechanical clamp, a magnetic device or a suction device. One example uses a suction device that also provides an impulse device function. Such a device may, in one mode of use, generate a reduced water pressure between itself and a fixed structure to thereby provide suction to secure the robot to the structure and, in another mode of use, may provide thrust by pushing water out of one side and sucking water into the other side, as would be done by the side thrust devices in the examples. A combined suction and impulse device can be provided by adding a suitable hood or fan structure to an impulse module.
    [0031] The use of a combined suction and thrust device for an underwater vehicle is considered new and inventive in its own right and therefore, in another aspect, the invention provides an underwater vehicle comprising a combined suction and thrust device, in that the combined suction and thrust device uses the same steering mechanism to provide a first mode of operation where thrust is provided to propel and/or guide the vehicle and a second mode of operation where suction is provided to hold the vehicle against another structure.
    [0032] This underwater vehicle can be a robot such as a snake robot and/or a manipulator-arm robot. The robot can have any or all of the features as discussed above. The combined suction and impulse device may be a part of an impulse module as discussed above and may include any or all of the features of the impulse device/pulse module as discussed above.
    [0033] The invention further provides a method for controlling an underwater manipulator arm robot as described above, the method comprising: controlling the junction modules and thrust devices in order to move the robot tools to an orientation and/or location required; where the joint modules are used to generate a bending motion that can propel the robot and/or be used to adjust the shape and configuration of the robot; and wherein impulse devices are used to move the robot in translation and/or rotation.
    [0034] Optionally, the joint modules can be used to adjust the shape and configuration of the robot to control the direction of the thrust device forces and/or to generate a bending motion that can propel the robot and/or to move the robot tools to the desired location and/or orientation.
    [0035] The robot of this method can have any of the features discussed above. The control step can advantageously combine bending motion (which may be an undulating motion as discussed above) with thrust from the thrust devices so as to provide a motion that is not possible with a conventional snake robot or a conventional ROV/AUV.
    [0036] The method may include using the join modules to move the robot to a required configuration and then using the thrust devices to perform translation and/or rotate the robot in the required configuration to move it to a required location. For example, the robot can be placed by the junction modules in a certain shape, such as a U-shape, for a given task, and then moved by the impulse devices to a location related to the task.
    [0037] The underwater manipulator arm robot may include a thrust device to provide longitudinal thrust. In this case, the method may include using the longitudinal thrust to propel the robot and using the joining modules to adjust the robot's shape and thus control the robot's positioning.
    [0038] The relative location of the joint modules and thrust devices is known and/or can be calculated and, furthermore, the joint angles are known and/or can be calculated. The robot control method may include determining the orientation of all junction modules and junction devices, determining a vector for impulse from each impulse device with respect to the robot's center of mass, thereby determining impulse forces and/or junction module adjustments to achieve a required change in robot orientation and/or location. For example, if a rotation of the robot with or without translation is required, the method can determine if there is a combination of thrust forces from the thrust devices that will provide a rotation force that acts around the center of mass along with an adequate force. about the center of mass. The force on the center of mass can be zero in case translation is not required, that is, so that the sum of the forces of all impulse devices on the center of mass results in a moment with no translation force. If such a combination of forces exists, the method may include controlling the impulse devices accordingly. If no combination of forces is found, the method may include determining a movement of a controllable steering drive device (if present) and/or a movement of one or more junction modules to provide a new temporary configuration. for the robot, which allows thrust devices to provide forces in a way that can achieve the required rotation and translation.
    [0039] The method may include the use of computer software to determine the required motion of the junction modules and the required impulse from the impulse devices. Viewed from another aspect, the invention provides a computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed in a data processing device, will configure the data processing device to control an underwater manipulator arm robot as described above by means of of a method as described above. Thus, the computer program product can configure the data processing device to control the junction modules and the impulse devices so as to move the robot to a required orientation and/or location; with the joint modules being used to generate a bending motion that can propel the robot and/or be used to adjust the robot's shape and configuration; and the thrust devices being used to move the robot in translation and/or rotation. The computer program product can optionally configure the data processing apparatus to perform the other method steps discussed above in relation to the method of the invention.
    [0040] Certain preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying figures in which:
    [0041] Figure 1 shows several views of a snake robot with junction modules, fins and thruster modules;
    [0042] Figure 2 illustrates a group of snake robots that go towards an underwater installation through the use of stern propeller modules;
    [0043] Figure 3 shows a snake robot wrapped around a structure in a subsea installation to perform an inspection task;
    [0044] Figure 4 illustrates a snake swimming robot with a gripping tool performing a manipulation task in an underwater installation;
    [0045] Figure 5 shows a snake robot with tools at the front end and at the rear end, the snake robot being in a manipulation configuration;
    [0046] Figure 6 shows the snake robot of Figure 5 in a transport configuration;
    [0047] Figures 7 and 8 show two configurations of another snake robot with tools at the front and rear end; and
    [0048] Figures 9 and 10 show another example where the snake robot has longitudinal thrusters at a midpoint of the robot and tools at both ends.
    [0049] As illustrated in the Figures, a proposed swimming snake robot that incorporates one or more impulse devices may have increased functionality. A snake-swimming robot, whose articulated structure is made up of junction modules connected in series, can be combined with impulse modules to improve the robot's movement capabilities. Known snake robots that consist only of junction modules can swim like an eel. When the robot is coiled in tubes and other structures or is within narrow locations of subsea installations, however, the robot's movement capabilities will generally be reduced as the ripple movement required to propel the robot in a desired direction will be restricted by the surrounding subsea installation structure. By combining the robot's articulated structure with thrusters that can induce linear robot forces along its body, the robot's motion capabilities in narrow locations are significantly improved. Furthermore, the use of an aft propeller module as one of the thrust devices allows for faster linear movement of the snake robot.
    [0050] An articulated robot with thrusters will essentially be an articulated ROV (remotely operated vehicle) when the robot is tethered or an articulated AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle) when there is no external tethering. ROVs and AUVs are tools commonly used for undersea operations today. However, known ROVs and AUVs are rigid structures consisting of a large main structure equipped with one or several smaller manipulator arms. The concept described in this document eliminates the large main structure of the ROV/AUV and allows the manipulator arm itself to carry out the propulsion and manipulation, as the robot body effectively becomes the manipulator arm.
    [0051] The main features can be easily seen in Figure 1, which shows three different views of a snake robot with junction modules 2, fins 4 and impulse modules 6. The exemplified impulse modules 6, which are located at various points along the length of the snake robot, they are based on propellers and take the form of tunnel thrusters 6. Other types of thrusters could also be used, such as water jets. Furthermore, an additional thrust device is present in the form of an aft thrust device 8, which in this example is an aft propeller module 8. Again, this could be replaced by other types of thrusters. The stern thrust device 8 allows for linear robot movement when the snake robot joints are aligned, as well as providing additional capabilities to maneuver and apply force with the snake robot joints in a curved configuration.
    [0052] The robot front module 10 may have a tool attached. The front module 10 is therefore arranged for the attachment of one or more tools, and different types of tools in different snake robot designs can be provided. Alternatively, there may be an attachment point on the front module 10 arranged for attachment to a corresponding attachment point on several different types of tools, thus allowing a single snake robot to be used for multiple purposes by selecting and attaching the required tool. For example, there may be an inspection tool 12 such as a camera or other sensor as in Figure 1 and Figure 3. Alternatively, there may be a manipulation tool 14, as shown in Figure 4.
    [0053] Figure 2 shows the use of the stern thrust device 8 to propel snake robots linearly towards a subsea installation. Robots can use their articulated structure (ie the junction modules 2) to swim like an underwater eel and/or the directional control, acting as a rudder or guide fins in conjunction with the thrust applied by the impulse device. stern 8 and/or propeller modules 6. Fins 4 help guide the robot's movement. For movement over long distances, it is considered to be more energy efficient to make the robot's body straight like a torpedo and moving through water, running drive unit 8 at the rear of the robot. Drive modules 6 and/or the articulated frame can be used for directional control. The snake robot with thrusters therefore has the same abilities as a traditional snake robot with regard to movement, as well as having additional abilities for efficient long-distance travel, a greater range of travel speeds, as well as more control over form. and purpose of the robot.
    [0054] An additional capability of the proposed snake robot is illustrated in Figure 3. The snake robot has one end wrapped around a structure in a subsea installation in order to perform an inspection task using an inspection tool 12 on the front module 10 of the robot. Tunnel thrusters 6 along the body increase the robot's mobility and allow it to perform linear displacements in all directions, even if one end of the body is wrapped around a structure. This is not possible with a traditional snake robot. The stern thrust device 8 also provides additional movement capabilities.
    [0055] Figures 5 to 8 show other examples where the stern thrust device 8 is omitted and instead the snake robot has several tools at both ends, which in these examples are a tool for manipulation 14 and cameras/sensors 16. In this way, the snake robot can be "double-ended" with a tool 14 in the front module 10 and aft of the robot and a sequence of connections with junction modules 2 and propulsion modules 6 that extend between the two ends of the snake robot. In addition to the pair of manipulation tools 14, there is also an inspection tool 12 in the form of a camera 12 at the midpoint of the robot's length. This allows the operation of the two manipulation tools 14 to be monitored when the robot takes a proper configuration, as in Figure 5 and Figure 7, for example. In this configuration the junction modules 2 in the central parts of the robot can be rigidly held, preventing movement, with the impulse modules 6 being used to counteract the drift movement of ocean currents. The junction modules 2 at the ends of the robot can be used to direct the movement of the manipulation tools 14.
    [0056] The snake robots in Figures 5 to 8 do not have any longitudinal thrusters. If it is necessary for these snake robots to move over great distances, then they can be towed. To allow for easy towing transport, the snake robot can assume a transport configuration similar to the snake robots with the stern thrusters discussed above, ie a straight torpedo shape as in Figure 6. The snake robot could alternatively or additionally be supplied with longitudinal thrusters mounted at any point along the length of the robot. These could protrude out of the impulse modules 6 or the impulse modules 6 could be provided with impulse directors such as fins or nozzles redirecting the impulse along the longitudinal direction of the robot. The example of Figures 9 and 10, described below, includes thrusters longitudinal to a midpoint of the robot and it will be appreciated that similar thrusters could be used in any of the other examples.
    [0057] In the robot of Figures 5 and 6, the robot is equipped with sensors 16 in the front and rear modules. Sensors 16 can be cameras, for example. These can provide information during transport and also provide additional information relating to the operation of the manipulation tools 14, such as a close-up view.
    [0058] As an example, Figure 8 shows an additional configuration for snake robots. With this configuration, one of the impulse modules is oriented to provide impulse along the longitudinal direction of the main part of the robot. This can provide more flexibility when the robot is required to maintain a position relative to a fixed structure, for example, so that one of the manipulation tools 14 can work on a part of the fixed structure. It will be understood that the robot has a very high degree of freedom and therefore can assume any position that is achievable by rotating the joint modules 6, taking into account that they can potentially rotate in all pitch, yaw and bearing.
    [0059] In another example, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the robot has a manipulator tool 14 in the front module, together with sensors/chambers 16, with an inspection tool 12 in the stern. Push modules 6 and join modules 2 are used to allow the robot to generate undulating motion and take on various configurations, as with the other examples. To allow longitudinal thrust translation propulsion this example has laterally mounted longitudinal thrusters 18 at a midpoint of the robot. These outboard thrusters 18 can provide longitudinal thrust in the same way as the stern thruster discussed above 8.
    [0060] It will be appreciated that the snake robot itself is a manipulator arm and therefore can perform tasks similar to those performed by a manipulator arm, mounted in a prior ROV or AUV technique, but without most of the ROV or AUV. The robot can be used to perform manipulation tasks by mounting a manipulation tool 14 somewhere on the robot, for example a collet tool 14 on the front module 10 and/or aft as in Figures 4 to 10. It will be noted that the combination of features in the proposed snake robot allows it to maintain a fixed position (hover in water) using the thrusters 6 or mechanically fix itself in a fixed position. This can be done by wrapping part of the robot's length around a fixed structure as in Figure 4, by means of a second tool or by means of specialized clamping links or attachment devices. The use of an attachment mechanism is not shown in the Figures, but it will be appreciated that this could be added to the examples shown in the Figures. It can, for example, take the form of a mechanical clamp, a magnetic device or a suction device, whereby the robot can attach itself to parts of a subsea structure without the need to wrap a length of the robot around the structure. Any suitable connection method can be used. One example uses a suction device that also provides an impulse device function. Such a device may, in one mode of use, generate a reduced water pressure between itself and a fixed structure to thereby provide suction to secure the robot to the structure and, in another mode of use, may provide thrust by pushing water out of one side and sucking water into the other side, as would be done by the side thrust devices in the examples. A combined suction and impulse device can be provided by adding a suitable hood or fan structure to an impulse module 6.
    [0061] The robot can also be fixed to a subsea structure by means of special devices pre-connected to the structure. Such devices in the frame can form all or a part of the attachment means. For example, a hook device on the frame could cooperate with a clamp on the robot. Another possibility is that the device on the subsea structure takes an active part in fixing the robot, such as a clamp device on the subsea structure and arranged to engage with or clamp part of the robot.
    [0062] This can leave more robot links free to use as the manipulator arm for the tool. The robot can act as a manipulator arm with a high degree of freedom of movement and the ability to apply force using the manipulator tool 14, since the joining modules 4 and impulse modules 6 can be used to move and hold still. the manipulator tool 14.
    [0063] It will of course be understood that an inspection tool 12 or a manipulator tool 14 or any other type of tool can be mounted at any point along the robot and not just on the front module 10 or aft, although it is envisaged that the assembly a tool in the front module 10 or the stern will be more useful as it allows the greatest range of motion and reduces the risk of obstruction of tool operation by the snake robot body.
    [0064] Environments where the tasks of handling such articulated structures are relevant include narrow locations within subsea oil and gas installations. Examples of manipulation tasks include: • Opening and closing valves using tweezers in front of the snake robot to grip and rotate the valve handle. • Using a gripper tool mounted on the front of the robot to, for example: -Guide a cable winch around/through a subsea module that must be lifted to the surface (eg to replace the module). • Insertion and removal of hot piercings. • Connecting/disconnecting connectors (eg electrical/optical). • Search for, grab and retrieve objects lost in the subsea model during ROV operations. • Connection and disconnection of the shackle. • Using a robot head mounted hydraulic cutting tool to cut a piece of process pipe in conjunction with replacing a subsea process section. • Surface cleaning of a subsea installation (ie removing biological material) using a brush tool or a high pressure water jet nozzle mounted on the front of the robot. • Measuring the vibration of an underwater structure by pushing a vibration sensor tool against the structure. • Measuring the integrity of an underwater structure by pushing a measurement sensor against the structure. This includes measuring corrosion integrity by pushing a corrosion detection sensor such as a CP probe against the structure. • Using a cutting tool mounted on the front of the robot to guide the cable cut. • Use of welding tools to repair the underwater structure. • Use of tools for mechanical connection tasks, eg switching on and off. • Using tweezers or similar tool to grip an ROV panel handle or guideline for snapping. • Valve operation with a hydraulic torque tool or hydraulic override. • Squeeze a sensor onto a process tube to measure wall thickness and other conditional parameters. • Riser inspection: the snake robot can be wrapped around the riser and then wound along the riser or propel itself along the riser, with sensors mounted along the robot frame in contact with the riser and allowing for sensor data around and along the entire column in one operation.
    [0065] Examples of non-contact inspection tasks (ie tasks that do not require physical intervention with subsea equipment) include using a camera mounted, for example, on the robot head to: • Support ROV operations with visual feedback to assist ROV operators in controlling ROV operations. A snake robot would potentially be able to provide video updates from camera angles not accessible to conventional ROVs. • Check indicators during ROV operations, for example, confirming that an ROV has sufficiently safe equipment during installation. • Check for leaks using an examination tool • Check for leaks/bubbles using a sound sensor • Conduct general inspection: Inspect Christmas trees, collectors and protective structures, and other subsea model structures. The proposed snake robot will provide access to narrow locations within the subsea model and possibly within Christmas trees and collectors.
    [0066] Since the snake robot is a highly articulated structure with many degrees of freedom, different functions can be distributed along the snake structure. This is relevant during inspection or manipulation tasks when a sensor or tool in front of the robot must maintain a fixed orientation during movement or follow some specified trajectory. In this case, the robot's most remote modules can take care of the robot's propulsion (by undulating swimming movement and/or use of thrusters); while joints at the front can ensure that the sensor or tool has the desired orientation or moves along a desired trajectory.
    [0067] For the snake swimming movement without the use of thrusters, the control algorithms for the snake robot joints can, to a large extent, be based on existing control strategies published within the snake robot literature, although naturally refined and specialized algorithms will be developed. When thrust devices are added then there are two main sources of thrust forces. In particular, the propulsion forces are induced in the robot when it performs a wave motion with its body, that is, when it performs the wave movement of the body to swim like an underwater snake. In addition, propulsion forces are induced by thrusters mounted along the structure. For propeller-based thrusters, linear forces will be created in the direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the propeller. For example, the stern propeller unit shown in Figure 1 will induce forces parallel to the snake's cause section, while tunnel thrusters will create forces normal to the structure. The stern thruster unit can typically be used to propel the robot over greater distances, while the tunnel thrusters can be used to make small lateral or vertical displacements of the robot.
    [0068] Strategies for thruster devices, used alone or in conjunction with the undulating movement of the snake robot, can be derived based on known characteristics of existing thrust units and underwater robots with thrust devices and based on known characteristics of existing undulating snake robots. For conventional ROVs and surface ships also with multiple thrusters, the allocation strategy for each thruster in relation to the vehicle's desired motion represents a fundamental control issue. There is extensive literature on thruster allocation strategies for ROVs, AUVs and surface vessels (ie rigid structures with thrusters). For the manipulator-arm robot, where the thrusters are mounted along a highly articulated structure, the thruster allocation problem takes on a new dimension, as the relative position between the thrusters can be changed by the joint angles along the robot structure. The optimal use of each thruster for a given snake robot body structure will therefore generally change when the robot reaches a new structure shape. The robot has a control system that controls the junction modules and impulse devices in order to move the robot to a required orientation and/or location. Joining modules are used to generate a bending motion that can propel the robot and/or used to adjust the shape and configuration of the robot. Impulse devices are used to move the robot in translation and/or rotation.
    [0069] The control system is arranged to combine the bending ripple movement of the snake robot with the impulse of the impulse devices so as to provide a movement that is not possible with a conventional snake robot or a conventional ROV/AUV. The control system can make the junction modules move the robot to a required configuration and then use the thrust devices to translate and/or rotate the robot in the required configuration to move it to a required location.
    [0070] The relative location of the junction modules and thrust devices is known and/or can be calculated and, furthermore, the junction angles are known and/or can be calculated. The control system can then easily determine the orientation of all junction modules and impulse devices and determine a vector for the impulse of each impulse device relative to the robot's center of mass. This then allows the control system to calculate the thrust forces and/or modulus adjustments needed to achieve a necessary change in robot orientation and/or location.
    [0071] When the underwater manipulator arm robot includes a thrust device to provide longitudinal thrust, as in Figures 1 to 4, for example, then the control system can use the longitudinal thrust to propel the robot and use the adjustment of the modules to adjust the robot's shape and thus control the robot's orientation.
    [0072] The robot can be powered by an integrated power source such as a battery. This is considered sufficient for short duration operations and for inspection operations or light interventions. For longer duration operations or heavier operations, an external power source may be required. There are several options for this. The robot can dock at an underwater power station to recharge batteries or recharge another built-in power source. The robot and/or tool can be tethered. A cable could be attached permanently or temporarily, such as during periods of high drain power in a subsea operation. A cable can be supplied in a subsea model, a nearby ROV/AUV or a cable management system, which can be attached to a surface support vessel. Power supplied in the cord can also be used to operate heavier tools. A cable can supply power in a number of ways, for example electrical/hydraulic/pneumatic and so on.
    [0073] The robot can bring the tool to the site for subsea operation and then connect it to a cable after reaching the subsea model. Alternatively, the tool can be brought in by an ROV or as part of a tether management system (TMS) or the tool can be part of a toolbox permanently located in a subsea model and possibly permanently connected to it. .
    [0074] The robot can be arranged for connection with another similar robot, and this can use the same coupling device that is used to connect a tool. Multiple robots together could provide energy savings, for example, using a common thruster, under transport, and then that larger snake could be split into a set of smaller snakes for the actual intervention task. A longer snake robot may be preferred for some operations and a shorter snake robot may be preferred for other operations.
    [0075] The robot connection to the tool can be any suitable mounting device, such as a mechanical device or an electromechanical device. In addition to supporting the tool on the robot, the connection can also provide a coupling for power, for example electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic power, to allow the robot or a cable attached to the robot to supply power to the tool.
    [0076] The robot can be equipped with elements with controllable buoyancy. For example, the robot can include ballast tanks that can be filled with pressurized air or alternatively any "bladder" that can be compressed or expanded to change its buoyancy. An element with controllable buoyancy can provide the forces necessary to maintain a constant vertical position without requiring energy consumption, except during inflation or deflation. Controlled buoyancy elements can be incorporated into the side push modules 6. Advantageously, buoyancy can be used to provide a slowly varying vertical force to compensate for robot weight and/or for constant vertical currents, whereas push devices they can provide a fast corrective force to compensate for rapid changes in forces affecting the robot, for example sudden changes in currents or changes resulting from changes in the robot's shape. To accomplish this, the buoyancy of the controllable buoyancy elements can be locally controlled as the time integral (i.e., an integral controller) of the vertical component of the local thruster control inputs, so that the average vertical thrust converges to zero at stationary conditions. Controllable buoyancy elements can be employed to provide positive or negative buoyancy which, when combined with any of the aforementioned methods of steering control, allows the robot to propel itself up and down. This allows for very energy-efficient propulsion over significant distances.
    [0077] In addition to the advantages mentioned above, there are additional advantages arising from the shape and size of the robot snake compared to traditional ROVs and AUVs. The snake robot can approach a target location via a restricted route, for example along a pipe or through a complex installation, in a way that is not possible with existing ROVs and AUVs due to their size. Furthermore, when the target location is itself within a confined or difficult to access space, then again, the proposed snake robot provides advantages. This means that operations can be carried out in spaces that are not accessible by traditional manipulator arms attached to ROVs and AUVs and also that operations can be carried out with a reduced degree of dismantling of the surrounding structures.
    权利要求:
    Claims (14)
    [0001]
    1. Underwater snake robot, characterized in that it comprises: a plurality of links that are connected to each other by joint modules (2) to generate a bending movement of the robot, where the joint modules actively drive the movement of the links one in relative to each other and are activated by one or more actuators and the robot flexes in two or more joints to thus generate an undulating movement; multiple impulse devices (6, 8, 18) located at different points along the length of the robot for applying impulse to the robot for underwater propulsion and optionally for guidance; and at least one tool (12, 14, 16) or at least one connection point for a tool, attached to the robot; wherein the bending and/or thrust motion devices allow the robot to move and control the orientation and/or location of the tool, with some or all of the robot links acting as links of a manipulator arm.
    [0002]
    2. Underwater snake robot, according to claim 1, characterized in that the impulse devices (6, 8, 18) comprise a impulse device for applying a lateral impulse and/or a impulse device for applying impulse longitudinal, optionally a thrust device with a controllable thrust direction.
    [0003]
    3. Underwater snake robot, according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a thrust device (6, 8, 18) for lateral thrust application, this thrust device being a thrust module with one or more thrusters .
    [0004]
    4. Underwater snake robot, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the bending movement generated by the joint modules (2) is an undulating movement able to propel the robot.
    [0005]
    5. Underwater snake robot, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the robot comprises at least three links joined by joint modules (2) allowing articulated movement.
    [0006]
    6. Underwater snake robot according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the junction modules (2) each allow relative rotation in one or more planes, such as in the yaw, tilt and rotation directions of the robot...
    [0007]
    7. Underwater snake robot, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises one or more buoyancy elements to increase and/or decrease the robot's buoyancy.
    [0008]
    8. Underwater snake robot, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the robot includes a tool (12, 14, 16) or connection point for a tool at the front end of the robot, in a front module ( 10), so that the tool is, in use, located on the front of the robot.
    [0009]
    9. Underwater snake robot, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises multiple tools (12, 14, 16) and/or connection points.
    [0010]
    10. Underwater snake robot, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an inspection tool, for example a camera (16) and/or a manipulation tool (14).
    [0011]
    11. Underwater snake robot, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a combined suction and impulse device (6, 8, 18), in which the combined suction and impulse device uses the same mechanism of driving to provide both a first mode of operation where thrust is provided to propel and/or guide the robot and a second mode of operation where suction is provided to hold the robot against another structure.
    [0012]
    12. Underwater snake robot, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the robot comprises a front module (10) with the tool (12, 14, 16) or the connection point for a tool, a device of stern thrust at the opposite end of the robot to the front module, several connections between the front end and the stern end, the connections coupled by joining modules (2) and one or more impulse modules along the length of the robot to produce lateral thrust.
    [0013]
    13. Method for controlling an underwater snake robot as defined in any one of claims 1 to 12, the method characterized in that it comprises: control of the junction modules (2) and impulse devices (6, 8, 18) of in order to move the robot to a required orientation and/or location; where joint modules are used to generate a bending motion that can propel the robot and/or are used to adjust the shape and configuration of the robot, and where impulse devices are used to move all or parts of the robot in translation and/or in rotation.
    [0014]
    14. Computer program product, characterized in that it comprises instructions that, when executed on a data processing device, will configure the data processing device to control an underwater snake robot as defined in any one of claims 1 to 12 by a method as defined in claim 13.
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    US10751872B2|2020-08-25|
    EP3250345B1|2020-06-24|
    ES2811977T3|2021-03-15|
    WO2016120071A1|2016-08-04|
    PT3250345T|2020-08-26|
    JP2018505784A|2018-03-01|
    BR112017016074A2|2018-04-03|
    KR102193354B1|2020-12-22|
    EP3250345A1|2017-12-06|
    SG11201705624XA|2017-08-30|
    CA2973295A1|2016-08-04|
    DK3250345T3|2020-08-17|
    GB201501479D0|2015-03-18|
    JP6751399B2|2020-09-02|
    KR20170129707A|2017-11-27|
    AU2016212374A1|2017-08-03|
    US20180021945A1|2018-01-25|
    AU2016212374B2|2020-06-18|
    PL3250345T3|2021-01-25|
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    法律状态:
    2020-03-31| B06U| Preliminary requirement: requests with searches performed by other patent offices: procedure suspended [chapter 6.21 patent gazette]|
    2021-04-06| B09A| Decision: intention to grant [chapter 9.1 patent gazette]|
    2021-05-18| B09W| Decision of grant: rectification|Free format text: RETIFICACAO DO DEFERIMENTO NOTIFICADO NA RPI 2622 DE 06/04/2021. |
    2021-05-25| B16A| Patent or certificate of addition of invention granted|Free format text: PRAZO DE VALIDADE: 20 (VINTE) ANOS CONTADOS A PARTIR DE 13/01/2016, OBSERVADAS AS CONDICOES LEGAIS. |
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    GB1501479.8|2015-01-29|
    GBGB1501479.8A|GB201501479D0|2015-01-29|2015-01-29|Underwater manipulator arm robot|
    PCT/EP2016/050569|WO2016120071A1|2015-01-29|2016-01-13|Underwater manipulator arm robot|
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