Power line inspection vehicle

• US 20060114122A1
• Filed: 04/30/2004
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bangor University of Wales
• Original Assignee: Bangor University of Wales
• Inventors: Jones, David Iuean
• Application Number:
  US10/554,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20060114122A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.70
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/02 for overhead lines or cables

Abstract

The invention provides a power line inspection apparatus comprising a vehicle body to which is mounted a power line traversal means, a power line inspection means to draw power from a power line to which it is attached, in use.

Claims

1. A power line inspection apparatus comprising a vehicle body to which is mounted a power line traversal means, a power line inspection means and means to draw power from a power line to which it is attached, in use.

2. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the power line traversal means comprise a locomotion means arranged in use to effect locomotion of the apparatus on or in the region of the power lines to which it is mounted.

3. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the locomotion means comprises at least one rotor.

4. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 3 comprising at least two contra-rotating rotors.

5. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the contra-rotating rotors are superposed.

6. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the contra-rotating rotors are in a ducted fan or shrouded fan configuration.

7. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the power line inspection means comprises a camera.

8. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed claim 1 wherein the power line inspection means comprises one or more power line characteristic sensors.

9. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the or each power line characteristic sensor is selected from the group consisting of a current sensor, a voltage sensor, a power line dimension sensor, a power line topology sensor, a thermal sensor, and a corona discharge sensor.

10. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means to draw power from the or each power line comprises means to induce current from the power line.

11. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means to draw power from the power line comprises an ohmic contact means.

12. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the ohmic contact means comprises a pantograph.

13. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the pantograph comprises means to bias the pantograph onto the or each power line, when the apparatus is mounted to the or each power line.

14. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the biasing means comprises a resilient biasing means.

15. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the biasing means comprises an actuator or servo, comprising force and position transducers which monitor the force and position of the pantograph actuator or servo and effects adjustment of the pantograph in response.

16. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means to circumnavigate obstacles on or in the region of the power lines, in use.

17. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising flight means or remote travel means.

18. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein the remote travel means comprises means able to effect hovering or flight of the apparatus above a power line.

19. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein the remote travel means comprises the power line locomotion means.

20. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises means to effect cessation of power take-up from a power line.

21. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a power storage means.

22. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein the power storage means comprises a power cell or battery.

23. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein the power cell or battery comprises means to recharge via uptake from a power line to which the apparatus is attached, in use.

24. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a path obstacle sensor, arranged in use to detect obstacles in the path of the apparatus, on or in the vicinity of a power line.

25. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an apparatus orientation means, which comprises means for the apparatus to detect its orientation with respect to a power line.

26. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising movement adjustment means, arranged in use to adjust the movement of the apparatus when an obstacle is detected on the power line in the vicinity of the apparatus.

27. A power line inspection apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising altitude limiting means, arranged in use to limit the altitude to which the apparatus can ascend remote from the or each power line which it is designed to inspect.