PROPULSION DEVICE AND UNDERWATER ROBOT

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a propulsion device and an underwater robot. The propulsion device includes a bracket, a first thruster, and a second thruster. A first chamber and a second chamber are defined in the bracket, and the first thruster and the second thruster are respectively arranged in the first chamber and the second chamber. In a stationary state, in the case that the first thruster acts as a horizontal thruster or a vertical thruster, the second thruster functions as a vector thruster; or in the case that the second thruster acts as a horizontal thruster or a vertical thruster, the first thruster functions as a vector thruster.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation in part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/598,048 filed on Sep. 24, 2021 and is a U.S. national stage application of PCT international application No. PCT/CN2020/080616 filed on Mar. 23, 2020, which claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 201910300120.6 filed on Apr. 15, 2019, the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a propulsion device and an underwater robot.

BACKGROUND

People have a strong interest in exploring the unknown underwater world. With continuous advancements in science and technology, underwater exploration has transitioned from mere speculation to reality. As a type of devices designed for extreme underwater operations, underwater robots are capable of operating in harsh underwater environments and perform various tasks. The robots are capable of diving to depths unreachable by humans, making them an important tool for ocean exploration.

Underwater robots achieve movement in underwater environments through thrusters mounted on their bodies. The coordinated operation of a plurality of thrusters enables the underwater robots to hover, adjust their posture, and move forward or backward.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present disclosure are intended to provide a propulsion device and an underwater robot.

A first aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure provides a propulsion device. The propulsion device includes: a bracket, a first thruster, and a second thruster; wherein

a first chamber and a second chamber are defined in the bracket, and the first thruster and the second thruster are respectively arranged in the first chamber and the second chamber; and

in a stationary state, in a case that the first thruster acts as a horizontal thruster or a vertical thruster, the second thruster functions as a vector thruster; or in a case that the second thruster acts as a horizontal thruster or a vertical thruster, the first thruster functions as a vector thruster.

A second aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure provides an underwater robot. The underwater robot includes: a body and at least two first propulsion devices; wherein

each of the first propulsion devices includes a first thruster;

wherein the first thruster is a vector thruster, and using a plane established by any two coordinate axes in a three-dimensional coordinate system established by a length, width, and height of the body as a reference plane, a plane is established based on a center axis of the vector thruster and a projection of the center axis on the reference plane; and

wherein planes established for the vector thrusters on one side of the body based on the same reference plane are not coplanar.

The technical effects of the propulsion device and the underwater robots according to the embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For clearer descriptions of the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure or in the related art, the following briefly introduces the accompanying drawings required for describing the embodiments or the related art. Apparently, the accompanying drawings in the following description show some embodiments of the present disclosure, and a person of ordinary skill in the art may still derive other drawings from these accompanying drawings without creative efforts.

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a propulsion device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a thrust distribution of a propulsion device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating another thrust distribution of a propulsion device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating yet another thrust distribution of a propulsion device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5A is a schematic structural diagram of a bracket according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5B is a schematic structural diagram of the backet in FIG. 5A from another perspective;

FIG. 5C is a schematic structural diagram of a bracket according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6A is a right view of the bracket in FIG. 5A;

FIG. 6B is a left view of the bracket in FIG. 5A;

FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a thruster according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8A is a schematic structural diagram of an underwater robot in the related art;

FIG. 8B is a schematic diagram illustrating projection of a center axis of a horizontal thruster of the underwater robot as illustrated in FIG. 8A;

FIG. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of an underwater robot according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating projection of a center axis of a vector thruster of the underwater robot as illustrated in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a top view of the underwater robot as illustrated in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a front view of the underwater robot as illustrated in FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is a schematic structural diagram of an underwater robot according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14 is a schematic structural diagram of an underwater robot according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating projection of a center axis of a vector thruster of the underwater robot as illustrated in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a front view of the underwater robot as illustrated in FIG. 14;

FIG. 17 is a top view of the underwater robot as illustrated in FIG. 9;

FIG. 18 is a front view of an underwater robot according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 19 is a top view of the underwater robot as illustrated in FIG. 18.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains. The terms used herein in the specification of present disclosure are only intended to illustrate the specific embodiments of the present disclosure, instead of limiting the present disclosure. The terms “comprise,” “include,” and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of the present disclosure and in the description of the drawings are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. The terms such as “first,” “second,” and the like in the specifications, claims or the accompanying drawings of the present disclosure are intended to distinguishing different objects but are not intended to define a specific sequence.

The terms “example” and “embodiment” in this specification signify that the specific characteristic, structures or features described with reference to the embodiments may be covered in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. This term, when appearing in various parts of the specification, neither indicates the same embodiment, nor indicates an independent or optional embodiment that is exclusive of the other embodiments. A person skilled in the art would implicitly or explicitly understand that the embodiments described in this specification may be incorporated with other embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 1, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a propulsion device 100. The propulsion device 100 includes: a bracket 110, a first thruster 120, and a second thruster 130. A first chamber 111 and a second chamber 112 are defined in the bracket 110. The first thruster 120 and the second thruster 130 are respectively arranged in the first chamber 111 and the second chamber 112. In a stationary state, in the case that the first thruster 120 acts as a horizontal thruster or a vertical thruster, the second thruster functions as a vector thruster; or in the case that the second thruster 130 acts as a horizontal thruster or a vertical thruster, the first thruster 120 functions as a vector thruster.

In the embodiments, the “stationary state” refers to a state of the propulsion device when it is either not mounted or mounted on a carrier device but not in operation. The propulsion device may have various stationary states. In the embodiments, the state when the first thruster 120 functions as a horizontal thruster, the first thruster 120 functions as a vertical thruster, the second thruster 130 functions as a horizontal thruster, or the second thruster 130 functions as a vertical thruster is one of the various stationary states.

In the embodiments, a direction of a thrust generated by the horizontal thruster in operation is parallel to a horizontal plane, and the horizontal thruster supplies a thrust to a carrier device such as an underwater robot along a horizontal direction, such that the carrier device is caused to move forward, backward, and sideways. Conversely, a direction of a thrust generated by the vertical thruster in operation is parallel to a vertical plane, and the vertical thruster supplies a thrust to the carrier device along a vertical direction, such that the carrier device is caused to ascend or descend. A three-dimensional coordinate system may be established, and the direction of the thrust of the horizontal thruster or vertical thruster is parallel to one of the axes, that is, components of the thrust on the other two axes of the three-dimensional coordinate system are zero.

Unlike the horizontal thruster and the vertical thruster, a vector thruster generates thrust components that are non-zero along at least two axes of the three-dimensional coordinate system. In the case that the three-dimensional coordinate system is established using two horizontal axes and one vertical axis, the thrust produced by the vector thruster may have components in both the vertical and horizontal directions, or components parallel to the horizontal plane. Thus, the vector thruster is capable of supplying power to posture adjustment of the carrier device, such that various movements such as rolling, turning, ascending, and descending of the carrier device are implemented.

Referring to FIG. 2, in the stationary state, the first thruster 120 functions as a horizontal thruster which supplies a horizontal thrust F1 parallel to an X-axis, whereas the second thruster 130 supplies a thrust F2. The thrust F2 has a component F21, a component F22, and a component F33 along the X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis respectively. That is, the second thruster 130 supplies thrust components along the vertical direction, and supplies horizontal thrust components along two different directions, in the horizontal plane, thereby forming a vector thruster.

Referring to FIG. 3, the propulsion device in another stationary state is illustrated. In this stationary state, the first thruster 120 functions as a vertical thruster. In this case, the first thruster 120 supplies a vertical thrust F1′, whereas a thrust F2′ supplied by the second thruster 130 has a component F21′ and a component F22′ along the X-axis and the Y-axis respectively. That is, the second thruster 130 supplies horizontal thrust components along two different directions, thereby forming a vector thruster.

Generally, relative positions of the first thruster 120 and the second thruster 130 on the bracket 110 are fixed.

In some embodiments, the first thruster 120 and the second thruster 130 may be configured as movable structures, that is, the propulsion device is an adjustable propulsion device. The relative positions of the first thruster 120 and the second thruster 130 on the bracket 110 may be changed. In the case that the first thruster 120 and the second thruster 130 are in different relative positions, as long as an angle between direction vectors of the thrusts supplied by the first thruster 120 and the second thruster 130 in the three-dimensional coordinate system is between 0° and 90° (excluding 0° and 90°), at least one vector thruster in any stationary state is present in the adjustable propulsion device. This allows the propulsion device to flexibly supply thrusts along different directions for the carrier device.

Referring to FIG. 4, in a stationary state as illustrated in FIG. 4, the second thruster 130 functions as a horizontal thruster which supplies a horizontal thrust F2″ parallel to the X-axis, whereas the first thruster 120 supplies a thrust F1″. The thrust F1″ has a component F11″, a component F12″, and a component F13″ along the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis respectively. That is, the first thruster 120 is capable of supplying thrust components along the vertical direction, and supplies horizontal thrust components along two different directions in the horizontal plane, thereby forming a vector thruster.

Likewise, the second thruster 130 functions as a vertical thruster, the first thruster 120 forms a vector thruster. For details, reference may be made to FIG. 3.

FIGS. 2 to 4 only illustrate the distribution of thrusts from the first thruster 120 and the second thruster 130 of the propulsion device in some stationary states. In other stationary states, the first thruster 120 and the second thruster 130 may have different thrust distributions such that one functions as a horizontal thruster and the other functions as a vertical thruster, or both function as vector thrusters.

In the propulsion device according to the embodiments, the first thruster 120 and the second thruster 130 are arranged on a single bracket 110, and these two independent thrusters are integrated into one piece. This high degree of integration reduces space occupation, and for a carrier device where a plurality of thrusters need to be mounted, and further simplifies mounting processes, exponentially reduce mounting time. Additionally, maintenance becomes more straightforward, and thus efficiency is increased. Furthermore, in the case that one of the first thruster 120 and the second thruster 130 functions as a horizontal or vertical thruster, the other serves as a vector thruster. This configuration not only supplies a thrust for the forward or vertical movement for the carrier device, but also enables adjustment to the posture of the carrier device. In this way, a superior propulsion performance is achieved, and maneuverability of the carrier device is enhanced.

In some embodiments, the propulsion device has a first state and a second state. A thrust direction of the first thruster 120 in the first state is consistent with a thrust direction of the second thruster 130 in the second state, and a thrust direction of the first thruster 120 in the second state is consistent with a thrust direction of the second thruster 130 in the first direction.

Referring back to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, the same three-dimensional coordinate system is illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4. FIG. 2 illustrates the first state of the propulsion device. In the first state, the thrust direction of the first thruster 120 is parallel to the X-axis, while the thrust direction of the second thruster 130 is angled. FIG. 4 illustrates the second state of the propulsion device. In the second state, the thrust direction of the second thruster 130 is parallel to the X-axis, that is, consistent with the thrust direction of the first thruster 120 in the first state. Conversely, the thrust direction of the first thruster 120 in the second state is angled, and an extension direction of this angled direction of thrust is consistent with the thrust direction of the second thruster 130 in the first state. In the embodiments, it is assumed that when a center axis of the first thruster 120 in the first state is coincident with a center axis of the second thruster 130 in the second state, then the center axis of the first thruster 120 in the second state is not coincident with the center axis of the second thruster 130 in the first state.

In the embodiments, the first state and the second state constitute a state group. Within this state group, the first thruster 120 and the second thruster 130 may be functionally interchangeable between different states, such that the propulsion device maintains a consistent thrust direction in different states. This enhances the mounting flexibility of the propulsion device, such that the propulsion device adapts to the mounting requirements of different carrier devices in various deployment scenarios. FIGS. 2 and 4 only illustrate a state group of the propulsion device. In the embodiments, the propulsion device may further have other state groups to ensure a consistent thrust direction in different states.

In some embodiments, referring back to FIG. 1, the bracket 110 includes a body section 113, wherein a first chamber 111 and a second chamber 112 are defined at both ends of the body section 113. The arrangement of the body section 113 creates a specific distance between the first thruster 120 and the second thruster 130 in space, thereby avoiding mutual interference of the thrusts generated by the first thruster 120 and the second thruster 130.

In the embodiments, referring to FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, the structures of the bracket 110 at different angles are illustrated. The body section 113 is formed by a first arc surface 113a and a second arc surface 113b that are opposite to each other as well as two sidewall surfaces that are opposite to each other. The two sidewall surfaces are respectively a first sidewall surface 113c and a second sidewall surface 113d. The sidewall surfaces are connected to the first arc surface 113a and the second arc surface 113b. The first arc surface 113a and the second arc surface 113b are smoothly transitioned from an outer wall 111a of the first chamber 111 to a port of the second chamber 112. An area of the first arc surface 113a is greater than that of the second arc surface 113b.

In the embodiments, starting from the outer wall 111a of the first chamber 111, the first arc surface 113a and the second arc surface 113b are smoothly transitioned from both sides of the bracket 110 to two opposite ports of the second chamber 112. In this context, the phrase “smoothly transitioned” refers to a seamless connection at a junction between the outer wall 111a of the first chamber 111 and the first arc surface 113a and the second arc surface 113b to avoid abrupt transition. This design helps reduce water resistance in the case that the propulsion device is mounted on the carrier device such as an underwater robot, such that the mobility of the carrier device is enhanced.

In the embodiments, the difference in area between the first arc surface 113a and the second arc surface 113b may be formed by both surfaces protruding towards the same direction, thereby creating an arched shape for the body section 113, as illustrated in FIG. 6A. This arched shape exhibits streamlined characteristics, which are advantageous for reducing water resistance during operation on the carrier device such as an underwater robot. Additionally, in the case that the body section 113 is relatively long, adopting an arched shape reduces an overall length of the propulsion device. It should be noted that the difference in area between the first arc surface 113a and the second arc surface 113b may be influenced by other structural factors of the body section 113. For example, widths of the first arc surface 113a and the second arc surface 113b may vary along the center axis of the second thruster 130, or directions of the protrusions of the first arc surface 113a and the second arc surface 113b may differ, thereby forming other shapes for the body section 113, such as a spindle shape, a waisted shape or the like.

In the embodiments, an outer wall 112a of the second chamber 112 is connected to the port of the first chamber 111 via the sidewall surface. In some optional embodiments, referring back to FIG. 5A, FIG. 5B, and FIG. 6A, the first sidewall surface 113c and the second sidewall surface 113d are arc-shaped. The outer wall 112a of the second chamber 112 is smoothly transitioned from the first sidewall surface 113c to one port of the first chamber 111 and then smoothly transitioned from the second sidewall surface 113d to another port of the first chamber 111.

In some optional embodiments, referring to FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B, the areas of the first sidewall surface 113c and the second sidewall surface 113d are equal, such that symmetry of the body section 113 is exhibited in space, and hence the flexibility of mounting the bracket 110 is enhanced. By mounting the bracket 110 in two different states as illustrated in FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B, symmetrical mounting requirements of the propulsion device on the carrier device are satisfied.

In the embodiments, referring to FIG. 5C, the bracket 110 further includes an avoidance section 114, at least part of which is opened in the second arc surface 113b. By defining the avoidance section 114, space on the bracket 110 may be saved, and the mounting and removal of the second thruster 130 is facilitated. For this purpose, in some optional embodiments, the avoidance section 114 may further extend to the outer wall 111a of the first chamber 111 to provide more clearance space.

In some embodiments, the bracket 110 is integrally formed, for example, by injection molding, and required contours, holes, surface treatments, or the like are finished in a single mold. This design achieves a simpler structure, easy mounting, and higher structural strength.

In some embodiments, a wiring channel (not illustrated) is arranged in the bracket 110. This design ensures good concealment of wiring, facilitates waterproof sealing, and helps maintain neat wiring and management, thereby enhancing safety.

In some embodiments, the first thruster 120 and the second thruster 130 may have the same structure. As illustrated in FIG. 7, support structures 115 respectively configured to support the first thruster 120 and the second thruster 130 are respectively arranged in the first chamber 111 and the second chamber 112. A wiring groove 115a in communication with the wiring channel in the bracket 110 is defined in each of the support structures 115, thereby ensuring good concealment of wires and enhancing safety. To ensure the stable operation of the first thruster 120 and the second thruster 130, the support structures 115 are fabricated from high-strength materials by precision machining, which provide excellent wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and the ability to withstand high loads.

In some embodiments, the propulsion device further includes a mount configured to be connected to a carrier device, wherein the mount is mounted on the first arc surface 113a. The propulsion device is mounted on the carrier device via the bracket 110, with various mounting methods available. The mounting process may employ any one of the fastening methods including fasteners locking, adhesive bonding, riveting, or snap-fastening, or a combination of two or more of these methods, such as a combination of snap-fitting and fasteners locking. By placing the mount on the first arc surface 113a, better fitting to the body of the carrier equipment is facilitated, such that the overall structure is more compact and thus space occupation is reduced.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure further provide an underwater robot, with the contents of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/598,048 (hereinafter referred to as the “prior application”) being incorporated herein by reference. It is noted that, to highlight the differences between the present disclosure and the prior application, only the relevant features of the prior application related to the present disclosure content are selectively cited in the detailed description of the underwater robot hereinafter. For details about the features of the prior application not cited herein, reference may be made to the prior application.

The underwater robot includes a body and at least two pairs of first propulsion devices connected to the body. In the embodiments, the first propulsion device functions as a power source for the underwater robot, corresponding to the thruster assembly in the prior application. Unlike the thruster assembly in the prior application, which only includes a single thruster, the first propulsion device according to the embodiments of the present disclosure may include more than one or more thrusters, with at least one of the thrusters being a vector thruster. Therefore, the underwater robot according to the embodiments includes at least four vector thrusters. In a three-dimensional coordinate system established based on a length, width, and height of the body of the underwater robot, a reference plane is formed by any two coordinate axes. A plane is established based on the center axis of each of the vector thrusters and a projection thereof on the reference plane. In this case, for each of the vector thrusters on one side of the body, planes established based on the same reference plane are not coplanar.

The following describes the above embodiments of the underwater robot using two pairs of first propulsion devices as an example, which does not constitute an exclusive limitation on the technical solutions according to the present disclosure.

Chinese patent application No. CN107690406A discloses an underwater robot with multiple degrees of freedom of navigation. Referring to FIG. 8A, a three-dimensional coordinate system is established based on the length, width, and height of the underwater robot as illustrated in FIG. 1 of CN107690406A. In this coordinate system, the length corresponds to the X-axis, the width corresponds to the Y-axis, and the height corresponds to the Z-axis. This three-dimensional coordinate system has three reference planes: an XY reference plane established by the X and Y axes, an XZ reference plane established by the X and Z axes, and a YZ reference plane established by the Y and Z axes. Center axes P and Q of the two horizontal thrusters on one side of the robot are projected onto each of the reference planes. Referring to FIG. 8B, there are projection lines P1 and Q1 on the XZ reference plane, from which planes PP1 and QQ1 may be established. The plane PP1 contains both the center axis P and the projection line P1, and the plane QQ1 contains both the center axis Q and the projection line Q1. Projections of these two planes on the XZ reference plane are coincident with the projection lines P1 and Q1 respectively. Similarly, projection lines P2 and Q2 on the YZ reference plane allow for the establishment of planes PP2 and QQ2. The plane PP2 contains both the center axis P and the projection line P2, and the plane QQ2 contains both the center axis Q and the projection line Q2. Projections of these two planes on the YZ reference plane are coincident with the projection lines P2 and Q2 respectively. On the XY reference plane, there are projection lines P3 and Q3, from which planes PP3 and QQ3 may be established. The plane PP3 contains both the center axis P and the projection line P3, and the plane QQ3 contains both the center axis Q and the projection line Q3. Projections of these two planes on the XY reference plane are coincident with the projection lines P3 and Q3 respectively. The coincidence of the projection lines P1 and Q1 means that the planes PP1 and QQ1 are coplanar. The collinearity of projection lines P2 and Q2 means that the planes PP2 and QQ2 are coplanar, and projection heights of the two horizontal thrusters on the XZ and YZ reference planes are consistent. Therefore, the planes PP1, QQ1, PP2, and QQ2 are also coplanar. The thrusts supplied by the two horizontal thrusters on one side of the underwater robot disclosed in CN107690406A lie in the same plane and the thrusters fail to supply thrusts along different directions on different planes.

Referring to FIG. 9, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide an underwater robot. The underwater robot includes a body 10 and two pairs of first propulsion devices 20. Each of the first propulsion devices 20 includes a first thruster 120, which is a vector thruster. In the embodiments, the underwater robot includes four vector thrusters mounted on the body 10. According to orientations illustrated in FIG. 8, an anterior-posterior orientation corresponds to a length direction of the body 10, a left-right orientation corresponds to a width direction of the body 10, and a superior-inferior orientation correspond to a height direction of the body 10. The four vector thrusters are evenly distributed on left and right sides of the body 10, with one positioned at the front and one at the rear on the left side, and one positioned at the front and one at the rear on the right side. In other embodiments, the four vector thrusters may also be positioned in other locations on the body 10, such as on the front and rear sides, or the top and bottom sides, or in a combination of positions on the left, right, front, rear, top, and bottom sides.

Referring to FIG. 10, a three-dimensional coordinate system is established based on a length, width, and height directions of the body 10 of the underwater robot illustrated in FIG. 9, wherein the length corresponds to the X-axis, the width corresponds to the Y-axis, and the height corresponds to the Z-axis. This three-dimensional coordinate system has three reference planes: an XY reference plane established by the X-axis and the Y-axis, an XZ reference plane established by the X-axis and the Z-axis, and a YZ reference plane established by the Y-axis and the Z-axis. According to orientations illustrated in FIG. 10, the center axes of the two vector thrusters on the left side of the body 10 are projected onto each of the reference planes. Specifically, the center axes A and B of the two vector thrusters have projection lines A1 and B1 on the XZ reference plane, from which planes AA1 and BB1 may be established respectively. The plane AAl contains both the center axis A and the projection line A1, and the plane BB1 contains both the center axis B and the projection line B1. The center axes A and B have projection lines A2 and B2 on the YZ reference plane, from which planes AA2 and BB2 may be established respectively. The plane AA2 contains both the center axis A and the projection line A2, and the plane BB2 contains both the center axis B and the projection line B2. The center axes A and B have projection lines A3 and B3 on the XY reference plane, from which planes AA3 and BB3 may be established respectively. The plane AA3 contains both the center axis A and the projection line A3, and the plane BB3 contains both the center axis B and the projection line B3.

As illustrated in FIG. 10, for the XZ reference plane, projections of the planes AA1 and BB1 on the XZ reference plane are two straight lines, and these two straight lines are collinear with projection lines A1 and B1 respectively. Therefore, the projection lines A1 and B1 reflect a relative positional relationship of the two planes established based on the XZ reference plane. The two planes established based on the XZ reference plane are coplanar only in the case that the projection lines A1 and B1 are coincident with each other. Apparently, in the embodiments, the two planes established based on the XZ reference plane are not coplanar.

Similarly, as illustrated in FIG. 10, for the YZ reference plane, projection lines A2 and B2 reflect that the planes AA2 and BB2 are not coplanar; and for the XY reference plane, projection lines A3 and B3 reflect that the planes AA3 and BB3 are not coplanar.

In the embodiments, the vector thrusters on one side of the body 10 of the underwater robot, based on the same reference plane, establish planes that are not coplanar, which means that the vector thrusters may supply thrusts in different directions within different planes. Relative to the body 10, this allows for thrust vectors at more angles, such that the underwater robot is more flexible and maneuverable. In this way, the underwater robot achieves more precise attitude adjustments, and is suitable for various complex underwater application scenarios.

In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the body 10 of the underwater robot has a first center axis R1 along the length direction and a second center axis R2 along the width direction. In conjunction with FIG. 12, the two vector thrusters on one side of the vertical plane R12 where the first center axis R1 is located are distributed on upper and lower sides of the horizontal plane R11 where the first center axis R1 is located. This distribution pattern may provide more stable thrusts.

In other embodiments, the vector thrusters on one side of the vertical plane R12 may also be distributed on the same side of the horizontal plane R11, such as simultaneously on the upper side or lower side. That is, the vector thrusters on one side of the vertical plane R12 are distributed on at least one side of the horizontal plane R11.

In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the two pairs of first propulsion devices 20 are symmetrically arranged on the body 10. In conjunction with FIG. 12, the center axes of one pair of symmetrical vector thrusters are intersected at a first intersection point C1, and the center axes of the other pair of symmetrical vector thrusters are intersected at a second intersection point C2. The first and second intersection points are located on different sides of the body 10, specifically on the upper and lower sides of the horizontal plane R11. In this way, supplying angled thrusts on different sides of the body 10 effectively improves the stability and maneuverability of the underwater robot.

In some embodiments, referring back to FIG. 9, the underwater robot further includes a pair of second propulsion devices 30 mounted on the body 10. In conjunction with FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, each of the second propulsion devices 30 includes a horizontal thruster. Hence, two horizontal thrusters are mounted at positions in the middle of the left and right sides of the body 10 to supply thrusts for forward or backward movement. The directions of the thrusts supplied by the two first thrusters 120 and the horizontal thrusters on one side of the body 10 are different.

In some other embodiments, a plurality of pairs of second propulsion devices may be arranged, and thrusters in different second propulsion devices 30 may be configured as both horizontal and vertical thrusters.

In some other embodiments, the second propulsion device 30 may also be mounted on the upper or lower side of the body 10 of the underwater robot.

In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the first propulsion device 20 and the second propulsion device 30 on one side of the body 10 are respectively connected to the body 10 via a first linkage 11 and a second linkage 12. Different from the prior application, to reduce water resistance of the underwater robot, the body 10 in the embodiments is designed with a biomimetic design, with differences in width between the front, middle, and rear sections of the body 10. Based on this, the first linkage 11 is longer than the second linkage 12, allowing the first propulsion device 20 and the second propulsion device 30 to provide thrusts along different directions at different positions around the body 10. In this way, the balance and maneuverability of the underwater robot are enhanced.

In some embodiments, referring back to FIG. 13, a horizontal plane R11 where the center axis of the body 10 along the length direction is illustrated. The first linkages 11 are distributed on both sides of the horizontal plane R11 where the first center axis is located, and the first linkages 11 on different sides respectively define a first angle β and a second angle γ with the horizontal plane R11 where the first center axis is located. In the embodiments, the first angle β and the second angle γ between the different first linkages 11 and the horizontal plane R11 where the first center axis is located may be the same or different. The first propulsion device 20 connected to the first linkage 11 may supply angled thrusts along different directions to the underwater robot, such that the maneuverability of the underwater robot is enhanced.

Referring to FIG. 14, some other embodiments of the present disclosure further provide an underwater robot. The underwater robot includes a body 10 and two pairs of first propulsion devices 20. Each of the first propulsion devices 20 employs the propulsion device 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 to FIG. 7. Hereinafter, description is given using the structure of the propulsion device 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 to FIG. 7 as an example.

In the embodiments, the first thruster 120 is a vector thruster, and the second thruster 130 is a horizontal thruster. That is, the underwater robot according to the embodiments includes four vector thrusters and four horizontal thrusters mounted on the body 10. As illustrated in FIG. 14, an anterior-posterior orientation corresponds to a length direction of the body 10, a left-right orientation corresponds to a width direction of the body 10, and a superior-inferior orientation corresponds to a height direction of the body 10. The four first propulsion devices 20 are evenly distributed on the left and right sides of the body 10, with one positioned at the front and one positioned at the rear on each side.

In the embodiments, a three-dimensional coordinate system is established based on a length, width, and height directions of the body 10 of the underwater robot illustrated in FIG. 14. The length corresponds to the X-axis, the width corresponds to the Y-axis, and the height corresponds to the Z-axis. This three-dimensional coordinate system has three reference planes: an XY reference plane established by the X-axis and the Y-axis, an XZ reference plane established by the X-axis and the Z-axis, and a YZ reference plane established by the Y-axis and the Z-axis. Based on the orientation illustrated in FIG. 15, the center axes of the two vector thrusters on the left side of the body 10 are projected onto each of the reference planes. Specifically, center axes D and E of the two vector thrusters have projection lines D1 and E1 on the XZ reference plane respectively, from which planes DD1 and EE1 may be established. The plane DD1 contains both the center axis D and the projection line D1, and the plane EE1 contains both the center axis E and the projection line E1. Similarly, on the YZ reference plane, the center axes D and E have projection lines D2 and E2 respectively, from which planes DD2 and EE2 may be established. The plane DD2 contains both the center axis D and the projection line D2, and the plane EE2 contains both the center axis E and the projection line E2. On the XY reference plane, the center axes D and E have projection lines D3 and E3 respectively, from which planes DD3 and EE3 may be established. The plane DD3 contains both the center axis D and the projection line D3, and the plane EE3 contains both the center axis E and the projection line E3.

As illustrated in FIG. 15, for the XZ reference plane, projections of planes DD1 and EE1 are two straight lines, and these two straight lines are aligned with the projection lines D1 and E1 respectively. Therefore, the projection lines D1 and E1 reflect a relative position relationship between the two planes established based on the XZ reference plane. The two planes established based on the XZ reference plane are coplanar only in the case that the projection lines D1 and E1 are coincident with each other. Apparently, in the embodiments, the two planes established based on the XZ reference plane are not coplanar.

Similarly, as illustrated in FIG. 15, for the YZ reference plane, projection lines D2 and E2 reflect that the planes DD2 and EE2 are not coplanar; and for the XY reference plane, projection lines D3 and E3 reflect that the planes DD3 and EE3 are not coplanar.

In the embodiments, the vector thrusters on one side of the body 10 of the underwater robot, based on the same reference plane, establish planes that are not coplanar, which means that the vector thrusters may supply thrusts in different directions within different planes. Relative to the body 10, this allows for thrust vectors at more angles, such that the underwater robot is more flexible and maneuverable. In this way, the underwater robot achieves more precise attitude adjustments, and is suitable for various complex underwater application scenarios.

In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 14 and FIG. 16, two pairs of first propulsion devices 20 are symmetrically arranged on the body 10. The second thruster 130 in the embodiments is a horizontal thruster. For the symmetrical first propulsion devices 20, in the case that one of the first propulsion devices 20 rotates 180° about the center axis in the height direction of the body 10, the first propulsion device has the same propulsion direction as the other of the first propulsion devices 20. This allows for versatile mounting of the first propulsion devices 20 on different sides of the body 10 with high compatibility of components.

In other embodiments, for the two first propulsion devices 20 diagonally positioned on the body 10, when one of the first propulsion devices rotates a certain angle about the center axis in the length direction of the body 10, the first propulsion device has the same propulsion direction as the other of the first propulsion devices 20.

In other embodiments, the second thruster 130 is a vector thruster. That is, the underwater robot in the embodiments includes eight vector thrusters mounted on the body 10, which supply thrusts along more directions, thereby achieving high maneuverability. Correspondingly, at least two horizontal thrusters are symmetrically arranged on the body 10 in the embodiments. Each of the horizontal thrusters may be positioned on the left or right side of the body 10, or on the upper or lower side of the body 10, to supply thrusts for the underwater robot to move forward or backward.

In some embodiments, referring back to FIG. 14, taking the first propulsion device 20 on the left front side as an example, based on the three-dimensional coordinate system, a direction vector S1 of the center axis of the first thruster 120 and a direction vector S2 of the center axis of the second thruster 130 are established. An angle a defined between the two direction vectors satisfies: 0°<α<90°. Within this range of angle, at least one of the two thrusters in the first propulsion device 20 is inevitably a vector thruster. Regardless of the angle at which the first propulsion device 20 is mounted on the body 10, thrust vectors other than the horizontal and vertical thrusts are provided, such that the movement of the underwater robot is more flexible.

In some embodiments, referring back to FIG. 4 and in conjunction with FIG. 16 and FIG. 17, the body 10 has a first center axis along the length direction and a second center axis along the width direction. A horizontal plane R11 where the first center axis is located, a vertical plane R12 where the first center axis is located, and a vertical plane R22 where the second center axis is located are intersected at a center point of the body 10 to divide the body 10 into eight regions, and the four first thrusters 120 and the four second thrusters 130 are distributed in the eight regions. In this arrangement, two horizontal thrusters at the front section of the body 10 are positioned below the horizontal plane R11, and two vector thrusters at the front section of the body 10 are positioned above the horizontal plane R11; conversely, the two horizontal thrusters at the rear section of the body 10 are positioned above the horizontal plane R11, and the two vector thrusters at the rear section of the body 10 are positioned below the horizontal plane R11. This distribution pattern not only supplies greater forward or backward thrusts but also offers angled thrusts along different directions around the body 10, such that flexibility and maneuverability are ensured.

In other embodiments, the four first thrusters 120 and the four second thrusters 130 may be distributed in other patterns in the eight regions. As illustrated in FIG. 18 and FIG. 19, the two horizontal thrusters at the front section of the body 10 may be positioned above the horizontal plane R11, and the two vector thrusters are positioned below the horizontal plane R11. Similarly, the two horizontal thrusters at the rear section of the body 10 may be positioned below the horizontal plane R11, and the two vector thrusters are positioned above the horizontal plane R11. This distribution pattern also supplies greater forward or backward thrusts and angled thrusts along different directions around the body 10, such that high flexibility and strong maneuverability are ensured. Depending on actual needs, all the four first thrusters 120 may be positioned below the horizontal plane R11, and all the four second thrusters 130 may be positioned above the horizontal plane R11; or all the four first thrusters 120 positioned above the horizontal plane R11, and all the four second thrusters 130 positioned below the horizontal plane R11.

In some embodiments, mount recesses corresponding in quantity to the first propulsion devices 20 are arranged on the body, and each of the first propulsion devices 20 is secured into a corresponding mount recess via the bracket 110. Specifically, the bracket 110 is detachably connected to the body 10, such that the first propulsion device 20 is arranged independently of the body 10 for ease of maintenance and repair. The first propulsion device 20 is mounted snugly against the mounting recess via a first curved surface 113a, such that a compact connection is achieved between the bracket 110 and the body 10. This compact design effectively reduces space occupied by the system, and minimizes resistance during the movement of the underwater robot, such that movement performance is enhanced. In the embodiments, mounting one first propulsion device 20 is sufficient for mounting two thrusters, and hence high mounting efficiency and ease of maintenance are achieved. The integrated design of the two thrusters achieves more stable and efficient propulsion, such that the overall performance and efficiency of the device are improved.

Additionally, in some embodiments, the underwater robot includes a control module mounted in the body 10. The control module controls the coordinated operation of the first thrusters 120 and the second thrusters 130, such that the underwater robot implements movement functions including hovering, forward and backward movement, and multi-angle flipping at any angle. Both the first thruster 120 and the second thruster 130 are controlled by separate motors, and hence flexibility in control is high.

In some embodiments, the body 10 of the underwater robot is designed in a biomimetic manner, resembling the shape of a fish with a flat body that is wider at the front and narrower at the back. Inside the body 10, cameras, and other functional devices such as lighting devices may be arranged, thereby providing versatility to adapt to various underwater environments and perform a wide range of tasks. Corresponding to the biomimetic design of the body, a spacing between the two first propulsion devices 20 at different positions symmetrically may vary. Specifically, a spacing between the two first propulsion devices 20 at the front of the body 10 is greater than a spacing between the two first propulsion devices 20 at the back of the body 10, which helps reduce water resistance during operation of the underwater robot.

Based on the above embodiments, the underwater robot supports a plurality of operating modes, including hover mode, longitudinal flipping motion mode, circumferential rotation mode, lateral flipping motion mode, and linear motion mode. In the case that the underwater robot operates in any of these operating modes, the first propulsion devices 20 operate in coordination.

The hover mode allows the underwater robot to hover at any position underwater. The longitudinal flipping motion mode enables the underwater robot to flip around the center axis along the width direction of the body 10. The circumferential rotation mode allows the underwater robot to turn around the center axis along the height direction of the body 10. The lateral flipping motion mode enables the underwater robot to flip around the center axis along the length direction of the body 10. The linear motion mode allows the underwater robot to move forward, backward, and laterally along any direction. During operation pf the robot in any of these modes, the thrusts generated by the eight thrusters vary in direction, magnitude, and other aspects.

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail hereinabove. The structures and embodiments of the present disclosure are elaborated using some specific examples in the specification. However, the description of the above embodiments is merely for ease of understanding of the structures and operating principles of the present disclosure.

It is apparent that the embodiments described above are only exemplary ones, but not all embodiments of the present disclosure, and the attached drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure but do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure may be practiced in many different forms without departing from the principles and intentions of the present disclosure. These skilled in the art may derive various changes, modifications, combinations, and alterations of the technical solutions described in the specific embodiments, or equivalent replacements of some of the technical features. Where an equivalent structure made by using the contents of the specification and the drawings of the present disclosure is directly or indirectly applied to other relevant technical fields, it is likewise within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A propulsion device, comprising: a bracket, a first thruster, and a second thruster; wherein

a first chamber and a second chamber are defined in the bracket, and the first thruster and the second thruster are respectively arranged in the first chamber and the second chamber; and

in a stationary state, in a case that the first thruster acts as a horizontal thruster or a vertical thruster, the second thruster functions as a vector thruster; or in a case that the second thruster acts as a horizontal thruster or a vertical thruster, the first thruster functions as a vector thruster.

2. The propulsion device according to claim 1, wherein the propulsion device supports a first state and a second state; wherein

a thrust direction of the first thruster in the first state is consistent with a thrust direction of the second thruster in the second state, and a thrust direction of the first thruster in the second state is consistent with a thrust direction of the second thruster in the first direction.

3. The propulsion device according to claim 1, wherein the bracket comprises a body section, and the first chamber and the second chamber are respectively arranged at both ends of the body section;

wherein the body section is composed of a first arc surface and a second arc surface that are opposite to each other as well as two sidewall surfaces that are opposite to each other, wherein the sidewall surfaces are connected to the first arc surface and the second arc surface;

wherein an area of the first arc surface is greater than an area of the second arc surface, the first arc surface and the second arc surface are smoothly transitioned to a port of the second chamber via an outer wall of the first chamber, and an outer wall of the second chamber is connected to a port of the first chamber via the two sidewall surfaces.

4. The propulsion device according to claim 3, wherein a clearance section is defined in the bracket, wherein the clearance section is at least partially formed in the second arc surface.

5. The propulsion device according to claim 3, wherein the bracket is integrally formed.

6. The propulsion device according to claim 3, further comprising: a mount configured to be connected to a carrier device, wherein the mount is mounted on the first arc surface.

7. The propulsion device according to claim 3, wherein the sidewall surface is an arc surface, and the outer wall of the second chamber is smoothly transitioned to the port of the first chamber via the two sidewall surfaces.

8. An underwater robot, comprising: a body and at least two pairs of first propulsion devices; wherein

each of the first propulsion devices comprises a first thruster;

wherein the first thruster is a vector thruster, and using a plane established by any two coordinate axes in a three-dimensional coordinate system established by a length, width, and height of the body as a reference plane, a plane is established based on a center axis of the vector thruster and a projection of the center axis on the reference plane; and

wherein planes established for the vector thrusters on one side of the body based on the same reference plane are not coplanar.

9. The underwater robot according to claim 8, wherein the body has a first center axis along a length direction, and the vector thrusters on one side of a vertical plane where the first center axis is located are distributed on at least one side of a horizontal plane where the first center axis is located.

10. The underwater robot according to claim 8, wherein two pairs of the propulsion devices are symmetrically arranged on the body;

wherein center axes of one pair of the symmetrical vector thrusters are intersected at a first intersection point, and center axes of the other pair of the symmetrical vector thrusters are intersected at a second intersection point, wherein the first intersection point and the second intersection point are located at different sides of the body.

11. The underwater robot according to claim 10, further comprising: at least one pair of second propulsion devices arranged on the body, wherein each of the second propulsion devices comprises a second thruster;

wherein the second thruster is a horizontal or vertical thruster, and the first thruster and the second thruster on one side of the body supplies thrusts in different directions.

12. The underwater robot according to claim 11, wherein the first propulsion device and the second propulsion device on one side of the body are respectively connected to the body via a first linkage and a second link, wherein the first linkage is longer than the second link.

13. The underwater robot according to claim 12, wherein the body has a first center axis along a length direction, the first linkages are distributed on both sides of a horizontal plane where the first center axis is located, and the first links on different sides respectively form a first angle and a second angle with the horizontal plane where the first center axis is located.

14. The underwater robot according to claim 8, wherein each of the first propulsion devices further comprises a bracket and a second thruster, the second thruster being a horizontal or vector thruster;

wherein a first chamber and a second chamber are defined in the bracket, the first thruster is arranged in one of the first chamber and the second chamber, and the second thruster is arranged on the other of the first chamber and the second chamber.

15. The underwater robot according to claim 14, wherein two pairs of the first propulsion devices are symmetrically arranged on the body;

wherein in the case that the second thruster is a horizontal thruster, in two of the two pairs of the first propulsion devices that are symmetrically arranged, one first propulsion device, upon rotating 180 degrees about a center axis in a length direction, has a same propulsion direction as the other first propulsion device.

16. The underwater robot according to claim 14, wherein a wiring channel is arranged in the bracket; and

support structures respectively configured to support the first thruster and the second thruster are respectively arranged in the first chamber and the second chamber, wherein a wiring groove in communication with the wiring channel is defined in each of the support structures.

17. The underwater robot according to claim 14, wherein establishing a direction vector of a center axis of the first thruster and a direction vector of a center axis of the second thruster based on the three-dimensional coordinate system, wherein an angle defined between the two direction vector satisfies 0°<α<90°.

18. The underwater robot according to claim 14, wherein the second thruster is a vector thruster, and at least two horizontal thrusters are symmetrically arranged on the body.

19. The underwater robot according to claim 14, wherein two pairs of the first propulsion devices are arranged on the body, and the body has a first center axis along a length direction and a second center axis along a width direction;

wherein a horizontal plane where the first center axis is located, a vertical plane where the first center axis is located, and a vertical plane where the second center axis is located are intersected at a center point of the body to divide the body into eight regions, and four first thrusters and four second thrusters are distributed in the eight regions.

20. The underwater robot according to claim 14, wherein mount recesses corresponding in quantity to the first propulsion devices are arranged on the body, and each of the first propulsion devices is secured into a corresponding mount recess via the bracket.