JP7849720B2 - Mobile - Google Patents

Description

Applicable to Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act (1) Publicly released on July 2, 2021 at the headquarters of Koei Dreamworks Co., Ltd. (2) Publicly released on February 4, 2022 at Hase Eco-Position Technology Research Institute (3) Publicly released on August 17, 2021 at the Yamagata Prefectural Federation of Small Business Associations (4) Publicly released on September 13, 2021 at Viento Takasaki (5) Publicly released on September 14, 2021 at LIRIO Hall (6) Publicly released on September 17, 2021 at https://zoom.us/j/94025092178 (7) Publicly released on September 22, 2021 at https://zoom. (8) Released on September 24, 2021 by Tohoku Turbo Industry Co., Ltd. (9) Released on September 28, 2021 by Ibaraki Industrial Hall (10) Released on September 29, 2021 by Koei Dreamworks Tokyo Sales Office and https://zoom. Published at us/j/92782275740 (11) Published at Sanpo Enterprise Co., Ltd. on October 1, 2021 (12) Published at Tsugaru Sanitation Corporation on October 4, 2021 (13) Published at Sapporo El Plaza on October 5, 2021 (14) Published at IKS Co., Ltd. on October 6, 2021 (15) Published at Koei Dreamworks Headquarters on October 7, 2021 (16) Published at Koei Dreamworks Tokyo Sales Office and https://zoom. Published at us/j/98081003940 (17) Published at MYS Yokohama Station West Exit on October 13, 2021 (18) Published at JR East Building Tech Co., Ltd. Training Center on October 15, 2021 (19) Published at Eltas Tohoku Co., Ltd. on October 20, 2021 (20) Published at NTEC East Japan Sales Office on November 2, 2021

Applicable to Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act (21) Published by Rackland Co., Ltd. on November 2, 2021 (22) Published by Ida Technos Co., Ltd. on November 4, 2021 (23) Published at https://zoom.us/j/96128349318 on November 5, 2021 (24) Published by Nippo Equipment Co., Ltd. on November 5, 2021 (25) Published by CBS Co., Ltd. on November 5, 2021 (26) Published by Tokyo Refresh Co., Ltd. on November 8, 2021 (27) Published by Sanko Equipment Co., Ltd. on November 9, 2021 (28) Published at Viento Takasaki on November 16, 2021 (29) Published at Saitama Kaikan on November 18, 2021 (30) Published by Co., Ltd. on November 19, 2021 Published by Koei Dreamworks Tokyo Office (31) November 19, 2021 Published by Keirinsha Co., Ltd. (32) November 24, 2021 Published by Shimizu Arnet Co., Ltd. (33) November 26, 2021 Published by Rackland Co., Ltd. (34) December 9, 2021 Published by Leben Community Co., Ltd. (35) December 9, 2021 Published by Tsuboi Kogyo Co., Ltd. (36) December 10, 2021 Published at https://zoom.us/j/97521650016 (37) December 10, 2021 Published by Kyowa Sogo Kanri Co., Ltd. (38) December 16, 2021 Published at https://zoom.us/j/97521650016 Published at us/j/95354075247 (39) December 16, 2021 https://zoom. Published at us/j/92707170560 (40) December 20, 2021 Published by Daiichi Energy Equipment Co., Ltd.

Applicable to Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Law (41) Published by Seiwa Kogyo Co., Ltd. on December 20, 2021 (42) Published by Kogane Setsubi Kogyo Co., Ltd. on December 21, 2021 (43) Published on Calendar on December 23, 2021 (44) Published on March 31, 2022 in SEDIA SMIL BOOK Vol. 16, published by Watanabe Pipe Co., Ltd. (45) Published at the 29th Pipe and Equipment Exhibition OSAKA 2021 held at Intex Osaka from December 2 to 4, 2021 (46) Published at the 4th Facility Renovation EXPO [Tokyo Exhibition] held at Tokyo Big Sight West Exhibition Hall from December 6 to 8, 2021 (47) Published at Mitani Sangyo Co., Ltd. Tokyo Head Office on January 20, 2022 (48) Published on April 11, 2022 at Mitani Sangyo Co., Ltd. Kanazawa Head Office (49) Published via email to Mitani Sangyo Co., Ltd. on April 1, 2022 (50) Published on February 1, 2022 at Uyo Construction Co., Ltd. (51) Published on March 4, 2022 at Tokyu Community Technical Training Center (52) Published on March 30, 2022 at Yamagata City Hall (53) Published on April 7, 2022 at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88927887332 (54) Published on January 13, 2022 at https://zoom. Published at us/j/9234897083O (55) March 16, 2022 Published by San-in Kubota Water Supply Materials Co., Ltd. (56) March 15, 2022 Published at https://race.zoom.us/j/95125043999 (57) March 3, 2022 Published via online distribution using teams (58) March 3, 2022 Published by Sekiwa Construction East Kanto Co., Ltd. (59) March 1, 2022 Published at https://zoom.us/j/96137028876 (60) February 17, 2022 Published by Hulic Build Co., Ltd.

Applicable to Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act (61) Published on February 16, 2022 by Renewal Wings Co., Ltd. (62) Published on February 15, 2022 at https://race.zoom.us/j/93643595668 (63) Published on February 14, 2022 at https://race.zoom.us/j/95717235788 (64) Published on February 9, 2022 by Koei Dreamworks Co., Ltd. Headquarters (65) Published on February 9, 2022 by Koei Dreamworks Co., Ltd. Headquarters (66) Published on February 9, 2022 by Koei Dreamworks Co., Ltd. Headquarters (67) Published on February 9, 2022 by Koei Dreamworks Co., Ltd. Headquarters (68) Published on February 7, 2022 at https://zoom. Published at us/j/96252807177 (69) February 1, 2022 Published by Ken Corporation (70) January 17, 2022 Published by Ken Corporation (71) January 14, 2022 Published at https://zoom.us/j/97256225999 (72) January 14, 2022 Published by Rackland Co., Ltd. (73) December 24, 2021 Published by Advance City Planning Co., Ltd. (74) February 2, 2022 Published via online distribution using teams (75) February 28, 2022 Published via online distribution using teams (76) January 195) Published at us/j/96464617266 (77) March 29, 2022 https://race.zoom. Published at us/j/96733181846 (78) March 29, 2022 Published via online distribution using teams (79) March 30, 2022 Published via online distribution using teams (80) April 11, 2022 https://race.zoom. Published at us/j/99978143527 (81) February 24, 2022 https://www.mizuho-ls.co. Published as jp/ja/news/news2022020802/main/O/link/haikan.pdf

This invention relates to a mobile device.

Patent Document 1 discloses a pipe-running device comprising four link sections arranged in a zigzag pattern and a plurality of moving units provided between the link sections and at the open end. Two moving units extending to one radial side of the pipe are first omnidirectional moving members capable of actively moving axially and passively circumferentially. Wheels extending to the other radial side of the pipe are roll-rotating members capable of actively moving circumferentially and passively axially to change the roll attitude angle. The moving members of the moving units are second omnidirectional moving members capable of moving axially and circumferentially. The device also includes biasing means for pressing the first omnidirectional moving members against the inner wall surface of the pipe.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-7520

In this case, when the moving body moves along the pipe using the driving force of the rotating part that contacts the inner surface of the pipe, if the contact with the inner surface is insufficient, smooth movement may not be possible, which could hinder the work performed using the moving body.
The objective of the present invention is to enable a movable body to move smoothly along a pipe by the driving force of a rotating part that is in contact with the inner surface of the pipe.

The movable body to which the present invention is applied is a movable body provided to move along a pipe and within the pipe, and comprises a plurality of rotating parts that are rotatable and can move toward and away from the inner surface of the pipe, a plurality of connecting parts that connect each of the plurality of rotating parts to each other, and a detection unit provided in the connecting part for detecting strain occurring in the connecting part , wherein the detection unit is provided in at least a portion of the plurality of connecting parts, and the plurality of connecting parts include a first connecting part on which the detection unit is provided and a second connecting part adjacent to the first connecting part and on which the detection unit is not provided .
Here , the plurality of connection parts may include connection parts in which the plurality of detection parts are provided. Furthermore, the plurality of detection parts may be provided in positions close to the rotating part with respect to each of the plurality of connection parts connected to the rotating part, such as one connection part and the other connection part .
The movable body to which the present invention is applied is a movable body provided to move along a pipe and within the pipe, and comprises a plurality of rotating parts that are rotatable and can move toward and away from the inner surface of the pipe, a plurality of connecting parts that connect each of the plurality of rotating parts to each other, and a detection unit provided in the connecting part for detecting strain occurring in the connecting part , wherein the detection unit is provided on a skeletal member that constitutes a part of the connecting part , the skeletal member is formed biased toward one of two regions separated by a line connecting the rotation centers of the rotating parts connected to the connecting part, and has a surface located on one side of the line or on the other side , and the detection unit is provided on the surface located on one side of the skeletal member or on the other side.
Here, the plurality of detection units may be provided on surfaces that are at different positions relative to the line connecting the rotation centers of the rotating parts connected to the connecting parts, the detection units may be provided on the other surface of the skeletal member, and the other surface may be the bottom surface, and the detection units may be provided on the one surface of the skeletal member, and the one surface may be the top surface.
Furthermore, the skeletal member may have a notch at a position corresponding to the surface on which the detection unit is provided. Moreover, the notch may have a holding portion extending from the periphery of the notch for holding the substrate. Furthermore, the holding portion may extend in a direction intersecting the line connecting the rotation centers of the rotating unit connected to the connecting portion, and the holding portion may hold a plurality of the substrates separated from each other.
Furthermore, the system may include a measurement processing unit that acquires the detection result from the detection unit and performs measurement processing, and the measurement processing unit may be provided in a circuit built into the connection unit where the detection unit is provided.

According to this invention, the driving force of the rotating part in contact with the inner surface of the pipe allows the moving body to move smoothly along the pipe.

This is an overall diagram of the mobile control system according to this embodiment. This is a side view of a measuring robot inside a pipe. This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a strain detection configuration for a measuring robot. This is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of a strain detection configuration for a measuring robot. This is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of a strain detection configuration for a measuring robot. This is a side view of the second section according to the first embodiment. This diagram illustrates the posture of a measurement robot when passing through an elbow bend in a pipe. This is an exploded perspective view illustrating the drive transmission system of the drive unit. This is a partial side view showing a portion of the frame. This is an exploded perspective view illustrating the mounting of the circuit board embedded in the frame. This is a block diagram illustrating the control system in a measuring robot. This is a side view of the second section according to the second embodiment. This is a side view of the second section according to the third embodiment. This is a side view of the second section according to the fourth embodiment. This is a side view of the second section according to the fifth embodiment.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.
<Mobile Control System 1>
Figure 1 is an overall view of the mobile body control system 1 according to this embodiment.
As shown in Figure 1, the mobile control system 1 according to this embodiment includes a measuring robot 10 that moves along the pipe 100 (see Figure 2) inside the pipe 100, a supply device 40 connected to the measuring robot 10 via a cable 41, and a terminal device 50 that manages the measuring robot 10.

In the mobile control system 1, the measuring robot 10, the supply device 40, and the terminal device 50 are able to communicate with each other via an information communication system (not shown).
Furthermore, the information and communication system is not particularly limited as long as it is an information and communication system used for data communication between each device, and may include, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), or the Internet. The communication lines used for data communication may be wired or wireless, or both may be used in combination.

The mobile control system 1 is a system that controls the movement of a measuring robot 10 that moves within a pipe 100 through which fluid flows, such as a water supply pipe or a sewer pipe.
Furthermore, the mobile control system 1 is not limited to water pipes or sewer pipes, but can also be applied to the movement of the measuring robot 10 in, for example, gas pipes through which gas flows, transport pipes for transporting powders such as plastic pellets, and electrical conduits through which electrical wiring passes.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, the measuring robot 10 moves to measure the pipe 100, but the moving body that moves inside the pipe 100 may be used not only for measuring the pipe 100, but also for cleaning or repairing the pipe 100.

[Measurement robot 10]
Figure 2 is a side view of the measuring robot 10 inside the piping 100.
As shown in the figure, the measuring robot 10, as an example of a mobile body, comprises a main body 11 that constitutes the body of the measuring robot 10, a wheel 12 provided on the main body 11, a drive unit 13 that generates driving force to change the posture of the main body 11, and a shooting unit 14 that photographs the inside of the piping 100.
Furthermore, the measuring robot 10 includes a distance measuring unit 15 for measuring the distance traveled by the main body 11, a posture measuring unit 16 for measuring the posture of the main body 11, and a temperature measuring unit 17 for measuring the temperature.
Furthermore, the measuring robot 10 includes a communication unit 18 for communicating with the outside world and a control unit 19 for controlling each component of the measuring robot 10.
In this embodiment, sensors such as a sensor for measuring distance traveled, a sensor for measuring posture, and a sensor for measuring temperature are provided as sensors, but these sensors are not essential and do not need to be installed. For example, if distance travel is measured using only the distance measuring unit 43 (see Figure 1) provided in the supply device 40, the measuring robot 10 can be configured without a distance measuring unit 15.
Furthermore, the measuring robot 10 may be equipped with an infrared sensor, a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) for measuring the shape inside the pipe 100, an ultrasonic sensor for detecting damage to the pipe 100, a humidity sensor, a drill for removing foreign matter, a sampling mechanism for collecting foreign matter, a laser for removing rust, and the like.

(Main body 11)
The main body 11 has one end 11A and the other end 11B. The main body 11 also has a plurality of joints 21, a plurality of hinges 22 provided between the joints 21, and a plurality of wheel drive units 23 provided on the hinges 22.
Here, each of the joints 21 can also be considered as a movable member, and in this embodiment, multiple movable members are connected via the hinge portion 22.
In this embodiment, one movable member is configured to be movable (rotatable) relative to another adjacent movable member connected via a hinge portion 22. In other words, in this embodiment, one movable member is displaceable relative to another adjacent movable member connected to this first movable member.
In this embodiment, the multiple joints (movable members) 21 include a first joint 21A provided at one end 11A of the main body 11, a second joint 21B connected to the first joint 21A, and a third joint 21C connected to the second joint 21B.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, a fourth section 21D connected to the third section 21C, a fifth section 21E connected to the fourth section 21D, and a sixth section 21F connected to the fifth section 21E and provided at the other end 11B of the main body 11 are provided.
As shown in Figure 2, the main body 11 of the measuring robot 10 can be bent inside the pipe 100, and the bending of the measuring robot 10 is controlled accordingly.

Of the first section 21A to the sixth section 21F, the second section 21B to the fifth section 21E, which have wheel sections 12 at both ends, are examples of connecting sections.
In this embodiment, the first section 21A and the sixth section 21F are configured to have a wheel section 12 at only one end, but they may also have a wheel section 12 at the other end. In this case, the first section 21A and the sixth section 21F are also examples of connecting sections.

In addition, unless otherwise specified, these first section 21A to sixth section 21F will be collectively referred to as section 21.
The joint portion 21 is formed to extend long in one direction. Furthermore, the joint portion 21 can house a drive unit 13, which will be described later. In addition, the main body portion 11 has a waterproof structure to prevent water or other liquids from entering the interior of the main body portion 11.

In this embodiment, the hinge portion 22 is provided with a first hinge portion 22a connecting the first joint portion 21A and the second joint portion 21B, a second hinge portion 22b connecting the second joint portion 21B and the third joint portion 21C, and a third hinge portion 22c connecting the third joint portion 21C and the fourth joint portion 21D.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, the hinge portion 22 is provided with a fourth hinge portion 22d that connects the fourth section 21D and the fifth section 21E, and a fifth hinge portion 22e that connects the fifth section 21E and the sixth section 21F.
Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, these first hinge portions 22a to fifth hinge portions 22e are collectively referred to as hinge portion 22.

As shown in Figure 2, the wheel drive unit 23 provided on the hinge portion 22 is provided in correspondence with each of the wheel portions 12. As will be described in detail later, the wheel portions 12 include the first wheel portion 31 to the fifth wheel portion 35.
The wheel drive unit 23 provided on the hinge portion 22a rotates the first wheel portion 31. The wheel drive unit 23 provided on the hinge portion 22b rotates the second wheel portion 32, the wheel drive unit 23 provided on the hinge portion 22c rotates the third wheel portion 33, the wheel drive unit 23 provided on the hinge portion 22d rotates the fourth wheel portion 34, and the wheel drive unit 23 provided on the hinge portion 22e rotates the fifth wheel portion 35.

In addition, in this embodiment, the wheel section 12 is composed of a left and right pair, with the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 2 being the left and right direction. Each of the pair of wheel sections 12 is equipped with a wheel drive unit 23, so that both the left and right wheel sections 12 are rotationally driven. However, it is not limited to this, and one of the wheel sections 12 of the pair may be driven to rotate by the wheel drive unit 23, while the other wheel section 12 rotates as a driven.
In addition to the configuration in which the wheel drive unit 23 is provided for all of the first wheel sections 31 to the fifth wheel sections 35 of the wheel section 12, a configuration in which the wheel drive unit 23 is provided for some of the first wheel sections 31 to the fifth wheel sections 35, and the remaining parts are not provided with the wheel drive unit 23, is also conceivable.
Furthermore, an electric motor can be used as the wheel drive unit 23, receiving power from the cable 41 of the power supply device 40 (see Figure 1), and operating under control by the control unit 19.

(Wheel section 12)
As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, the wheel portion 12 is provided with a first wheel portion 31 to a fifth wheel portion 35, which is an example of multiple parts.
In this embodiment, the main body portion 11 is provided with a first wheel portion 31 on one end 11A side and a fifth wheel portion 35 on the other end 11B side.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, multiple wheel portions 12 are provided in the order of first wheel portion 31, second wheel portion 32, third wheel portion 33, fourth wheel portion 34, and fifth wheel portion 35, starting from one end 11A of the main body portion 11 and moving toward the other end 11B.

The first wheel portion 31 is arranged coaxially with the first hinge portion 22a, the second wheel portion 32 is arranged coaxially with the second hinge portion 22b, and the third wheel portion 33 is arranged coaxially with the third hinge portion 22c.
Furthermore, the fourth wheel portion 34 is arranged coaxially with the fourth hinge portion 22d, and the fifth wheel portion 35 is arranged coaxially with the fifth hinge portion 22e.

Here, the first to fifth wheel sections 31 to 35 are rotatably held relative to the main body 11, and the main body 11 is moved by the driving force of the drive unit 13 through contact with or pressing against the inner circumferential surface 110, which is an example of the inner surface of the piping 100. Each of the first to fifth wheel sections 31 to 35 is configured as a left-right pair in the left-right direction relative to the direction of travel (perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 2).

(Drive unit 13)
For example, an electric motor can be used as the drive unit 13. The drive unit 13 operates under the control of the control unit 19. The drive unit 13 also receives power from the cable 41 of the power supply device 40 (see Figure 1).
Alternatively, for example, a battery may be installed in the main unit 11, and power may be supplied from this battery to the drive unit 13. In this case, the main unit 11 will operate even without receiving power from the cable 41.

As shown in Figure 2, the drive unit 13 is provided in the second section 21B, the third section 21C, the fourth section 21D, the fifth section 21E, and the sixth section 21F. Specifically, the drive unit 13 provided in the second section 21B changes the relative rotational position of the first section 21A and the second section 21B.
Furthermore, the drive unit 13 provided in the third section 21C changes the relative rotational position between the second section 21B and the third section 21C, and the drive unit 13 provided in the fourth section 21D changes the relative rotational position between the third section 21C and the fourth section 21D.
Furthermore, the drive unit 13 provided in the fifth section 21E changes the relative rotational position between the fourth section 21D and the fifth section 21E, and the drive unit 13 provided in the sixth section 21F changes the relative rotational position between the fifth section 21E and the sixth section 21F.
In this embodiment, the drive unit 13 provided in the fourth section 21D may be omitted.

(Photography Department 14)
The imaging unit 14 is provided at the end of the main body 11. The imaging unit 14 is also provided on the front and rear sides of the main body 11 in the direction of travel. In this embodiment, the imaging unit 14 is provided on the first section 21A and the sixth section 21F.
Furthermore, the imaging unit 14 can change the imaging conditions, such as the imaging direction, in response to user operations. The imaging unit 14 also has an LED light source that illuminates the inside of the pipe 100. The imaging unit 14 sends the captured image of the inside of the pipe 100 to the terminal device 50 via the communication unit 18.
Furthermore, the imaging unit 14 may be an imaging unit that detects light of wavelengths other than visible light, such as infrared and ultraviolet light. Alternatively, the imaging unit 14 may be used in combination with a floodlight.

(Distance measuring unit 15)
In this embodiment, the distance measuring unit 15 (see Figure 2) is provided in the fourth section 21D.
The distance measuring unit 15 is equipped with, for example, a rotary encoder. The third wheel unit 33 is equipped with a grid disc that serves as a reference for rotation, and the distance measuring unit 15 reads this grid disc using a reading unit.

The distance measuring unit 15 has pre-stored information about the length of the outer circumference of the third wheel portion 33. Based on the amount of rotation of the third wheel portion 33 obtained from the reading unit and the information about the length of the outer circumference of the third wheel portion 33, the distance measuring unit 15 measures the distance traveled by the main body portion 11.
The distance measuring unit 15 transmits the measured distance traveled by the main unit 11 to the terminal device 50 via the communication unit 18.
The distance information transmitted by the distance measuring unit 15 is the encoder reading and is so-called raw data that has not been edited or otherwise processed. As mentioned above, since the supply device 40 is equipped with a distance measuring unit 43 (see Figure 1), the measuring robot 10 may be configured to omit the distance measuring unit 15.

(Posture measurement unit 16)
In this embodiment, the posture measurement unit 16 (see Figure 2) is provided in the fourth section 21D.
For example, a motion sensor can be used in the attitude measurement unit 16. Specifically, the attitude measurement unit 16 has a three-axis gyro sensor that detects the angular velocity (rotational speed) of the main body 11.
The attitude measurement unit 16 measures the attitude of the main body 11 based on the detection results obtained by the three-axis gyro sensor. In addition to the three-axis gyro sensor, the unit may also be equipped with a three-axis accelerometer to detect the acceleration of the main body 11 and a three-axis geomagnetic sensor to detect the Earth's magnetic field and determine the absolute direction of the main body 11.

The posture measurement unit 16 then transmits the posture information regarding the measured posture of the main unit 11 to the terminal device 50 via the communication unit 18.
The attitude information transmitted by the attitude measurement unit 16 is the detection result from the 3-axis gyro sensor and is so-called raw data that has not been edited or otherwise processed. In addition, data from the 3-axis accelerometer and the 3-axis geomagnetic sensor may be added to the data from the 3-axis gyro sensor. In this embodiment, the measurement robot 10 is configured to include the attitude measurement unit 16, but it is not limited to this configuration, and a configuration that omits the attitude measurement unit 16 may also be adopted.

(Temperature measurement section 17)
In this embodiment, the temperature measuring unit 17 is provided in the fourth section 21D. The temperature measuring unit 17 measures the temperature of the main body 11. The temperature measuring unit 17 transmits the measured temperature information to the terminal device 50. In this embodiment, the measuring robot 10 is configured to include the temperature measuring unit 17, but is not limited to this configuration. A configuration that omits the temperature measuring unit 17 may also be adopted, and other sensors such as humidity sensors may be provided together with or in place of the temperature measuring unit 17.

(Communications Section 18)
The communication unit 18 performs information communication between the supply device 40 and the terminal device 50. For example, the communication unit 18 receives information from the terminal device 50 regarding the operation of the drive unit 13.
Furthermore, the communication unit 18 transmits the captured image obtained by the imaging unit 14, the distance traveled information obtained by the distance measuring unit 15, the posture information obtained by the posture measuring unit 16, and the temperature information obtained by the temperature measuring unit 17 to the terminal device 50.

(Control unit 19)
The control unit 19 performs drive control of the drive unit 13 and the wheel drive unit 23, shooting control of the shooting unit 14, measurement control of the distance measuring unit 15 and the attitude measuring unit 16, and communication control of the communication unit 18.
Furthermore, the control by the control unit 19 may be performed based on a program pre-stored in the measuring robot 10. In addition, the control by the control unit 19 may be performed based on control information transmitted from, for example, the terminal device 50 (see Figure 1).
The terminal device 50 is equipped with an operation unit 51 (see Figure 1) that receives operations from the user (operator). The control unit 19 may control the measuring robot 10 based on the control information received by the operation unit 51 and transmitted via the terminal device 50.
Alternatively, the control unit 19 may be located separately from the measuring robot 10, and control signals may be transmitted from this control unit 19, which is located separately from the measuring robot 10, to the measuring robot 10.

In the measuring robot 10 configured as described above, the first wheel section 31 to the fifth wheel section 35 are rotated. In this embodiment, the rotational drive of the first wheel section 31 to the fifth wheel section 35 is controlled by the control unit 19. As a result, the measuring robot 10 moves along the pipe 100 or moves in the circumferential direction of the pipe 100.
Furthermore, the measuring robot 10 performs relative attitude control of the first section 21A to the sixth section 21F under the control of the control unit 19. This attitude control is performed based on the detection results of the strain gauge 60, which will be described later. This ensures that the measuring robot 10 makes reliable contact with the inner circumferential surface 110 of the pipe 100.

The measuring robot 10 travels through, for example, the horizontal portion of a pipe 100 in a building, the vertical portion, and even the bent portion, such as a section that bends at approximately a right angle. In particular, the measuring robot 10 in this embodiment is capable of both downward and upward movement in the vertical and bent portions.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the posture of the measuring robot 10 can be changed by moving the measuring robot 10 in the circumferential direction of the pipe 100.
In other words, in this embodiment, the front and back of the measuring robot 10 can be reversed. In other words, in this embodiment, the phase of the measuring robot 10 in the circumferential direction of the pipe 100 can be changed.

When the measuring robot 10 attempts to pass through a bent portion of the pipe 100, depending on the phase of the measuring robot 10 in the circumferential direction of the pipe 100, the measuring robot 10 may not be able to pass through this bent portion.
Furthermore, when taking images using the imaging unit 14, it may be necessary to move the measuring robot 10 in the circumferential direction of the pipe 100 to change the orientation of the imaging unit 14.
In this embodiment, the measuring robot 10 can move in the circumferential direction of the pipe 100, which allows the measuring robot 10 to pass through bent sections of the pipe 100 and also allows the orientation of the imaging unit 14 to be changed.

[Supply device 40]
As shown in Figure 1, the supply device 40 comprises a cable 41 in which various types of wiring are bundled, a cable supply unit 42 that supplies the cable 41, and a distance measuring unit 43 provided in the cable supply unit 42.

Cable 41 includes a power line for supplying power to the measuring robot 10, and a signal line for sending and receiving commands and measurement information to and from the measuring robot 10. Cable 41 is connected to a terminal device 50 and a power supply (not shown).
Cable 41 transmits and receives information between the measuring robot 10 and the terminal device 50, and also supplies power.

Furthermore, the cable 41 is configured so that if any malfunction occurs in the measuring robot 10's ability to move, the measuring robot 10 can be pulled out from inside the piping 100.
In this embodiment, the cable 41 is firmly connected to approximately the center of the first section 21A (see Figure 2). Furthermore, the tensile strength of the cable 41 is set to withstand the tension when pulling the measuring robot 10 out of the piping 100.

The cable supply unit 42 has a drum 42d that is rotatably supported and winds up and unwinds the cable 41.
The cable supply unit 42 unwinds the cable 41 when the measuring robot 10 moves along the pipe 100 toward the back of the pipe 100. On the other hand, the cable supply unit 42 rewinds the cable 41 when the measuring robot 10 moves toward the entrance of the pipe 100.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cable supply unit 42 of the supply device 40 controls the drum 42d so that a constant tension is always applied to the cable 41, preventing slack from occurring in the cable 41 when the measuring robot 10 moves.

The distance measuring unit 43 can, for example, use a rotary encoder. In this embodiment, a grid disc that serves as a reference for rotation is provided on the drum 42d, and the distance measuring unit 43 reads this grid disc using a reading unit. Here, the distance measuring unit 43 has pre-stored information about the relationship between the length of the cable 41 unwound from the drum 42d and the amount of rotation of the drum 42d.

The distance measuring unit 43 determines the length of the cable 41 unwound from the drum 42d based on the amount of rotation of the drum 42d obtained from the reading unit. Furthermore, the distance measuring unit 43 determines the travel distance of the measuring robot 10 based on the determined length of the cable 41.
The method for determining the travel distance of the measuring robot 10 is not particularly limited. As described above, the travel distance may be determined by providing a distance measuring unit 15 on the measuring robot 10, or a distance measuring unit 43 may be provided on the supply device 40, and the travel distance of the measuring robot 10 may be determined using this distance measuring unit 43.

Furthermore, the distance traveled by the measuring robot 10 may be determined using both the distance measuring unit 15 on the measuring robot 10 and the distance measuring unit 43 on the supply device 40. More specifically, for example, the average of the travel distances may be calculated based on the travel distance determined by the distance measuring unit 15 on the measuring robot 10 and the travel distance determined by the distance measuring unit 43 on the supply device 40, and this average travel distance may be used as the travel distance of the measuring robot 10.

[Terminal device 50]
As shown in Figure 1, the terminal device 50 includes an operation unit 51 for controlling the movement of the measuring robot 10, an image display unit 52 for displaying images, an identification processing unit 53 for performing processing related to the identification of the structure of the piping 100 based on information acquired from the measuring robot 10, and a measurement processing unit 54 for performing measurement processing based on the detection results from the strain gauge 60 described later.

In this embodiment, the measurement processing unit 54 is located in the terminal device 50, but it is not limited to this configuration. It may also be located on the measurement robot 10 side, for example, in the control unit 19, or on a circuit board built into the frame 70 (for example, circuit board 93 in Figure 10), as described later. Further details will be provided later.

(Operation unit 51)
The control unit 51 has an operating stick or the like for moving the measuring robot 10 forward or backward.
The control unit 51 receives commands from the user (operator) to move the measuring robot 10. The control unit 51 also receives commands from the user regarding the shooting direction of the shooting unit 14 and the LED light source.

(Image display unit 52)
The image display unit 52 displays various information about the measuring robot 10 on the display screen 50D of the terminal device 50.
The image display unit 52 displays on the display screen 50D the operation screen related to the operation of the operation unit 51, the captured image obtained by the imaging unit 14 of the measuring robot 10, and structural information related to the structure of the piping 100 identified by the identification processing unit 53.

(Specific processing unit 53)
The specific processing unit 53 includes a distance information acquisition unit for acquiring travel distance information, a posture information acquisition unit for acquiring posture information, and a piping standard database (DB) unit for storing information regarding the standards of the piping 100.
Furthermore, the identification processing unit 53 includes a structural identification unit that identifies the overall structure of the piping 100, a map creation unit that creates a drawing of the identified overall structure of the piping 100, and a structural information storage unit that stores information about the overall structure of the piping 100.

(Measurement processing unit 54)
The measurement processing unit 54 includes a detection result acquisition unit that acquires detection results from strain gauges 61 to 64 (see Figure 3), a measurement processing unit that performs measurement processing based on the detection results acquired by the detection result acquisition unit to determine whether the wheel portion 12 is in contact with the inner circumferential surface 110 of the pipe 100 (see Figure 2) and whether the contact force is within a predetermined range, and an output unit that outputs the processing results from the measurement processing unit. The processing results output by the output unit are used for drive control of the drive unit 13, thereby performing bending control of the main body 11 of the measurement robot 10.

Here, the hardware configuration of the information processing devices of the measuring robot 10, supply device 40, and terminal device 50 according to this embodiment will be described.
The measuring robot 10, the supply device 40, and the terminal device 50 each include a CPU (Central Processing Unit) as a calculation means, memory as a main memory means, a magnetic disk device (HDD: Hard Disk Drive), a network interface, a display mechanism including a display device, a sound mechanism, and input devices such as a keyboard and mouse.

The magnetic disk drive stores the OS program and application programs. These programs are then loaded into memory and executed by the CPU, thereby enabling the functions of each component in the measuring robot 10, supply device 40, and terminal device 50.
The programs that implement a series of functions in the mobile control system 1 according to this embodiment in the measuring robot 10, supply device 40, and terminal device 50, respectively, may be provided, for example, by communication means, or by being stored on various recording media.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the strain detection configuration of the measuring robot 10.
In the example shown in the figure, the measuring robot 10 is equipped with strain gauges 61, 62, 63, and 64 as an example of a detection unit. These strain gauges 61 to 64 utilize the fact that their electrical resistance changes due to elongation or contraction proportional to the external force applied to the main body 11, and are sensors that detect strain as an electrical signal. For this reason, the strain gauges 61 to 64 are fixed to the surface of the main body 11.

Strain gauges 61-64 are connected to a bridge box and amplifier (not shown), and the A/D converted signals are transmitted to the measurement processing unit 54. As described above, the measurement processing unit 54 may be provided in the control unit 19.
In this book, strain gauges 61-64, etc., may be collectively referred to as strain gauge 60 unless otherwise specified.

Strain gauge 61 is provided on the second section 21B which has a first wheel section 31 and a second wheel section 32. Strain gauge 62 is provided on the third section 21C which has a second wheel section 32 and a third wheel section 33, strain gauge 63 is provided on the fourth section 21D which has a third wheel section 33 and a fourth wheel section 34, and strain gauge 64 is provided on the fifth section 21E which has a fourth wheel section 34 and a fifth wheel section 35.
In other words, strain gauge 61 is for detecting strain occurring in the second section 21B, and strain gauges 62 to 64 are for detecting strain occurring in the third section 21C to the fifth section 21E, respectively. In the example shown in Figure 3, strain gauges 60 are provided in each of the second section 21B to the fifth section 21E, allowing for flexible response when the situation changes due to the scraping or crushing of deposits inside the pipe during movement.

Therefore, the strain in the second and third sections 21B and 21C caused by the second wheel section 32 contacting or pressing against the inner circumferential surface 110 of the pipe 100 can be detected by strain gauges 61 and 62. Furthermore, the strain in the fourth section 21D and fifth section 21E caused by the fourth wheel section 34 contacting the inner circumferential surface 110 can be detected by strain gauges 63 and 64. Therefore, by bringing the wheel section 12 into contact with the inner circumferential surface 110 within a predetermined pressure range based on the detection results of the strain gauges 61-64, smooth movement along the pipe 100 can be achieved.

Furthermore, if there is a section of the inner diameter of the inner circumferential surface 110 of the pipe 100 where the inner diameter changes, the wheel portion 12 can be brought into contact with the inner circumferential surface 110 within a predetermined pressure range, even in the section of inner diameter change, by using strain gauges 63 and 64.

In this embodiment, strain gauges 61 to 64 are provided in each of the second section 21B to the fifth section 21E. In other words, strain gauges are provided in each of the sections of the main body 11 that have wheel sections at both ends, from the first section 21A to the sixth section 21F.
In this embodiment, strain gauges are not provided on the joints that do not have wheel sections at both ends, i.e., the first joint 21A and the sixth joint 21F. However, strain gauges may be provided on either one or both of these joints.

In this embodiment, the strain gauges 61 to 64 are located approximately in the center of the longitudinal direction of the second section 21B to the fifth section 21E, but are not limited to this, and may be positioned closer to either side for reasons such as avoiding other members.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, one strain gauge is provided in each of the second section 21B to the fifth section 21E, but this is not the only option. That is, multiple strain gauges, for example two, may be provided in a single section, and one strain gauge may be provided at each end of the section in the longitudinal direction.

In this embodiment, the strain of the main body 11 is detected using a strain gauge, but this is not limited to this method, and strain sensors using other detection methods may be used. Examples of other detection methods include those using lasers.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of the strain detection configuration of the measuring robot 10, and corresponds to Figure 3, which shows one example. Note that the other example shown in Figure 4 has a configuration common to Figure 3 described above, and therefore uses the same reference numerals, and its explanation may be omitted.
In another example shown in Figure 4, the measuring robot 10 is equipped with strain gauges 61 and 63 as an example of a detection unit. That is, in this other example, two strain gauges 61 and 63 are provided, which differs from the example that provides four strain gauges 61 to 64.

More specifically, of the second to fifth sections 21B to 21E, a strain gauge 61 is provided in the second section 21B, and a strain gauge 63 is provided in the fourth section 21D. No strain gauge is provided in the third section 21C, which is adjacent to the second section 21B, nor is there a strain gauge in the fifth section 21E, which is adjacent to the fourth section 21D.
In another example shown in Figure 4, the number of strain gauges used is reduced compared to the example shown in Figure 3. This configuration prioritizes cost reduction over detection accuracy.

Therefore, in the other example shown in Figure 4, strain in the second joint 21B due to contact with the inner circumferential surface 110 of the second wheel portion 32 is detected by a strain gauge 61, and strain in the fourth joint 21D due to contact with the inner circumferential surface 110 of the fourth wheel portion 34 is detected by a strain gauge 63.
The second section 21B and the fourth section 21D are examples of first connection sections provided with a detection unit, and the third section 21C and the fifth section 21E are examples of second connection sections not provided with a detection unit.

In one example shown in Figure 3, strain gauges 60 are provided in each of the second section 21B to the fifth section 21E, which have wheel sections at both ends. In another example shown in Figure 4, strain gauges 60 are provided in the second section 21B and the fourth section 21D of the second section 21B to the fifth section 21E, which have wheel sections at both ends, but not in the third section 21C adjacent to the second section 21B or the fifth section 21E adjacent to the fourth section 21D. In other words, the second section 21B to the fifth section 21E includes the second section 21B and the fourth section 21D, where strain gauges 60 are provided, and the third section 21C and the fifth section 21E, which are adjacent to the second section 21B and the fourth section 21D and where strain gauges 60 are not provided.
Thus, in this embodiment, the strain gauge 60 is provided in at least a portion of the multiple second section portions 21B to fifth section portions 21E.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of the strain detection configuration of the measuring robot 10, and corresponds to Figures 3 and 4 described above. Note that the other example shown in Figure 5 has a configuration common to Figures 3 and 4 described above, so the same reference numerals are used and their explanation may be omitted.
In another example shown in Figure 5, a pair of strain gauges 60, as an example of a pair of detection units, are arranged for each of the second wheel section 32 to the fourth wheel section 34.

Specifically, a strain gauge 61b is provided on the second joint portion 21B connected to the first wheel portion 31. The strain gauge 61b is positioned close to the first wheel portion 31 and is located on the axis connecting the first hinge portion 22a and the second hinge portion 22b.

Furthermore, strain gauges 61c and 61d are provided on the second section 21B and the third section 21C, respectively, which are located close to the second wheel section 32. The strain gauge 61c is on the axis connecting the first hinge section 22a and the second hinge section 22b, and the strain gauge 61d is on the axis connecting the second hinge section 22b and the third hinge section 22c.
The term "close position" as used herein refers to a position in a joint where a strain gauge and two wheel sections are provided, where the distance to one wheel section, which is the target of contact/non-contact or contact state detection by the strain gauge, is closer than the distance to the other wheel section, and is a position closer to one wheel section than the center of the longitudinal length. For example, in the case of strain gauge 61b, in the second joint section 21B connected to the first wheel section 31 and the second wheel section 32, the distance to the first wheel section 31, which is the target of detection by strain gauge 61b, is closer than the distance to the second wheel section 32. Note that in the case of a joint section provided with only one wheel section (for example, the first joint section 21A, the sixth joint section 21F), "the other wheel section" is read as "the other end."

Similarly, strain gauges 61e and 61f are provided on the axial portions of the third section 21C and fourth section 21D, which are located near the third wheel section 33, respectively. Strain gauges 61g and 61h are provided on the axial portions of the fourth section 21D and fifth section 21E, which are located near the fourth wheel section 34, respectively. Furthermore, a strain gauge 61i is provided on the axial portion of the fifth section 21E, which is located near the fifth wheel section 35.
When the first wheel section 31 is connected to the first section 21A and the second section 21B, the first section 21A, on which the strain gauge 61a is provided, is an example of one connection part, and the second section 21B, on which the strain gauge 61b is provided, is an example of the other connection part.

In other words, another example employs a configuration comprising a strain gauge 61b for the first wheel section 31, a pair of strain gauges 61c and 61d for the second wheel section 32, a pair of strain gauges 61e and 61f for the third wheel section 33, a pair of strain gauges 61g and 61h for the fourth wheel section 34, and a strain gauge 61i for the fifth wheel section 35. By adopting this configuration, where a pair of strain gauges 60 are positioned close to one wheel section, it becomes possible to cancel out disturbances such as drift by comparing their outputs.

In other examples, a pair of strain gauges 60 are provided for each of the first to fifth wheel sections 31 to 35, but the invention is not limited to this. Multiple pairs of strain gauges 60 may be provided, or multiple strain gauges 60 may be provided instead of in pairs.
Furthermore, although the case in which the strain gauge 60 is mounted on the shaft has been described, it is not limited to this, and depending on the object to be canceled, it may be mounted on the shaft or at a position off-axis in the direction laterally relative to the axial direction.

Furthermore, in other examples, as shown in Figure 5, a pair of strain gauges 60 are provided on the right side of the first section 21A to the sixth section 21F of the main body 11, but this is not limited to this, and they may be provided on each surface that can be seen when the main body 11 is viewed from one direction. For example, strain gauges 60 may be provided on the upper surfaces of the first section 21A to the sixth section 21F. Strain gauges 60 may also be provided on the lower surfaces, or on the left side surfaces.
Furthermore, as will be described later, the strain gauges 60 may be arranged vertically (see Figure 15) or front-to-back.

Note that Figure 5 does not show the measurement processing unit 54 or the lines connecting the measurement processing unit 54 to the strain gauges 61a to 61j. This omission is for clarity and can be the same as that shown in Figures 3 and 4 above.

Here, by providing a strain gauge 61a on the first section 21A and a strain gauge 61j on the sixth section 21F, the imaging unit 14 (see Figure 2) may be controlled to prevent it from contacting the inner circumferential surface 110 (see Figure 2) of the pipe 100.

In addition, the main body 11 shown in Figures 3 to 5 each comprises a first section 21A to a sixth section 21F and a first wheel section 31 to a fifth wheel section 35. However, the minimum constituent unit of the main body 11 is a configuration comprising two sections (for example, a second section 21B and a third section 21C) and three wheel sections (for example, a first wheel section 31, a second wheel section 32, and a third wheel section 33). In this case, by having at least one strain gauge (for example, a strain gauge 61), it is possible to detect strain caused by any of the three wheel sections contacting the inner circumferential surface 110.
The following describes various embodiments to which this embodiment applies.

<First Embodiment>
Next, the first embodiment will be described.
Figure 6 is a side view of the second section 21B according to the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, the second section 21B to the fifth section 21E have the same configuration, so the second section 21B will be described as a representative example. Note that the same reference numerals are used for components that are the same as in the above-described embodiment, and their descriptions may be omitted.

As shown in Figure 6, the second section 21B is composed of a frame 70, which is the body that forms the basic structure of the second section 21B, and a cover member 70a that covers the side surface of the frame 70.
The frame 70 is a structural member that is an example of a skeletal member having higher rigidity than the cover member 70a. The frame 70 is a member that constitutes a part of the second section 21B and has a width dimension in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper.
The cover member 70a is attached to the frame 70 using a waterproofing material such as a sealant, and together with the frame 70, it forms a part of the outer surface of the second section 21B.

The frame 70 rotatably holds the first wheel section 31 and the second wheel section 32 described above, and also holds the wheel drive unit 23 that drives the first wheel section 31 and the wheel drive unit 23 that drives the second wheel section 32. Furthermore, the frame 70 holds the drive unit 13 for changing the posture of the main body section 11.

To further explain, the frame 70 has an upper shape consisting of an upper surface portion 71 as an example of a flat upper surface, a first inclined surface portion 72 extending inclined from the upper surface portion 71 toward the first wheel portion 31, and a second inclined surface portion 73 extending inclined from the upper surface portion 71 toward the second wheel portion 32. Furthermore, the frame 70 has a lower shape consisting of a lower surface portion 74 as an example of a flat bottom surface, a first extension portion 75 extending from the lower surface portion 74 toward the first wheel portion 31, and a second extension portion 76 extending from the lower surface portion 74 toward the second wheel portion 32.

The frame 70 of the second section 21B is asymmetrical with respect to the center line CL, which is an example of a line connecting the rotation centers of the first wheel section 31 and the second wheel section 32, and is biased in one direction relative to the center line CL. That is, the frame 70 has a biased shape, being formed biased towards the upper region of the two regions (upper and lower regions) of the plane of paper divided by the center line CL. The upper surface portion 71 and the lower surface portion 74 described above are located in the upper region with respect to the center line CL. The upper surface portion 71 and the lower surface portion 74 are examples of surfaces located on one side of the line.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the first extension 75 and the second extension 76 of the frame 70 have portions located in the lower region with respect to the center line CL, while the bottom surface 74 is located in the upper region with respect to the center line CL and does not have a portion located in the lower region. Thus, the lower shape of the frame 70 is a so-called bow shape in which the center is located above both ends, and moreover, the bottom surface 74 is located above the center line CL.
In the frame 70 according to the first embodiment, a strain gauge 61 is bonded to the lower surface portion 74 located in the center of the curved shape.

Therefore, the lower portion 74 is a part that is easily deformed when a compressive force is applied to the frame 70. By providing a strain gauge 61 on this lower portion 74, the accuracy of strain detection can be improved. Furthermore, since the lower portion 74 is located closer to the center line CL on the frame 70 compared to the upper portion 71, it can suppress the effect of torsion when both compression and torsion are applied to the frame 70, thereby improving detection accuracy.

Figure 7 illustrates the posture of the measuring robot 10 when passing through the elbow bend section 120 of the pipe 100. For ease of explanation, Figure 7 shows the second section 21B to the fourth section 21D and the first wheel section 31 to the fourth wheel section 34.

As shown in Figure 7, the elbow bend piping section 120 is a bent portion of the pipe 100 and is a joint for changing the direction of the piping. In this embodiment, the elbow bend piping section 120 changes the direction by 90 degrees.
When passing through the elbow-bent piping section 120, the second section 21B to the fourth section 21D, which have an asymmetrical shape, do not need to make a wide turn to avoid the lower surface 74 interfering with the inner circumferential surface 110 of the elbow-bent piping section 120. By making a narrow turn, the movement trajectory of the measuring robot 10 is shortened, and the piping 100 can be moved efficiently.

Here, we will explain the drive transmission used by the drive unit 13 to change the orientation of the main body 11.
Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the drive transmission system of the drive unit 13. Note that this figure shows the case where the second joint 21B of the main body 11 changes its posture due to the drive unit 13 of the third joint 21C.
As shown in the figure, in the third section 21C, the drive unit 13 is held by the frame 70 and has a drive shaft 131. A gear 132 is provided at the tip of the drive shaft 131. The frame 70 of the third section 21C holds the gear 132 such that a gear 133 meshes with the gear 132.

The frame 70 of the second section 21B is provided with a gear 134 that meshes with gear 133. Therefore, when the drive unit 13 of the second section 21B is activated, the driving force is output to the drive shaft 131 and transmitted from gears 132 and 133 to the gear 134 of the frame 70 of the third section 21C. As a result, the frame 70 of the second section 21B rotates relative to the frame 70 of the third section 21C, changing its orientation.

Furthermore, the frame 70 of the third section 21C rotates relative to the frame 70 of the second section 21B by the drive unit 13 of the fourth section 21D (see, for example, Figure 2), thereby changing its orientation. In this way, the drive unit 13 of the fourth section 21D does not rotate its own frame 70, but rather rotates the adjacent frame 70.

Figure 9 is a partial side view showing a portion of the frame 70 alone.
As shown in the figure, the frame 70 includes a reinforcing plate 81 surrounded by a frame portion that forms the upper surface portion 71, etc., and a notch portion 82 formed by cutting out a part of the reinforcing plate 81. The frame 70 also includes an extension portion 83 extending from the periphery 82a of the notch portion 82, and a mounting portion 84 formed at the tip of the extension portion 83.
The extension portion 83 and the mounting portion 84 are examples of retaining portions.

The notch 82 of the frame 70 is formed in the region sandwiched between the upper surface 71 and the lower surface 74. That is, the frame 70 has a rectangular notch 82 at a position corresponding to the lower surface 74 where the strain gauge 61 is located.

The extension 83 extends toward the center of the notch 82. More specifically, the line segment 83a along the direction in which the extension 83 extends intersects the center line CL (see Figure 6). That is, the extension 83 extends not parallel to the center line CL, but intersects it.

To further explain, the frame 70 has a hole 85 in the reinforcing plate 81 for holding the drive unit 13 and allowing the drive shaft 131 (see Figure 8) to pass through. The frame 70 also has mounting holes 70b for attaching the cover member 70a (see Figure 6).

Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the mounting of circuit boards 91 and 93, which are housed in the frame 70.
As shown in the figure, two substrates 91 and 93 are attached to the frame 70 using mounting members 92 and 94 on the mounting portion 84 of the extension portion 83.

More specifically, as shown in Figure 10, mounting holes 91a are formed in the substrate 91, and mounting holes 93a are formed in the substrate 93. Furthermore, each of the mounting members 92 and 94 has a male thread corresponding to the female thread of the mounting portion 84. The substrate 91 is attached to the mounting portion 84 via the mounting member 92 from one side of the frame 70 (the side where the drive unit 13 is located in Figure 10). The substrate 93 is attached to the mounting portion 84 via the mounting member 94 from the other side of the frame 70 (the rear side in Figure 10).

To explain further, the two substrates 91 and 93 attached to the mounting portion 84 are spaced apart by the thickness of the mounting portion 84. Also, since the notch 82 is located between the substrates 91 and 93, when a tall component is mounted on either or both of the substrates 91 and 93, the internal space can be efficiently utilized by mounting the component mounting surface towards the notch 82 side. Furthermore, the heat dissipation effect on the substrates 91 and 93 can be improved compared to when the reinforcing plate 81 does not have a notch 82.
Furthermore, by using a two-board configuration, it becomes possible to miniaturize the frame 70, and also to address the heat generated by high-density mounting.

Figure 11 is a block diagram illustrating the control system in the measuring robot 10.
In the measuring robot 10, the control unit 19 (see Figure 2) can communicate with the built-in circuit boards 91 and 93 (see Figure 10) and transmits operation commands to the circuit boards 91 and 93. The control unit 19 can also communicate with the terminal device 50 and transmits operation commands to the circuit boards 91 and 93 in response to instructions from the terminal device 50.

As shown in Figure 11, the substrate 91 is equipped with a motor control unit 91b, and the substrate 93 is equipped with a measurement processing unit 54 and a motor control unit 93b.
The motor control unit 91b of the circuit board 91 controls the wheel drive unit 23 for driving the wheel section 12 (see Figure 2) to rotate according to the control signal from the control unit 19.
As described above, the measurement processing unit 54 of the substrate 93 performs measurement processing based on the detection results from the strain gauge 60, and the motor control unit 93b controls the bending drive unit 13 that changes the posture of the main body 11 (see Figure 2) using the results of the measurement processing of the measurement processing unit 54, in accordance with the control signal from the control unit 19.
The circuit board 93 is an example of a circuit built into the connection section. In this embodiment, the measurement processing unit 54 is provided on the built-in circuit board 93, but it may also be provided in a device (not shown) built into the frame 70.

To explain further, the control unit 19 controls the drive unit 13 on the circuit board 93 by specifying a predetermined range of strain gauge values on the circuit board 93 and then instructing the circuit board 93 to operate/stop the strain control. Signals related to strain control on the circuit board 93 are not transmitted to the control unit 19 or the terminal device 50.
Thus, when the measurement processing unit 54 is installed in the measurement robot 10, which is an example of a mobile body, autonomous control of the measurement robot 10 enables faster response to the detection results of the strain gauge 60 and smoother movement.

<Second Embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment will be described.
Figure 12 is a side view of the second section 21B according to the second embodiment, and corresponds to Figure 6 which describes the first embodiment. Note that the same reference numerals are used for components that are the same as in the first embodiment, and their descriptions may be omitted.

As shown in Figure 12, the strain gauge 61, indicated by the dashed line in the second embodiment, is the same as in the first embodiment in that it is provided on the lower surface 74 of the frame 70. However, the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment, in that the strain gauge 61 is provided on the inner surface of the lower surface 74, while the strain gauge 61 is provided on the outer surface of the lower surface 74.

<Third Embodiment>
Next, a third embodiment will be described.
Figure 13 is a side view of the second section 21B according to the third embodiment, and corresponds to Figure 5 which describes the first embodiment. Note that the same reference numerals are used for components that are the same as in the first embodiment, and their descriptions may be omitted.

As shown in Figure 13, the strain gauge 61 provided in the second section 21B is positioned on the upper surface 71, which is further away from the center line CL than the lower surface 74. Since the upper surface 71 is a larger area than the lower surface 74, a wider mounting surface for the strain gauge 61 can be secured, increasing the flexibility in selecting the strain gauge.

<Fourth Embodiment>
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described.
Figure 14 is a side view of the second section 21B according to the fourth embodiment, and corresponds to Figure 13 which illustrates the third embodiment. Note that the same reference numerals are used for components that are the same as those in the third embodiment, and their descriptions may be omitted.

As shown in Figure 14, the strain gauge 61 in the fourth embodiment is the same as in the third embodiment in that it is provided on the upper surface 71, but it differs from the third embodiment, in that the strain gauge 61 is provided on the inner surface of the upper surface 71, while the strain gauge 61 is provided on the outer surface of the upper surface 71.

<Fifth Embodiment>
Next, a fifth embodiment will be described.
Figure 15 is a side view of the second section 21B according to the fifth embodiment, showing an application to another example (a pair of strain gauges) of the strain detection configuration shown in Figure 5. Figure 15 corresponds to, for example, Figure 14 which describes the fourth embodiment, and the same reference numerals are used for the same components as in the fourth embodiment, etc., and their descriptions may be omitted.

As shown in Figure 15, in the fifth embodiment, a plurality of strain gauges, specifically strain gauges 61b and 61c, are provided on the second section 21B. More specifically, strain gauge 61b is provided on the lower surface 74, and strain gauge 61c is provided on the upper surface 71. In other words, strain gauges 61b and 61c are provided on surfaces that are at different positions relative to the center line CL.
The upper surface 71 and the lower surface 74 are examples of surfaces whose positions are different from each other with respect to the line connecting the rotation centers of the rotating part.

Thus, in the fifth embodiment, instead of being provided on the same surface of the second section 21B (see, for example, Figure 5), a configuration is adopted in which the strain gauges are provided on different surfaces of the second section 21B, resulting in a vertical arrangement. This vertical arrangement allows the strain gauges 61b and 61c to be positioned at the maximum deformation position of the second section 21B, enabling disturbance cancellation.

To further explain, in the fifth embodiment, the strain gauge 61b is provided on the outer surface of the lower portion 74 and the strain gauge 61c is provided on the outer surface of the upper portion 71. Both are provided on the outer surface to increase the sensitivity of the strain gauges 61b and 61c, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the strain gauge 61b may be provided on the inner surface of the lower portion 74 and the strain gauge 61c on the inner surface of the upper portion 71, with both provided on the inner surface.
Alternatively, one of the strain gauges 61b and 61c may be placed on the outer surface and the other on the inner surface (front-to-back arrangement). That is, the strain gauge 61b may be placed on the outer surface of the lower portion 74 and the strain gauge 61c on the inner surface of the upper portion 71, or the strain gauge 61b may be placed on the inner surface of the lower portion 74 and the strain gauge 61c on the outer surface of the upper portion 71.

In this embodiment, the frame 70 has a structure in which the upper portion 71 (see also Figure 8, for example) is resistant to twisting, while the lower portion 74 is easily deformable. As a result, deformation of the upper portion 71 is suppressed compared to that of the lower portion 74. Therefore, when the strain gauge 61 is provided on the lower portion 74, as in the first and second embodiments, the amount of deformation due to external force is larger than when it is provided on the upper portion 71, as in the third and fourth embodiments, thus improving the accuracy of external force detection.
To explain further, the frame 70 has a structure in which the upper surface 71 is more easily deformed than the lower surface 74, and when the strain gauge 61 is installed on the upper surface 71, the accuracy of external force detection can be improved compared to when it is installed on the lower surface 74.

10…Measuring robot, 13…Drive unit, 21A…First section, 21B…Second section, 21C…Third section, 21D…Fourth section, 21E…Fifth section, 21F…Sixth section, 31…First wheel section, 32…Second wheel section, 33…Third wheel section, 34…Fourth wheel section, 35…Fifth wheel section, 54…Measurement processing unit, 61-64, 61b-61i…Strain gauges, 70…Frame, 71…Top surface, 74…Bottom surface, 82…Notch, 82a…Peripheral edge, 83…Extension section, 84…Mounting section, 91, 93…Substrate, 100…Piping, 110…Inner circumferential surface, CL…Centerline

Claims (12)

A movable body that is installed along the pipe and is movable within the pipe,
Multiple rotating parts configured to be rotatable and capable of moving toward and away from the inner surface of the piping,
Multiple connecting parts that connect each of the multiple rotating parts to each other,
A detection unit is provided in the connection portion to detect strain occurring in the connection portion,
Equipped with ,
The detection unit is provided in at least a portion of the plurality of connection parts,
The plurality of connection portions include a first connection portion on which the detection unit is provided, and a second connection portion adjacent to the first connection portion and on which the detection unit is not provided.
A mobile object. The mobile body according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of connection parts include connection parts on which the plurality of detection parts are provided . The movable body according to claim 2, characterized in that the plurality of detection units are provided at positions close to the rotating part with respect to each of the plurality of connection parts connected to the rotating part, one of the connection parts and the other of the connection parts. A movable body that is installed along the pipe and is movable within the pipe,
Multiple rotating parts configured to be rotatable and capable of moving toward and away from the inner surface of the piping,
Multiple connecting parts that connect each of the multiple rotating parts to each other,
A detection unit is provided in the connection portion to detect strain occurring in the connection portion,
Equipped with,
The detection unit is provided on a skeletal member that constitutes a part of the connection unit.
The skeletal member is formed with an imbalance towards one of two regions separated by a line connecting the rotation centers of the rotating part connected to the connecting part, and has a surface located on one side of the line or a surface located on the other side.
The detection unit is provided on one of the surfaces of the skeletal member or on the other surface .
A mobile object. The movable body according to claim 4, characterized in that the plurality of detection units are provided on planes that are at different positions relative to a line connecting the rotation centers of the rotating units connected to the connecting unit . The detection unit is provided on the other side of the skeletal member ,
The mobile body according to claim 4, characterized in that the other surface is the bottom surface . The detection unit is provided on one of the surfaces of the skeletal member ,
The movable body according to claim 4 , characterized in that the surface located on one of the aforementioned surfaces is the upper surface . The movable body according to claim 4 , characterized in that the skeletal member has a notch at a position corresponding to the surface on which the detection unit is provided . The movable body according to claim 8 , characterized in that the notch portion has a holding portion that extends from the periphery of the notch portion and holds the substrate . The movable body according to claim 9 , characterized in that the holding portion extends in a direction intersecting the line connecting the rotation centers of the rotating portion connected to the connecting portion . The movable body according to claim 9 , characterized in that the holding portion holds a plurality of substrates apart from each other . The system includes a measurement processing unit that acquires the detection result from the detection unit and performs measurement processing,
The mobile body according to claim 4 , characterized in that the measurement processing unit is provided in a circuit built into the connection part where the detection unit is provided .