Grounding device for drones and drones

Abstract

This invention provides a grounding device for a drone and the drone itself. The grounding device is connected to the drone body and includes: a conductive element, with a first end for grounding and a second end for electrical connection to a maintenance line; a retractable structure rotatably connected to the drone body, with the conductive element wound around it, allowing the first end of the conductive element to have a retracted state (moving closer to the drone body) and a released state (moving away from the drone body); and a telescopic structure retractably connected to the underside of the drone body, with the second end of the conductive element connected to the telescopic structure. The telescopic structure extends and retracts to move the second end of the conductive element closer to or away from the maintenance line. The technical solution of this application effectively solves the problems of complex operation and significant safety hazards associated with grounding maintenance lines in related technologies.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of power transmission and distribution technology, and more specifically, to a grounding device for a drone and the drone itself. Background Technology

[0002] Grounding wires are hailed as the lifeline of power workers. In routine power outage maintenance, grounding work requires an electrician on the tower to carry a transfer rope to hoist the grounding wire up the tower, connect one end of the grounding wire to the line under maintenance, and then another electrician on the ground grounds the other end of the grounding wire.

[0003] This method of grounding the maintenance line requires one person on the tower to connect the maintenance line to the grounding wire, while another person below the tower monitors and grounds the grounding wire. The operation is complex, requires a large number of personnel, and poses significant safety hazards. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to provide a grounding device and a drone for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to solve the problem that the operation of grounding maintenance lines in related technologies is complicated and poses significant safety hazards.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of the present invention, a grounding device for a drone is provided, connected to the drone body. The grounding device includes: a conductive element, a first end of which is used for grounding, and a second end of which is used for electrical connection to a maintenance line; a retractable structure rotatably connected to the drone body, the conductive element being wound around the retractable structure such that the first end of the conductive element has a retracted state that moves closer to the drone body and a released state that moves away from the drone body; and a telescopic structure telescopically connected to the underside of the drone body, the second end of which is connected to the telescopic structure, the telescopic structure extending and retracting to move the second end of the conductive element closer to or away from the maintenance line.

[0006] Furthermore, the grounding device for the drone also includes a mounting housing connected to the drone body and a mounting plate disposed on the mounting housing, with a retractable structure detachably connected to the mounting plate.

[0007] Furthermore, the winding structure includes a rotating sleeve rotatably mounted on a mounting plate and a drive motor mounted on the mounting plate. The drive motor drives the rotating sleeve to rotate, so that the first end of the conductive element switches between a wound state and a released state.

[0008] Furthermore, the winding structure also includes two baffles spaced apart on the rotating sleeve, with the conductive element wound around the rotating sleeve between the two baffles; and / or, the winding structure also includes a drive gear disposed on the output shaft of the drive motor and a driven gear disposed on the rotating sleeve, with the drive gear meshing with the driven gear.

[0009] Furthermore, the conductive component includes a grounding wire wound around the rotating sleeve and a grounding terminal provided at the first end of the grounding wire, the grounding terminal having a retracted state and a released state; the grounding device of the UAV also includes a conductive post provided inside the rotating sleeve, the rotating sleeve being able to rotate relative to the conductive post, the conductive post being able to be electrically connected to the maintenance line, the rotating sleeve being provided with a clearance hole, the second end of the grounding wire passing through the clearance hole and being electrically connected to the conductive post.

[0010] Furthermore, multiple spring conductive elements are fixedly installed on the second end of the grounding wire. The multiple spring conductive elements are electrically connected to the grounding wire. When the rotating sleeve rotates and drives the second end of the grounding wire to rotate around the axis of the rotating sleeve, the spring conductive elements are electrically connected to and abut against the conductive post.

[0011] Furthermore, the telescopic structure includes a connecting plate spaced apart from the mounting housing, a telescopic rod connected between the mounting housing and the connecting plate, and an electric push rod connected between the mounting housing and the connecting plate; the conductive component also includes a contact post electrically connected to the conductive post and a contact head electrically connected to the contact post. The contact post is fixedly mounted on the connecting plate, and the contact head is connected below the contact post. The electric push rod extends and retracts to move the contact head closer to or away from the maintenance line.

[0012] Furthermore, the conductive component also includes a flexible helical cable electrically connected between the conductive post and the grounding post; and / or, the grounding device of the UAV also includes a mounting bracket spaced apart from the mounting plate, with a rotatable sleeve mounted on the mounting bracket.

[0013] Furthermore, the grounding device of the UAV also includes a camera device disposed below the connecting plate, the camera device being used to monitor the environment near the grounding terminal; and / or, the grounding device of the UAV also includes a horizontal plate disposed on the mounting plate and a laser device disposed on the horizontal plate, the laser device being disposed adjacent to the grounding terminal.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, a drone is provided, including a drone body and a grounding device connected to the drone body, wherein the grounding device is the aforementioned grounding device for the drone.

[0015] Using the technical solution of this invention, the grounding device of a drone is connected to the drone body. The grounding device of the drone includes: a conductive element, a retractable structure, and a telescopic structure. A first end of the conductive element is used for grounding, and a second end of the conductive element is used for electrical connection with a maintenance line. The retractable structure is rotatably connected to the drone body, and the conductive element is wound around the retractable structure so that the first end of the conductive element has a retracted state (moving closer to the drone body) and a released state (moving away from the drone body). The telescopic structure is telescopically connected below the drone body, and the second end of the conductive element is connected to the telescopic structure. The telescopic structure extends and retracts to move the second end of the conductive element closer to or away from the maintenance line. Thus, the drone body is raised to the vicinity of the maintenance line on the tower, allowing the conductive element to move to the vicinity of the maintenance line. The conductive element is moved to the vicinity of the maintenance line by the drone body, and the extension and retraction of the telescopic structure causes the second end of the conductive element to approach and abut against the maintenance line to achieve electrical connection. Then, the rotation of the retractable structure allows the first end of the conductive element to switch to the released state, allowing the first end of the conductive element to move downwards to the ground, enabling the first end of the conductive element to be grounded. This avoids the need for electricians to climb the tower to connect the grounding wire to the maintenance line, simplifying the grounding operation and reducing the safety hazards associated with electricians climbing the tower. Therefore, the technical solution of this application effectively solves the problem of complex operation and significant safety hazards associated with grounding maintenance lines in related technologies. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0017] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the UAV according to the present invention is shown;

[0018] Figure 2 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the grounding device for a UAV according to the present invention is shown;

[0019] Figure 3 It shows Figure 2 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the winding structure of the grounding device of a drone.

[0020] The above figures include the following reference numerals:

[0021] 1. Drone body; 2. Mounting shell; 3. Telescopic boom; 4. Electric push rod; 5. Connecting plate;

[0022] 6. Camera device; 7. Power connector; 8. Power terminal; 10. Laser equipment;

[0023] 11. Horizontal plate; 12. Grounding wire; 13. Baffle; 14. Mounting plate; 15. Drive gear;

[0024] 16. Drive motor; 17. Mounting bracket; 18. Flexible spiral cable; 19. Sleeve; 20. Grounding terminal;

[0025] 21. Driven gear; 22. Conductive post. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the present invention or its application or use. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0028] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention. It should also be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn to actual scale. Techniques, methods, and devices known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and devices should be considered part of the specification. In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0029] like Figures 1 to 3As shown, in this embodiment, the grounding device of the drone is connected to the drone body 1. The grounding device of the drone includes a conductive element, a retractable structure, and a telescopic structure. A first end of the conductive element is used for grounding, and a second end of the conductive element is used for electrical connection to the maintenance line. The retractable structure is rotatably connected to the drone body 1, and the conductive element is wound around the retractable structure so that the first end of the conductive element has a retracted state (moving closer to the drone body 1) and a released state (moving away from the drone body 1). The telescopic structure is telescopically connected to the underside of the drone body 1, and the second end of the conductive element is connected to the telescopic structure. The telescopic structure extends and retracts to move the second end of the conductive element closer to or away from the maintenance line.

[0030] In this way, the drone body 1 is raised to the vicinity of the maintenance line on the tower, allowing the conductive component to move to that location. The conductive component is moved by the drone body 1 to the vicinity of the maintenance line, and the extension and retraction of the telescopic structure brings the second end of the conductive component close to and abuts against the maintenance line to achieve an electrical connection. Then, the rotation of the retractable structure allows the first end of the conductive component to switch to a released state, enabling it to move downwards to the ground and ground. This avoids the need for electricians to climb the tower to connect the grounding wire to the maintenance line, simplifying the grounding operation and reducing the safety hazards associated with electricians climbing the tower. Therefore, the technical solution of this embodiment effectively solves the problem of complex operation and significant safety hazards in related technologies for grounding maintenance lines.

[0031] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the grounding device of the drone also includes a mounting housing 2 connected to the drone body 1 and a mounting plate 14 disposed on the mounting housing 2. The retraction structure is detachably connected to the mounting plate 14. The mounting housing 2 facilitates the connection between the drone body 1 and the drone's grounding device. The mounting plate 14 facilitates the installation of the retraction structure.

[0032] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the winding structure includes a rotating sleeve 19 rotatably mounted on a mounting plate 14 and a drive motor 16 mounted on the mounting plate 14. The drive motor 16 drives the rotating sleeve 19 to rotate, thereby switching the first end of the conductive element between a retracted state and a released state. The drive motor 16 enables the rotating sleeve 19 to rotate, allowing the conductive element to be wound around the rotating sleeve 19 or released from the rotating sleeve 19. The drive motor 16 makes it easier and faster for the first end of the conductive element to switch between the retracted and released states.

[0033] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the winding structure also includes two baffles 13 spaced apart on the rotating sleeve 19, with the conductive element wound around the rotating sleeve 19 between the two baffles 13. The two baffles 13 limit the conductive element, allowing it to be wound at a predetermined position on the rotating sleeve 19 for ease of use. The winding structure also includes a drive gear 15 mounted on the output shaft of the drive motor 16 and a driven gear 21 mounted on the rotating sleeve 19, with the drive gear 15 meshing with the driven gear 21. The arrangement of the drive gear 15 and the driven gear 21 makes the transmission between the drive motor 16 and the rotating sleeve 19 more reliable and facilitates processing and installation.

[0034] In other embodiments, the winding structure further includes two baffles 13 spaced apart on the rotating sleeve 19, with the conductive element wound around the rotating sleeve 19 between the two baffles 13. Alternatively, the winding structure further includes a drive gear 15 disposed on the output shaft of the drive motor 16 and a driven gear 21 disposed on the rotating sleeve 19, with the drive gear 15 meshing with the driven gear 21.

[0035] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the conductive component includes a grounding wire 12 wound around a rotating sleeve 19 and a grounding terminal 20 disposed at the first end of the grounding wire 12. The grounding terminal 20 has a retracted state and a released state. The grounding terminal 20 makes the grounding operation of the conductive component more reliable. The grounding device of the UAV also includes a conductive post 22 disposed within the rotating sleeve 19, and the rotating sleeve 19 is rotatable relative to the conductive post 22. The conductive post 22 is electrically connected to the maintenance line. The rotating sleeve 19 is provided with a clearance hole, through which the second end of the grounding wire 12 passes and is electrically connected to the conductive post 22. Thus, when the conductive post 22 is electrically connected to the maintenance line, the conductive post 22 can be in a nearly stationary state, and the rotating sleeve 19 can rotate relative to the conductive post 22 so that the grounding wire 12 can be wound around the rotating sleeve 19.

[0036] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, multiple spring conductive elements are fixedly installed on the second end of the grounding wire 12, and these spring conductive elements are electrically connected to the grounding wire 12. When the rotating sleeve 19 rotates and drives the second end of the grounding wire 12 to rotate around the axis of the rotating sleeve 19, the spring conductive elements are electrically connected to and abut against the conductive post 22. The spring conductive elements make the electrical connection between the grounding wire 12 and the conductive post 22 more reliable. When the conductive post 22 is fixedly connected to and electrically connected to the maintenance line, the second end of the grounding wire 12 rotates around the axis of the conductive post 22, and the grounding wire 12 is electrically connected to the conductive post 22 through the spring conductive elements. In this way, the conductive post 22 is prevented from rotating with the rotating sleeve 19 and causing the conductive elements to become entangled. In this embodiment, the problem of entanglement of the elastic spiral cable 18 mentioned below is avoided.

[0037] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the telescopic structure includes a connecting plate 5 spaced apart from the mounting housing 2, a telescopic rod 3 connecting the mounting housing 2 and the connecting plate 5, and an electric push rod 4 connecting the mounting housing 2 and the connecting plate 5. The conductive components also include a contact post 8 electrically connected to the conductive post 22 and a contact head 7 electrically connected to the contact post 8. The contact post 8 is fixedly mounted on the connecting plate 5, and the contact head 7 is connected below the contact post 8. The electric push rod 4 extends and retracts to move the contact head 7 closer to or away from the maintenance line. The connecting plate 5 facilitates the installation of the contact post 8. The electric push rod 4 facilitates pushing the connecting plate 5 closer to or away from the mounting housing 2. The telescopic rod 3 extends and retracts with the movement of the connecting plate 5, reducing the rotation of the connecting plate 5 relative to the mounting housing 2 and making the movement of the connecting plate 5 smoother. The contact head 7 makes the electrical connection between the contact post 8 and the maintenance line more reliable.

[0038] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the conductive component also includes a flexible spiral cable 18 electrically connected between the conductive post 22 and the grounding post 8. The flexible spiral cable 18's shape can be adjusted according to changes in the distance between the connecting plate 5 and the mounting housing 2, reducing the possibility of the cable 18 drooping and getting tangled on other structures of the drone, thus ensuring normal drone operation. The drone's grounding device also includes a mounting bracket 17 spaced apart from the mounting plate 14, with a rotating sleeve 19 rotatably mounted on the mounting bracket 17. The mounting bracket 17 makes the rotation of the rotating sleeve 19 smoother and facilitates its installation.

[0039] In other embodiments, the conductive element further includes a flexible helical cable 18 electrically connected between the conductive post 22 and the grounding post 8. Alternatively, the grounding device for the UAV may also include a mounting bracket 17 spaced apart from the mounting plate 14, with a rotating sleeve 19 rotatably mounted on the mounting bracket 17.

[0040] In other embodiments, the conductive post 22 is sleeved within the rotating sleeve 19 and rotates synchronously with the rotating sleeve 19, and the conductive post 22 is electrically connected to the grounding wire 12. A conductive rod is fixedly mounted on the mounting bracket 17, and the conductive post 22 can rotate relative to the conductive rod, and the conductive post 22 contacts and is electrically connected to the conductive rod. The conductive rod is fixedly connected to and electrically connected to the elastic spiral cable 18.

[0041] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the grounding device of the UAV also includes a camera device 6 located below the connecting plate 5. The camera device 6 is used to monitor the environment near the grounding terminal 7. Since the area around the maintenance line usually contains a lot of debris, resulting in a small space around the maintenance line, the camera device 6 allows for better observation of the situation near the maintenance line, enabling the adjustment of the attitude of the UAV body 1 so that the grounding post 8 can be more conveniently and reliably connected to the maintenance line. The UAV grounding device also includes a horizontal plate 11 mounted on the mounting plate 14 and a laser device 10 mounted on the horizontal plate 11. The laser device 10 is arranged adjacent to the grounding terminal 20. The laser device 10 can indicate the location of the grounding terminal 20 to the electrician on the ground, so that the electrician can quickly find the grounding terminal 20 and perform the grounding operation. In this embodiment, the light output port of the laser device 10 is arranged downwards.

[0042] In other embodiments, the grounding device of the drone also includes a camera device 6 disposed below the connecting plate 5, which is used to monitor the environment near the grounding terminal 7. Alternatively, the grounding device of the drone also includes a horizontal plate 11 disposed on the mounting plate 14 and a laser device 10 disposed on the horizontal plate 11, the laser device 10 being disposed adjacent to the grounding terminal 20.

[0043] This application also provides a drone, such as Figure 1 As shown, the drone includes a drone body 1 and a grounding device connected to the drone body 1. The grounding device is the aforementioned drone grounding device. Because the aforementioned drone grounding device can solve the problem of complex operation and significant safety hazards associated with grounding maintenance lines in related technologies, drones equipped with this grounding device can solve the same technical problems.

[0044] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "horizontal, vertical, horizontal" and "top, bottom" is generally based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention; the directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0045] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "on top of," "on the upper surface of," "above," etc., are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature as shown in the figures to other devices or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation beyond the orientation of the device as described in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures were inverted, a device described as "above" or "on top of" other devices or structures would subsequently be positioned as "below" or "under" other devices or structures. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0046] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, the above terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this invention.

[0047] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A grounding device for a drone, connected to the drone body (1), characterized in that, The grounding device of the UAV includes: A conductive component, wherein a first end of the conductive component is used for grounding, and a second end of the conductive component is used for electrical connection with the maintenance line; A retractable structure is rotatably connected to the UAV body (1), and the conductive element is wound around the retractable structure so that the first end of the conductive element has a retracted state that moves close to the UAV body (1) and a released state that moves away from the UAV body (1). A telescopic structure is telescopically connected to the lower part of the UAV body (1). The second end of the conductive element is connected to the telescopic structure. The telescopic structure extends and retracts to move the second end of the conductive element closer to or away from the maintenance line. The grounding device of the UAV also includes a mounting housing (2) connected to the UAV body (1) and a mounting plate (14) disposed on the mounting housing (2), and the retraction structure is detachably connected to the mounting plate (14); The winding structure includes a rotating sleeve (19) rotatably disposed on the mounting plate (14) and a drive motor (16) disposed on the mounting plate (14). The drive motor (16) drives the rotating sleeve (19) to rotate so that the first end of the conductive element switches between the wound state and the released state. The winding structure further includes two baffles (13) spaced apart on the rotating sleeve (19), and the conductive element is wound around the rotating sleeve (19) between the two baffles (13); and / or, The winding structure also includes a drive gear (15) disposed on the output shaft of the drive motor (16) and a driven gear (21) disposed on the rotating sleeve (19), wherein the drive gear (15) meshes with the driven gear (21); The conductive element includes a grounding wire (12) wound around the rotating sleeve (19) and a grounding terminal (20) disposed at the first end of the grounding wire (12), the grounding terminal (20) having the retracted state and the released state; The grounding device of the UAV also includes a conductive post (22) disposed in the rotating sleeve (19). The rotating sleeve (19) is rotatable relative to the conductive post (22). The conductive post (22) is electrically connected to the maintenance line. The rotating sleeve (19) is provided with a clearance hole. The second end of the grounding wire (12) passes through the clearance hole and is electrically connected to the conductive post (22).

2. The grounding device for a UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple spring conductive elements are fixedly provided on the second end of the grounding wire (12). The multiple spring conductive elements are electrically connected to the grounding wire (12). When the rotating sleeve (19) rotates and drives the second end of the grounding wire (12) to rotate around the axis of the rotating sleeve (19), the spring conductive elements are electrically connected to the conductive post (22) and abut against each other.

3. The grounding device for a UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that, The telescopic structure includes a connecting plate (5) spaced apart from the mounting housing (2), a telescopic rod (3) connecting the mounting housing (2) and the connecting plate (5), and an electric push rod (4) connecting the mounting housing (2) and the connecting plate (5). The conductive component also includes a power receiving post (8) electrically connected to the conductive post (22) and a power receiving head (7) electrically connected to the power receiving post (8). The power receiving post (8) is fixedly mounted on the connecting plate (5), and the power receiving head (7) is connected below the power receiving post (8). The electric push rod (4) extends and retracts to move the power receiving head (7) closer to or away from the maintenance line.

4. The grounding device for a UAV according to claim 3, characterized in that, The conductive element further includes a flexible spiral cable (18) electrically connected between the conductive post (22) and the receiving post (8); and / or, The grounding device of the UAV also includes a mounting bracket (17) spaced apart from the mounting plate (14), and the rotating sleeve (19) is rotatably mounted on the mounting bracket (17).

5. The grounding device for a UAV according to claim 4, characterized in that, The grounding device of the UAV also includes a camera device (6) disposed below the connecting plate (5), the camera device (6) being used to monitor the surrounding environment of the grounding head (7); and / or, The grounding device of the UAV also includes a horizontal plate (11) disposed on the mounting plate (14) and a laser device (10) disposed on the horizontal plate (11), wherein the laser device (10) is disposed adjacent to the grounding terminal (20).

6. A drone, characterized in that, It includes a drone body (1) and a grounding device connected to the drone body (1), wherein the grounding device is the grounding device of the drone according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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