Design of flexible track and kinematics simulation of inspection robot in fully-mechanized mining face

The problems of narrow space, frequent operation of equipment and complex positional relationship in coal mine fully-mechanized mining face make it difficult for the conventional inspection robot to run directly on the mining face and automated monitoring. According to the requirements of working conditions, combined with the environment and the action characteristics of equipment group, the design requirements of working face inspection track are proposed. A new type of flexible track for cross-seat inspection robot is designed by using modular design, simulation, and prototype test methods to realize the installation and adjustment of the working face environment and the adaptive compensation of the track itself when the installation equipment moves and deforms. Firstly, the mechanical structure of the flexible track of the inspection robot is designed and the installation operation mode is determined. Secondly, taking the track spanning on the side of the cable groove of the scraper conveyor as an example, the bending and pitching deformation of the scraper conveyor under three different working conditions of straightness, bending and fluctuation are analyzed and the kinematics simulation of the flexible track is carried out. Under three working conditions, the track can be completed with horizontal bending 0~5.4°, vertical inclination of 0~6° and telescopic deformation 0~120 mm with the working face equipment to meet the actual working conditions. When the inspection robot on board passes through the flexible track under three different working conditions, it can always maintain uniform linear motion in the main operating direction, and the horizontal or vertical direction fluctuates in the flexible transition section, and the amplitude of the fluctuation is within the safe allowable range. Finally, the physical prototype of the flexible track and the test platform of the working face are built to verify the performance of the flexible track of the working face inspection robot. The results show that the flexible track structure is designed reasonably and can be adapted to different working conditions of the mining face inspection. It is of great significance to realize the inspection of the robot in the fully mechanized working face under the coal mine.