Development of Squirming Robot for the Inspection of Internal Surface

摘要

In many cases, the internal surface of the mechanical elements is required to detect and measure. For this task, a special mobile device should be utilized. A squirming robot is presented for the purpose, which is working on the controlled deformation of a pneumatic columnar elastic shell. This elastic shell is made of caoutchouc. It is strengthened by the internal spiral metal wire, which also restricts its deformation in radial direction, so it can only deform in axis direction. The squirming robot also involves four osculums and a vision system. It can go forward and back and turn around easily by controlling the four osculums and the moving velocity can be controlled through the pressure of compressed air. The moving step can be flexibly adjusted. In this paper, the working principle and mechanical characteristics of the columnar elastic shell are analyzed and discussed in detail. The relationship between the elongation X and the pressure of compressed air P, the bending angular degree θ and the pressure of compressed air P are first established by using the theory of elasticity mechanics. And also we simulate its nonlinear dynamic system in certain diving force F and elastic coefficient E of elastic shell. The results indicate this squirming robot is simple in structure, low cost in manufacture and being apt to be miniaturized. It can be used in detecting the internal surface of mechanical elements or inside certain complicate pipe, when this equipment is manufactured in special, and that this process is able to be fulfilled.