SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR APPLYING COATING ON OVERHEAD POWER TRANSMISSION CONDUCTORS USING AN UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE

• US 20170200530A1
• Filed: 01/13/2017
• Published: 07/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Cable Technologies Corporation (General Cable Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Cable Technologies Corporation (General Cable Corporation)
• Inventors: Davis, Cody R., Ranganathan, Sathish Kumar, Mhetar, Vijay, Siripurapu, Srinivas
• Granted Patent: US 10,186,348 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 5/00 Apparatus in which liquid or other fluent material is projected, poured or allowed to flow on to the surface of the work B05C7/00 takes precedence; essentially involving spraying or electrostatic projection B05B
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 9/10 the auxiliary operation being performed before the application B05C9/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 9/12 the auxiliary operation being performed after the application B05C9/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 9/14 the auxiliary operation involving heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/12 Brushes
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/04 Cleaning involving contact with liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/28 for painting or marking
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/29 for cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/39 Battery swapping
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/50 with landing legs
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/28 Protection against damage caused by moisture, corrosion, chemical attack or weather
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/292 using material resistant to heat
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/00 Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing or dismantling electric cables or lines
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/02 for overhead lines or cables

Abstract

Systems and methods of coating an installed overhead conductor with an unmanned aerial vehicle are disclosed. The unmanned aerial vehicles can attach to an installed overhead conductor and can apply a coating composition from one or more canisters.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (“

UAVs”

), each of the UAVs comprising;

an overhead conductor clamping member comprising one or more coating apertures; and

one or more canisters, each of the one or more canisters Tillable with a coating composition and fluidly connected to at least one of the one or more coating apertures; and

wherein the overhead conductor clamping member attaches to an installed overhead conductor.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising one or more ground support stations, each of the one or more ground support stations comprising one or more of an electric charging port, a replacement power pack, and a supply of coating fluid.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the supply of coating fluid is in one or more replacement canisters and wherein the replacement canisters are interchangeable with the one or more canisters of the UAVs.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the supply of coating fluid is pumped into the one or more canisters of the UAVs.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the overhead conductor clamping member further comprises retractable cleaning elements.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the coating composition is a heat-emissive coating composition.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the coating composition is an ice-resistant coating composition.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the overhead conductor clamping member comprises a heating member to heat one or more of the installed overhead conductor and the applied coating composition.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the overhead conductor clamping member comprises a fan to cool the installed overhead conductor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the overhead conductor clamping member electrically couples to the installed overhead conductor to recharge the UAV.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the coating composition is applied to the installed overhead conductor through the one or more coating apertures.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the overhead conductor clamping member includes two or more sets of coating apertures and wherein each UAV comprises two or more coating compositions.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more canisters is pressurized or wherein the UAV comprises a pump.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein coating of the installed overhead conductors with the coating composition comprises the use of one or more UAVs to clean the installed overhead conductor and one or more UAVs to coat the installed overhead conductor.

15. A method of coating an installed overhead comprising:

attaching an unmanned aerial vehicle (“

UAV”

) to the overhead conductor with an overhead conductor clamping member; and

applying a coating composition to the installed overhead conductor.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of the UAV mapping the installed overhead conductor.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the coating composition is one or more of a heat-emissive coating composition, and an ice-resistant coating composition.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of preparing the installed overhead conductor with one or more of chemical treatment, pressurized air cleaning, hot water or steam cleaning, brush cleaning, heat treatment, sand blasting, ultrasound, deglaring, solvent wipe, and plasma treatment prior to the step of applying the coating composition.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of refilling the UAV with additional coating composition at a ground support station.

20. The method of claim 15 operates autonomously.