U.S. patent application number 17/033995 was filed with the patent office on 2021-01-14 for pile leg walking type mining robot.
The applicant listed for this patent is Ocean University of China. Invention is credited to Dingxin LENG, Guijie LIU, Wei PAN, Xiaojie TIAN, Honghui WANG, Yingchun XIE.
Application Number | 20210009248 17/033995 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005119775 |
Filed Date | 2021-01-14 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20210009248 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LIU; Guijie ; et
al. |
January 14, 2021 |
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.
Inventors: |
LIU; Guijie; (Qingdao,
CN) ; PAN; Wei; (Qingdao, CN) ; LENG;
Dingxin; (Qingdao, CN) ; XIE; Yingchun;
(Qingdao, CN) ; TIAN; Xiaojie; (Qingdao, CN)
; WANG; Honghui; (Qingdao, CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Ocean University of China |
Qingdao |
|
CN |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005119775 |
Appl. No.: |
17/033995 |
Filed: |
September 28, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63H 19/08 20130101;
B63G 8/001 20130101; B63G 2008/007 20130101; E02F 3/8858
20130101 |
International
Class: |
B63G 8/00 20060101
B63G008/00; B63H 19/08 20060101 B63H019/08; E02F 3/88 20060101
E02F003/88 |
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
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The disclosure relates to the technical field of underwater
robots, and more specifically to a pile leg-walking type mining
robot.
BACKGROUND
[0002] With the rapid development of global economy and increased
consumption of resources, land mineral resources are gradually
unable to meet the huge demand of people. Therefore, great
potential mineral resources from the sea are paid increasingly
attention. Underwater robots, as a tool for mining mineral
resources in ocean, have made considerable progresses, but still
face many practical issues.
[0003] Currently, the existing deep-sea manganese nodule mining
robots have difficulty walking on the manganese nodule geological
layer. The manganese nodule geological layer is soft featured, the
direct-bearing mining robots with the manganese nodule present
subsidence during operation. The subsidence of the robots causes
difficulty in walking, which will directly affect the working
efficiency. On the other, hand, the existing deep-sea manganese
nodule mining robots do not consider the protection of the benthic
organisms during the mining process, which will lead to numerous
deaths or even extinction of deep-sea benthos. In deep-sea
environment, manganese nodule will continue to grow. However, after
being crushed by the walking track, the structure of the geological
layer where the manganese nodule is located may be changed, which
affects the growth of manganese nodule and seriously destroys the
environment of the seabed. Existing deep-sea manganese nodule
mining robots are extremely destructive to the marine environment
and cannot achieve a reasonable balance between resource mining and
ecological protection.
[0004] Therefore, how to provide an underwater robot for deep-sea
manganese nodule mining which is basically harmless to the benthic
organisms, effective protection of marine environment, also with
low energy consumption and high mining efficiency is an urgent
issue for those skilled in the alt.
SUMMARY
[0005] The present invention provides a pile leg walking type
manganese nodule mining robot which is desired to solve the
above-mentioned technical problems.
[0006] To achieve the above purpose the invention adopts the
following technical schemes.
[0007] A pile leg walking type manganese nodule mining robot. The
robot includes a body, pile walking mechanisms, a vector propulsive
mechanism, a negative pressure suction mechanism and a manganese
nodule cutter suction mechanism.
[0008] The number of the pile walking mechanisms is three. The pile
walking mechanisms include multiple drive components and multiple
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.
[0009] The vector propulsive mechanism includes multiple vertical
vector propellers and horizontal vector propellers evenly provided
around the body;
[0010] The negative pressure suction mechanism is provided on the
head of the body and configured for suction and transfer of benthic
organisms.
[0011] 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.
[0012] Through the above-mentioned technical solution, the present
invention uses the driving component to drive the lifting pile to
realize the walking function, which, can stably and efficiently
complete the mining task on the complex manganese nodule geological
layer, collect and transfer the benthic organisms through the
negative pressure suction mechanism. It can also effectively
protect the life and living environment of benthic organisms in the
mining area, and the growth environment of manganese nodules are
also protected. After mining, it does not affect the re-growth
environment of organisms on the seabed or other resources, which
greatly resolves the sharp contradiction between the resource
mining and environmental protection.
[0013] Preferably, the driving component further includes a
rotating part, a feeding hydraulic cylinder and a lifting part. The
rotating part is connected with the body. The 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. 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. The
rotating component provided by the disclosure is a conventional
mechanical structure in which a rotating shaft is driven by a
motor. The retracting the lifting pile can be realized through the
rotation of the rotating component. A retracted state is defined
when the lifting pile is rotated to a position parallel to the
body. The lifting pile can be rotated to the vertical state when in
use, it, is simple and convenient to retract, stable and reliable,
and space-saving.
[0014] Preferably, 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. The screw thread is threadedly connected with
the nut. The combination of the lifting component and the lifting
pile provided by the disclosure is a conventional ball screw
structure. The lifting part includes, a structure that limits the
rotation of the lifting pile, and can drive the lifting pile to
move up and down under the rotation of the nut. This is a typical
structure in the prior art, and will not be explained in details
here.
[0015] Preferably, the lifting pile is vertically arranged with a
bottom end pointedly shaped. It can improve the stability of
walking.
[0016] Preferably, 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.
Blades of the four horizontal vector propellers are arranged
vertically Each vector thruster can rotate within a certain range
of vertical or horizontal angles. The direction and thrust of the
vector thruster is adjustable. By controlling these eight vector
propellers, the position and movement of the mining robot can be
changed, so that the mining robot can complete different ways of
movement.
[0017] Preferably, the negative pressure suction mechanism,
includes 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 includes multiple 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. 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.
[0018] When the flow rate adjustable water pump pumps water to the
main water pump pipe, the water in the negative pressure pipe will
be sucked into the main water pump pipe due to the high flow rate
and low pressure, so that the object will not be mechanically
damaged during the flowing of the negative pressure pipe. According
to this principle, one end of the negative pressure pipe is
connected with a suction head for safely collecting and
transferring the benethic organisms. The negative pressure rotary
platform can control the rotation of the horizontal plane of the
negative pressure support arm to make an arc sweeping, so that the
organisms in an arc-shaped area can be transferred at a time with
high transfer speed and efficiency. The rotating joint of the
negative pressure support arm can adjust the round height position
of the negative pressure support to adapt to the complex terrain of
the undulating height of the mineral deposit. The negative pressure
suction mechanism provided by the invention has multiple degrees of
freedom, and the flow rate can be adjusted by the water pump, to
ensure that the benthic organisms will not damaged in, the transfer
process to the maximum extent. The mechanism can complete the
safety and efficient transfer of the benethic organisms during
mining process.
[0019] Preferably, the manganese nodule cutter suction mechanism
includes 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 rotatable 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. 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.
[0020] The cutter suction drive motor drives the cutter suction
head and loose the manganese nodule geological layer with a certain
hardness and viscosity, which changes the hard block into loose
shape, so that the mineral pump can absorb and pump. The rotary
actuator of cutter suction arm can make the cutter suction arm
rotate vertically and make the cutter suction head move up and down
to adapt to the ups and downs of the terrain. The cutter suction
rotary platform makes the cutter suction arm rotate horizontally,
so that the cutter suction head moves laterally to form an arc for
absorbing manganese nodules according to the arc area.
[0021] Preferably, the robot further includes a buoyancy adjustment
mechanism. The buoyancy adjustment mechanism includes a ballast
tank provided in an inner part of the body and multiple buoyancy
adjustment oil bags provided on the top surface of the body. The
buoyancy of ballast tank is adjusted through the water intake and
drainage. The Buoyancy adjustment oil bag is adjusted by
high-pressure pump to pump the pressure tank out or into the
pressure chamber.
[0022] Preferably, the robot further includes an environmental
detection and sensing mechanism. The environmental detection and
sensing mechanism includes an HD underwater camera, a sonar and an
ultra-bright underwater lamp provided on the top surface of the
head of the body. The ultra-bright underwater lamp provides a good
light source for the HD underwater camera, allowing the mining
robot to collect visual information. Sonar can be used to detect
the amount of manganese nodules in the mining area and provide
long-distance environmental information for the preparation of
deep-sea mining robot.
[0023] Preferably an integrated pipe of umbilical cord cable and
mineral hose for integrating lines and conveying minerals is
connected at the tail of the body. It can satisfy the unified
arrangement and planning of pipelines and lines.
[0024] According to the above technical, scheme, compared with the
prior art, the present invention discloses a pile leg walking type
mining robot, which has the following beneficial effects:
[0025] 1. The present invention utilizes the driving component to
drive the lifting pile, for walking, which can stably and
efficiently complete the mining task on the manganese nodule
geological layer. The benethic organisms are sucked and transferred
by the negative pressure suction mechanism, so as to effectively
protect the life and living environment of the benethic organisms
in the mining area, and the growth environment of the manganese
nodules is also protected, which will not be affected after mining
the regeneration environment of living. The contradiction between
resources mining on the seabed and environmental protection can be
solved.
[0026] 2. Each vector propeller of the invention can rotate within
a certain range of vertical or horizontal angles. The propulsion
direction and thrust size of the vector propeller is adjustable,
and by controlling the eight vector propellers, the posture and
motion form of the mining robot can be changed, so that the mining
robots can complete different kinds of movements.
[0027] 3. The negative pressure suction mechanism provided by the
present invention has multiple degrees of freedom, and the flow
rate adjustable water pump used can change the flow rate to ensure
that the benethic organisms will not hurt during the transfer
process to the maximum extent, and the mechanism can complete the
safe and efficient transfer of the benethic organisms on complex
terrain.
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] 1--Body; [0039] 2--Pile walking
mechanism; [0040] 21--Driving component; 211--Rotating part;
212--Feeding hydraulic cylinder; [0041] 213--Lifting component;
22--Lifting pile; [0042] 3--Vector propulsive mechanism; [0043]
31--Vertical vector propeller; 32--Horizontal vector propeller;
[0044] 4--Negative pressure suction mechanism; [0045] 41--Negative
pressure rotary platform; 42--Negative pressure support arm;
43--Negative pressure support; 44--Biological transfer conveying
hose; 45--Flow rate adjustable water pump; 46--Main water pump
pipe; 47--Negative pressure pipe; [0046] 5--Manganese nodule cutter
suction mechanism; [0047] 51--Rotary platform of cutter suction
arm; 52--Cutter suction arm; 53--Cutter suction head; 54--Rotary
actuator of cutter suction arm; 55--Driving motor of cutter suction
head; 56--Mineral conveying hose; 57--Manganese nodule transition
treatment cabin; [0048] 6--Buoyancy adjustment mechanism; [0049]
61--Ballast tank; 62--Buoyancy adjustment oil bag; [0050]
7--Environmental detection and sensing mechanism; [0051] 71--HD
underwater camera; 72--Sonar; 73--Ultra-bright underwater lamp;
[0052] 8--Integrated pipe of umbilical cord cable and mineral hose;
[0053] 91--Benthic layer; 92--Manganese nodules geological layer;
93--Diluted soft silt geological layer; 94--Hard 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.
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