Pivoting support, support structure, and, aerial basket

Description

Pivoting support, support structure, and aerial basket. Field of the invention.

[001] The present invention relates to supports and support structures for carrying out work on distribution networks. More specifically, work on distribution networks that make use of aerial baskets, such as pruning vegetation near power distribution lines. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[002] It should be noted that, henceforth, the terms “saw”, “pole pruner” or “chainsaw” may be understood as any cutting devices used for cutting and / or pruning vegetation, preferably of the insulated type and suitable for work with electricity. Furthermore, these terms may be used interchangeably without any detriment to the technical content of this text.

[003] Overhead power distribution networks remain the most commonly used method for distributing electricity in Brazil. As a result, these distribution networks and their equipment, being exposed, are subject to the conditions of the environment in which they are located.

[004] Rain, wind, dust and even nearby vegetation are some of the main causes of occurrences, such as short circuits and partial discharges, in this type of network.

[005] Therefore, in order to mitigate these problems and reduce the occurrence of system failures, it is common for companies in the electricity distribution sector to carry out preventive maintenance on the networks, either by removing accumulated dust or by pruning vegetation near the line to avoid contact with the line or its equipment.

[006] In the specific case of pruning vegetation, a hydraulic chainsaw or pole pruner with insulation is generally used and Petition 870210108723, dated 11 / 24 / 2021, page 20 / 36 / 10 attached to a rod, also isolated. Furthermore, the technical teams use trucks equipped with aerial baskets, these teams being deployed and sent to the locations where pruning is scheduled.

[007] In addition to the inherent risks of working at heights and working near medium or high voltage power lines and equipment, there is also the ergonomic factor for technicians and operators. This is because when pruning, the technician or operator is confined to the usually very limited space of the aerial basket. Thus, the operator's movements and positions are restricted to the available space. Additionally, the operator needs to position and move a pole to reach the tree canopy and prune branches that approach the power lines. Therefore, due to the length of the pole, the weight of the pole pruner, and the restricted movements and positions of the operator, muscle pain, fatigue, and, especially in the long term, the appearance of injuries are common.

[008] In order to reduce the physical impact on operators when performing pruning tasks, document MU9002010-3 discloses a utility model relating to an articulated support to be attached to an aerial basket and to support hydraulic saws, allowing their handling and relieving part or all of the weight of the hydraulic saw. The device consists of an arm supported by an articulated mechanism connected to a support, which in turn is fixed to the aerial basket used for handling hydraulic saws in tree pruning operations. A gas spring is installed in one part of the mechanism, which is responsible for counterbalancing the weight of the hydraulic saw. During the operation of the utility model disclosed in MU9002010-3, the operator holds the hydraulic saw in the usual way, supporting the central part on a hook on the arm. The mechanism allows the tip of the arm, and consequently the saw, to have mobility laterally and vertically.

[009] Additionally, document JPH0971398A reveals a Petition 870210108723, dated 11 / 24 / 2021, page 21 / 36 / 10 sliding platform of an overhead basket having a configuration in which a balance arm or several tools do not interfere with the movement of the basket near a distribution line. The objective is to provide an attached workbench. According to JPH0971398A, several tools and the like can be fixed to the sliding platform arranged in a sliding manner on the edge. The tools attached in this way can be moved to an arbitrary position by sliding the slider along the edge of the basket. By easily moving the tools attached to the slider to a position that does not interfere with the movement of the basket, the basket positioning operation that brings the basket closer to the distribution line can therefore be performed quickly and the basket can be positioned optimally.Furthermore, by sliding the slider and appropriately changing the tool's position relative to the work table, the tool can be positioned within the operator's work area at the most suitable angle for use.

[0010] In turn, document CN108684365A refers to a fixed-type electric chainsaw for working at height, intended for cutting trees near power lines. The chainsaw comprises a lower base with three adjustable feet, in which a lifting and lowering sleeve is arranged vertically in the center of the lower base; a universal platform is arranged at the upper end of the sleeve, a vertical oscillating rod is arranged on the universal platform, and an electric chainsaw is fixed to the front end on one side of the oscillating rod. A counterweight, an operating platform, and a hand support are arranged on the other side of the oscillating rod to allow the operator to control the electric chainsaw.

[0011] As can be seen from the aforementioned documents, there is a search in the state of the art for solutions that improve ergonomics and reduce the physical impact on operators during pruning tasks or in aerial baskets. Petition 870210108723, dated 11 / 24 / 2021, p. 22 / 36 / 10

[0012] However, it is noted that the structural complexity of the solutions proposed by the state of the art, with the use of additional rods, tripods with counterweights, springs for load relief, etc., unnecessarily makes the task to be performed more expensive and, in many cases, increases the degree of technical difficulty of the task.

[0013] Similar to document MU9002010-3, this one provides for the inclusion of a spring along with an arm and a hook to support the pole with the chainsaw. The use of the spring, on the one hand, relieves the weight of the chainsaw that will actually be carried by the operator; on the other hand, whenever the operator needs to adjust the position of the chainsaw, it will be necessary to operate the spring valve so that it can raise or lower the support point of the pole. This type of structure severely restricts the operating angle of the chainsaw, and therefore these position adjustments with the spring are more frequent. The work ends up becoming slower and unnecessarily complex.

[0014] Furthermore, although document CN108684365A shows a solution without a high degree of complexity, it is not adapted for work in aerial work platforms since, in addition to the tripod, it also has a counterweight system. This implies that the maneuverability of the pole pruner is directly linked to the counterweight and its freedom of movement. In a basket, the available space is quite reduced and therefore the use of this type of solution is not suitable. Furthermore, the use of the tripod eliminates the idea of ​​mobility and agility for this type of task, since the area on the ground would need to be isolated, the structure constantly assembled and disassembled, etc. This is without mentioning the inconvenience to pedestrians and traffic. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0015] With the aim of solving the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, the present invention discloses a pivoting rod support for operations in distribution networks comprising: two walls Petition 870210108723, dated 11 / 24 / 2021, page 23 / 36 / 10 sides; a plurality of cylinders coupled between the two side walls, wherein the plurality of cylinders is arranged to provide support for a rod. Furthermore, the support comprises a support base coupled between the two side walls and a fitting pin that is fixed to the support base and configured to couple the pivoting support to a structure.

[0016] In one possible embodiment, the cylinders are coupled to the pivoting support by means of fixing pins and are rotatable around their longitudinal axes.

[0017] In another optional embodiment, at least one cylinder of the plurality of cylinders is a removable cylinder to allow insertion or removal of a rod. Furthermore, at least one of the side walls optionally comprises one or more notches to allow insertion or removal of the at least one removable cylinder.

[0018] Optionally, the pivoting support comprises at least one locking pin for securing at least one removable cylinder to the pivoting support.

[0019] It is noteworthy that the body of the mounting pin preferably has a cylindrical shape to allow the support, when fitted into a structure or base, to rotate.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of cylinders comprises three cylinders arranged in a triangular arrangement.

[0021] It is also worth noting that the pivoting support is optionally constructed of dielectric material, preferably one of nylon, high-density polyethylene polymer (UHMW) and fiberglass.

[0022] In addition to the pivoting support, the present invention, with the aim of solving the deficiencies of the prior art, also discloses a support structure for an aerial basket comprising: a structural base; at least one crossbar comprising at least one guide coupled to it; at least one tube, each coupled to a guide, wherein Petition 870210108723, dated 11 / 24 / 2021, page 24 / 36 / 10 each tube provides support to the base structure. Said support structure additionally comprises a pivoting support for rods as per the present invention coupled to its base structure.

[0023] Additionally, in an optional embodiment of the support structure, at least one of the guides comprises a hole with fastening means and its respective tube comprises a series of holes along its longitudinal length which are configured so that, when aligned with the hole in the guide, they are fixed by fastening means such that the height of the base of the structure can be adjusted.

[0024] Furthermore, the base structure optionally comprises a plurality of mounting holes along its longitudinal length to pivotally receive the mounting pin of the pivoting support.

[0025] In an optional embodiment, the crossbar further comprises at least one hook-shaped support for removable attachment to the aerial basket.

[0026] It is noteworthy that the support structure may optionally be made of dielectric material, preferably one of nylon, UHMW, and fiberglass.

[0027] Furthermore, the present invention discloses an aerial basket comprising a pivoting support coupled to it as per the present invention and / or a support structure as per the present invention. Optionally, the support structure as per the present invention is removablely coupled to the aerial basket. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0028] Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a support, according to the present invention, attached to any aerial basket.

[0029] Figure 2 shows the top view of the embodiment of Figure 1 of the support according to the present invention.

[0030] Figure 3 shows a perspective of the support as per the Petition 870210108723, dated 11 / 24 / 2021, page 25 / 36 / 10 present invention together with the chainsaw shaft.

[0031] Figure 4 shows in detail the mechanism for implementing the support according to the present invention shown in Figure 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] Referring to the figures in this application, a more detailed description of the parts that make up the entire system, how they interact with each other, their functions and technical characteristics will be given below. It should be noted that the solution proposed by the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. A person skilled in the art will be able, from the following description, to infer other possible embodiments still within the scope of the present invention.

[0033] Observing Figure 1, we have an embodiment of a rod support 1 according to the present invention. The rod support 1 is such that when coupled to an aerial basket 18 it allows an operator to perform a plurality of activities at height, such as pruning vegetation near cables and / or equipment in electrical distribution networks.

[0034] The rod support 1 comprises a coupling structure 6 which, in turn, comprises tubes 14 fitted within guides 10. Optionally, the tubes 14 comprise height adjustment means to allow the vertical positioning of the pivoting support 4 relative to the operator to be modified according to the needs of the task to be performed and the physical size of the operator. In the example embodiment shown in Figure 1, the adjustment means are holes spaced along the length of the tubes 14.

[0035] The guides 10 are fixed to a crossbar 12 which is coupled to the aerial basket 18 by means of the fastening means 16. Preferably, the crossbar 12 is removablely coupled to the edge of the aerial basket 18 by means of one or more hook-shaped supports 17. In this scenario, Petition 870210108723, dated 11 / 24 / 2021, p. 26 / 36 / 10 the fastening means 16 are alternatively used to fix the crossbar 12 to one or more hook-shaped supports 17.

[0036] Still referring to Figure 1, it is noted that at the upper end of the tubes 14 a structural base 8 is fixed to which the pivoting support 4 can be fitted. The structural base 8 includes at least one fitting hole for the placement of the rod 2. Preferably, the structural base 8 includes a plurality of holes spaced along its length so as to allow the pivoting support 4 to be positioned at different points on the structural base 8. This allows the operator to attach the support in the most suitable position for performing the task.

[0037] Still referring to Figure 1, it can be seen that rod 2 passes through support 4. The first end 20 of rod 2 comprises a hand support, preferably made of dielectric material, to allow the operator to safely guide rod 2 during the task. At its second end 22, rod 2 comprises a fitting device to receive the pole pruner or chainsaw.

[0038] Turning to Figure 2, it is possible to observe in the top view of the assembly formed by the pivoting support 4 and rod 2 that a plurality of cylinders 24 are positioned in order to provide support to the rod 2 as well as to delimit its area of ​​action. It is also noted that the pivoting support 4 is formed by two side walls 4-a, 4-b and a support base 4-c.

[0039] With regard to Figure 3, the assembly formed by rod 2 and pivoting support 4 is highlighted. A longitudinal section of the assembly is also shown in perspective. Through the section, it is possible to see how the arrangement of the plurality of cylinders 24 influences the mobility of the rod. More specifically, the front cylinder 24-a serves as the main support point in the example shown. While the upper cylinder 24-b and the rear cylinder 24-c offer additional support. Petition 870210108723, dated 11 / 24 / 2021, page 27 / 36 / 10 as a safety measure for the operator when lowering or raising the rod. Figure 3 also highlights the locking pin 26 fixed to the support base 4-c of the pivoting support 4, which allows the pivoting support 4 to be positioned on the structure base 8.

[0040] Finally, Figure 4 shows two perspective views of an embodiment of the rod support according to the present invention. These enlarged views of the support allow better visualization of the fixing pins 30 of each of the plurality of cylinders 24. Optionally, the fixing pins 30 are such that they allow each of the plurality of cylinders 24 to rotate around their respective longitudinal axes, preferably through the use of bearings. This facilitates the handling of the rod by the operator.

[0041] Still referring to Figure 4, to allow the proper fitting of rod 2 into support 4 as in the example embodiment, the upper cylinder 24-b of the plurality of cylinders 24 is coupled to support 4 in a removable manner. The pin 30-b that passes through cylinder 24-b can be fitted into notches 34-a, 34-b, 34-c in the side walls 4-a, 4-b of support 4. Thus, when it is desired to couple the rod, cylinder 22-b is removed, the rod is supported on the rear cylinder 24-a and the front cylinder 24-c, and cylinder 24-b is again fitted into notch 34-b. Preferably, the pivoting support 4 provides for the inclusion of a locking pin 32 to securely fix cylinder 24-b to the pivoting support 4.

[0042] Furthermore, it is noteworthy that support 4 can be manufactured using different materials, preferably dielectrics, such as nylon, UHMW (“Ultra High Molecular Weight”, a type of high-density polyethylene polymer) and fiberglass.

[0043] A pivoting support and a support structure capable of reducing the impact of aerial work platform activities on operators and technicians have therefore been defined here. Furthermore, there is a support and a Petition 870210108723, dated 11 / 24 / 2021, p. 28 / 36 / 10 considerably simpler structure which, by not requiring the use of hydraulic and / or pneumatic devices, makes its operation uncomplicated, its installation easier and its maintenance simple and low cost.

[0044] Although the present invention has been described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to those particular embodiments. Rather, it is intended to cover all possible alternatives, modifications and equivalents within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Pivoting support (4) for rods (2) for operations in distribution networks characterized in that it comprises: two side walls (4-a, 4-b); a plurality of cylinders (24) coupled between the two side walls (4-a, 4-b), wherein the plurality of cylinders (24) is arranged to provide support for a rod (2); a support base (4-c) coupled between the two side walls (4-a, 4-b); and a locking pin (26) fixed to the support base (4-c) and configured to couple the pivoting support (4) to a structure.

2. Pivoting support (4), according to claim 1, characterized in that the cylinders (24) are coupled to the pivoting support (4) by means of fixing pins (30-a, 30-b, 30-c) and are rotatable around their longitudinal axes.

3. Pivoting support (4), according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one cylinder of the plurality of cylinders (24) is a removable cylinder to allow inserting or removing a rod (2).

4. Pivoting support (4), according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one of the side walls (4-a, 4-b) comprises one or more notches (34-a, 34-b, 34-c) to allow the insertion or removal of at least one removable cylinder.

5. Pivoting support (4), according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that it comprises at least one locking pin (32) for securing at least one removable cylinder to the pivoting support (4).

6. Pivoting support (4), according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the body of the fitting pin (26) has a cylindrical shape. Petition 870210108723, dated 11 / 24 / 2021, page 30 / 36 2 / 3 7. Pivoting support (4), according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the plurality of cylinders (24) comprises 3 cylinders (24-a, 24-b, 24-c) arranged in a triangular arrangement.

8. Pivoting support (4), according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the pivoting support (4) is constructed of dielectric material, preferably one of nylon, high-density polyethylene polymer, UHMW, and fiberglass.

9. Support structure (6) for aerial basket (18) comprising: a base structure (8); at least one crossbar (12) comprising at least one guide (10) coupled to it; at least one tube (14), each coupled to a guide (10); wherein each tube (14) provides support to the base structure (8); the support structure (6) characterized in that it further comprises a pivoting support (4) for rods (2), as defined in any one of claims 1 to 8, coupled to the base structure (8).

10. Support structure (6), according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one of the guides (10) comprises a hole with fastening means and its respective tube (14) comprises a series of holes along its longitudinal length configured to be aligned with the hole in the guide and fixed by the fastening means such that the height of the structure base (8) is adjusted.

11. Support structure (6), according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the structure base (8) further comprises a plurality of fitting holes along its longitudinal length Petition 870210108723, dated 11 / 24 / 2021, page 31 / 36 3 / 3 to receive the fitting pin (26) in a pivoting manner.

12. Support structure (6), according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the crossbar (12) further comprises at least one hook-shaped support (17).

13. Support structure (6), according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the support structure (6) is made of dielectric material, preferably one of nylon, UHMW and fiberglass.

14. Aerial basket (18) characterized in that it comprises coupled to itself a pivoting support (4) as defined in any of claims 1 to 8 or a support structure (6) as defined in any of claims 9 to 13.

15. Aerial basket (18), according to claim 14, characterized in that the support structure (6) is removablely coupled.

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