Design and research of a modular driving joint for soft-bodied pipeline robots based on mecanum wheels

To enhance the movement speed of soft-bodied pipeline robots inside pipes, a modular omnidirectional driving joint for soft-bodied pipeline robots was designed based on the omnidirectional mobility characteristics of Mecanum wheels. This driving joint utilizes a single motor to drive a pair of Mecanum wheels simultaneously in coaxial counter-rotation, enabling rapid movement along the pipeline. In ADAMS, the motion simulation of the driving joint within a straight pipe was conducted. The simulation results analyzing the relationship between the input torque and the output displacement and velocity of the drive joint were examined. This validated the feasibility of the driving joint design while also confirming that the motion speed of the driving joint within the pipe can be adjusted by controlling the motor speed, thereby verifying the drive joint's motion performance.