Lightweight grounding line hanging and detaching device and method suitable for hydropower station

Abstract

The present application relates to overhead line electricity testing grounding operation equipment technical field, disclose a kind of lightweight ground wire hanging and dismounting device and method suitable for hydropower station, including tracked mobile chassis, double mast lifting mechanism, aerial hanging and dismounting line mechanism, mechanical arm and control unit composition.The top of mobile chassis is equipped with double mast lifting mechanism, the top of double mast lifting mechanism is fixedly connected with aerial hanging and dismounting line mechanism, aerial hanging and dismounting line mechanism is equipped with mechanical arm, and control unit is electrically connected with tracked mobile chassis, double mast lifting mechanism and mechanical arm respectively.Full structure lightweight design makes equipment deadweight less than one ton and size adapts elevator, can freely enter and exit elevator and reach operation area, avoids high-altitude hoisting, and reduces operation preparation time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of overhead line voltage testing and grounding equipment, and in particular to a lightweight grounding wire hanging and removing device and method suitable for hydropower stations. Background Technology

[0002] In power systems, the installation and removal of grounding wires is a crucial measure to ensure the safety of personnel performing power outage maintenance. Currently, this work is still mainly done manually, such as workers carrying grounding wires to climb poles for grounding, or using insulated bucket trucks to transport personnel to work at heights. However, manual pole climbing is labor-intensive and risky, especially difficult to carry out under complex line conditions; while the insulated bucket truck method is more expensive, requires professional drivers and operators, has a long preparation time, and has high requirements for road infrastructure.

[0003] To replace manual labor, existing technologies disclose some automated grounding solutions. For example, CN114389058B discloses a robot for connecting grounding wires to overhead power distribution lines. This robot uses a robotic arm to hold an insulating rod and a lifting platform to drive voltage testing, but it lacks autonomous movement and relies on external support. CN115084968A discloses a substation full-process grounding wire connection and disconnection device, employing a multi-degree-of-freedom robot and a wheeled walking unit. However, it requires manual assistance for grounding connection, and the wheeled structure is only suitable for open areas. Furthermore, hydropower stations still use traditional heavy-duty grounding devices with steel chassis and fixed lifting mechanisms, relying on cranes for transfer and requiring manual operation throughout the process.

[0004] Traditional heavy-duty grounding devices for hydropower stations employ heavy-duty steel chassis, fixed lifting mechanisms, and simple robotic arms. They lack autonomous navigation and intelligent leveling capabilities, relying on cranes for equipment transfer and requiring manual operation throughout the entire process. These existing technologies are designed for conventional scenarios involving power distribution lines or substations, failing to consider the needs of hydropower stations, such as elevator access, narrow passages across dams, uneven ground conditions, and the need for repeated positioning of overhead lines. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides a lightweight grounding wire hanging and dismantling device and method suitable for hydropower stations. This solves the problem that existing grounding equipment, due to its heavy weight and lack of autonomous navigation and leveling capabilities, cannot adapt to the operational needs of hydropower stations in confined spaces, complex terrains, and at different busbar heights.

[0006] This invention is achieved through the following scheme: A lightweight grounding wire hanging and unhanging device suitable for hydropower stations includes a mobile chassis, which is placed on one side of the ground grounding mechanism; a double-mast lifting mechanism is installed on the mobile chassis, and an aerial hanging and unhanging mechanism is installed at the top of the double-mast lifting mechanism for grabbing and placing the grounding wire; electric leveling support components are installed at the four corners of the mobile chassis, and the electric leveling support components include multiple support leg structural components, which are driven by leveling electric cylinders. The aerial wire hanging and disconnecting mechanism includes a robotic arm with an end gripper at the end of the arm. A vision positioning module is connected to the end gripper. The vision positioning module is used to identify the position of the ground wire hook on the ground and the overhead conductor. The gripper is used to hold the ground wire. The robotic arm controls the spring-reset hook to hang and disconnect the wire. The control unit is electrically connected to the mobile chassis, the twin-mast lifting mechanism, the electric leveling support assembly, and the overhead wire-removing mechanism. Furthermore, the external dimensions of the device when it is retracted and reset are limited to length ≤1300mm, width ≤1000mm, and height ≤2000mm.

[0007] Furthermore, the dual-mast lifting mechanism is a multi-stage telescopic structure, with a lifting stroke ranging from 2m to 13m, and a limit switch is installed on the lifting mechanism.

[0008] Furthermore, an aerial tilt sensor is installed on the overhead cable removal mechanism, and a chassis tilt sensor is installed on the upper surface of the chassis to collect horizontal tilt data in real time. When the tilt angle exceeds the threshold, the control unit starts the leveling program.

[0009] Furthermore, the grounding mechanism includes a reel with a built-in tension adjustment mechanism located at the bottom of the busbar column. One end of the busbar is connected to a spring return hook, which is initially attached to the top of the busbar column, awaiting gripping by the end-end claw. The mobile chassis operates on its side, automatically retracting and extending the grounding wire according to the travel of the twin-mast lifting mechanism.

[0010] Furthermore, the power battery and control unit are connected and placed on the front side of the top of the chassis, while the hydraulic pump station and hydraulic cylinder are connected and placed on the rear side of the top of the chassis. An aerial hanging and untying mechanism is set between the front and rear sides and folded and placed in the middle. The four corner hinges of the chassis leveling support are vertically upward when folded.

[0011] A method for attaching and detaching a lightweight grounding wire attachment / detachment device suitable for hydropower stations includes the following steps: S1: The tracked mobile chassis moves to the working point at the bottom of the column using laser navigation; S2: Deploy the electric leveling supports at the four corners of the tracked mobile chassis, and detect the horizontal status through the chassis tilt sensor and the air tilt sensor on the overhead hanging and unloading mechanism, and level it through the electric cylinder of the electric leveling support; S3: The robotic arm's vision positioning module positions the arm and uses its end gripper to pick up the spring reset hook from the grounding mechanism. S4: The twin-mast lifting mechanism raises the spring return hook to the target height and stops it using a limit switch, while simultaneously detecting residual electricity non-contactly using a voltage meter; S5: The robotic arm will bring the reset hook close to the overhead busbar; S6: The visual positioning module identifies the aerial working conditions and adjusts the attitude to complete the grounding wire connection; S7: Release the end gripper, the lifting device retracts and descends, and the leveling outriggers return to their original positions.

[0012] Furthermore, before step S1, the device moves into the elevator, exits the elevator, travels to the standby starting point, and places the cable reel. Furthermore, it also includes S8: Navigate to the next benchmark work point and repeat S1-S8 until the maintenance work is completed.

[0013] Furthermore, after completing the maintenance work, identify the characteristic position of the air spring reset hook and remove the hook. After the work is completed, retract it back to the standby point or return it to the storage location.

[0014] In summary, due to the adoption of the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: The lightweight design of all structural components makes the equipment weigh less than one ton and its size compatible with elevators, allowing it to freely enter and exit elevators to directly reach the work area, avoiding high-altitude hoisting and reducing preparation time. It adopts SLAM laser navigation combined with a tracked chassis to achieve autonomous transportation across dams in complex terrain and can store reference positions. A closed-loop leveling system is formed by dual-point tilt sensors and electric leveling supports, eliminating the need for manual leveling. From elevator access, dam crossing navigation, automatic leveling to high-altitude attachment and dismantling, the entire process requires no on-site human intervention. Personnel only need to monitor remotely. The lifting mechanism with limit switches can stop at any position to adapt to different busbar height requirements, and the control module dynamically adjusts the attachment and dismantling priority. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the chassis structure of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the aluminum alloy mast lifting mechanism of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the aerial hanging and disconnecting mechanism of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the electric leveling support of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the ground grounding mechanism of the present invention; Figure 7This is a flowchart of the operation process of this invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the device of the present invention entering the elevator in the retracted and reset state; Figure label: 1-Mobile chassis; 101-Chassis housing; 102-Chassis drive; 103-Laser navigation; 104-Chassis tilt sensor; 105-Power battery; 106-Control unit; 2-Double mast lifting mechanism, 201-Fixed aluminum alloy stroke, 202-Multi-section lifting aluminum alloy profile, 203-Hydraulic cylinder, 204-Hydraulic pump station, 205-Limit switch, 206-Air tilt sensor; 3-Aerial hanging and disconnecting mechanism, 301-Robotic arm, 302-End force control, 303-Vision positioning module, 304-Monitoring camera, 305-Gripper, 306-Spring return hook, 307-Electrical meter; 4-Leveling support, 401-Outrigger structural component, 402-Leveling electric cylinder; 5-Ground grounding mechanism, 501-Automatic reel, 502-Quick-connector. Detailed Implementation

[0016] All features disclosed in this specification, or all steps in all disclosed methods or processes, may be combined in any way, except for mutually exclusive features and / or steps.

[0017] Any feature disclosed in this specification (including any appended claims and abstract) may be replaced by other equivalent or similar features, unless specifically stated otherwise. That is, unless specifically stated otherwise, each feature is merely one example of a series of equivalent or similar features.

[0018] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and 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. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0019] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

[0020] This embodiment provides a lightweight grounding wire attachment / removal device suitable for hydropower stations, comprising a tracked mobile chassis 1, a twin-mast lifting mechanism 2, an aerial attachment / removal mechanism 3, a robotic arm 301, and a control unit 106.

[0021] The mobile chassis 1, serving as the mobile carrier, is specifically a tracked AGV chassis, with a twin-mast lifting mechanism 2 mounted on its top. An overhead wire-removing mechanism 3 is fixedly connected to the top of the twin-mast lifting mechanism 2. A robotic arm 301 is mounted on the overhead wire-removing mechanism 3. The control unit 106 is electrically connected to the tracked mobile chassis 1, the twin-mast lifting mechanism 2, and the robotic arm 301.

[0022] In this embodiment, the tracked mobile chassis 1 includes a chassis housing 101, a chassis drive 102, a laser navigation system 103, a chassis tilt sensor 104, a power battery, and a control unit. The chassis housing 101 is connected to the chassis drive 102, which uses the laser navigation system 103 for path planning. The power battery 105 provides power to the system, and the control unit 106 is responsible for overall control. After the equipment arrives at the work point, the electric leveling support 4 unfolds. The leveling support 4 is hinged to the four corners of the AGV tracked chassis. Its outrigger structure 401 extends and retracts via the electric cylinder 402 based on feedback from the chassis tilt sensor 104, adjusting the levelness of the chassis. The tracked mobile chassis 1 has a width of no more than 1 meter and a length of no more than 1.3 meters, making it suitable for driving on narrow passages, sloping roads, and non-slip surfaces of hydropower station dams. It uses laser navigation to achieve autonomous path planning and cross-dam transportation. It can also store the benchmark work position calibrated for the first time, and can navigate to the same relative benchmark position for each subsequent maintenance, reducing the initial error of high-altitude docking. The twin-mast lifting mechanism 2 is a multi-stage telescopic structure, comprising a fixed aluminum alloy travel section 201 and multiple lifting aluminum alloy profiles 202. Limit switches 205 are installed, embedded inside the mast and evenly distributed along the lifting travel, which covers a range of 2 to 13 meters. It can stop at any position within a height range of 9 to 13 meters. When not in operation, it folds vertically, occupying no extra space. The total height of the folded vertical section, including the height of the overhead cable-hanging mechanism connected to the top, does not exceed 2 meters. Hydraulic cylinders drive the extension and retraction of the multiple lifting aluminum alloy profiles 202, and a hydraulic pump station 204 provides power to the hydraulic cylinders 203. An overhead tilt sensor 206 is installed at the center of the top of the lifting mechanism 2. During lifting, the tilt sensor continuously monitors the tilt angle; when the tilt angle exceeds a threshold, the control unit 106 initiates a leveling procedure.

[0023] The chassis tilt sensor 104 at the center of the upper surface of the AGV tracked chassis and the aerial tilt sensor 206 at the center of the top of the twin-mast lifting mechanism 2 work together to detect its leveling posture, adapting to uneven ground and tilted work sites. The twin-mast lifting mechanism 2 improves stability through chain drive and aluminum alloy guide slider, and reduces weight compared to traditional scissor lift mechanisms or cantilever lift mechanisms.

[0024] The aerial wire-removal mechanism 3 includes a six-axis robotic arm 301, an end effector force control 302, a vision positioning module 303, a monitoring camera 304, a gripper 305, a spring-reset hook 306, and a voltage meter 307. The robotic arm 301 is connected to the overhead wire-hanging mechanism 3 at the top of the twin-mast lifting mechanism 2. The robotic arm 301 integrates a gripper 305 and a vision positioning module 303 at its end. The robotic arm is equipped with an end effector force control 302 to control the force applied to its end. The vision positioning module 303 identifies the position of the grounding wire hook on the ground and the overhead power line. The gripper 305 is used to hold the grounding wire; the end effector gripper holds horizontally, and the spring-reset hook is vertically engaged. A monitoring camera is deployed at the rear of the mechanism. The front side of the mobile chassis 1 is provided with a grounding mechanism 5, which includes a reel 501 and a quick-connect connector 502 connected to the reel 501. The grounding wire is wound up and down according to the stroke of the twin-mast lifting mechanism 2.

[0025] The aerial hanging and disconnecting mechanism 3 is also equipped with a monitoring camera 304 to provide real-time feedback on the working environment and equipment status. The mobile chassis 1 houses a quickly replaceable power battery 105. The control unit 106 is electrically connected to the laser navigation 103, chassis drive 102, lifting mechanism 2, robotic arm 301, vision positioning module 303, and electric leveling support 4. It receives signals from each module and outputs control commands, receives on-site operation commands, dynamically adjusts the hanging and disconnecting priorities according to the recognition program, and uses an automatic leveling algorithm to drive the leveling action. A remote monitoring terminal enables real-time monitoring.

[0026] In terms of materials, in order to reduce the weight of the equipment while ensuring its strength, the tracked mobile chassis 1, the twin-mast lifting mechanism 2, and the aerial wire hanging and disconnecting mechanism 3 are all made of lightweight high-strength aluminum alloy, so that the weight is controlled within 1 ton.

[0027] In terms of structural layout, the power battery 105 and control unit 106 are connected and placed on the front side of the top of the chassis, the hydraulic pump station 204 and hydraulic cylinder 203 are connected and placed on the rear side of the top of the chassis, and a double mast lifting mechanism 2 is set between the front and rear sides and folded in the middle. The aerial hanging and unloading mechanism 3 is placed in the middle of the double mast lifting mechanism 2. The robotic arm 301 and gripper 305 face one side and do not exceed its top surface when retracted. The four corner hinged leveling supports on the top of the chassis can be retracted upwards. This compact design reduces the size of the equipment. The external dimensions are limited to length ≤1300mm, width ≤1000mm, and height ≤2000mm, which can match the size and load-bearing requirements of the elevator car in the hydropower station and complete the floor transportation by entering and exiting the elevator.

[0028] This embodiment provides a method for attaching and detaching a lightweight grounding wire attachment / detachment device suitable for hydropower stations, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the operation steps are as follows: S1: The tracked mobile chassis moves to the working point at the bottom of the column using laser navigation; S2: Deploy the electric leveling supports at the four corners of the tracked mobile chassis, and detect the horizontal status through the chassis tilt sensor and the air tilt sensor on the overhead hanging and unloading mechanism, and level it through the electric cylinder of the electric leveling support; S3: The robotic arm's vision positioning module positions the arm and uses its end gripper to pick up the spring reset hook from the grounding mechanism. S4: The twin-mast lifting mechanism raises the spring return hook to the target height and stops it using a limit switch, while simultaneously detecting residual electricity non-contactly using a voltage meter; S5: The robotic arm will bring the reset hook close to the overhead busbar; S6: The visual positioning module identifies the aerial working conditions and adjusts the attitude to complete the grounding wire connection; S7: Release the end gripper, the lifting device retracts and descends, and the leveling outriggers return to their original positions; S8: Navigate to the next reference work point to complete the coupling.

[0029] Before step S1, the device moves into the elevator, exits the elevator, travels to the standby starting point, and places the cable reel. Repeat steps S1-S8 until the maintenance work is completed. Then, identify the characteristic position of the aerial spring return hook and remove the hook. After the work is completed, retract the hook back to the standby point. Move to the other side of the dam via elevator to continue the work, and return to the storage location after completion. The entire process also includes the path from the left bank to the right bank of the dam, as well as the steps of entering the elevator and the automatic rope retraction starting point, forming a complete work cycle.

[0030] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A lightweight grounding wire attaching / removing device suitable for hydropower stations, characterized in that: The device includes a mobile chassis placed on one side of a grounding mechanism; a double-mast lifting mechanism is installed on the mobile chassis, and an aerial wire-removing mechanism is installed at the top of the double-mast lifting mechanism for grabbing and placing the grounding wire; electric leveling support assemblies are installed at the four corners of the mobile chassis, and each electric leveling support assembly includes multiple outrigger structural components, which are driven by leveling electric cylinders. The aerial wire hanging and disconnecting mechanism includes a robotic arm with an end gripper at its end. A vision positioning module is connected to the end gripper. The vision positioning module is used to identify the position of the ground wire hook on the ground and the overhead conductor. The gripper is used to hold the ground wire. The robotic arm controls the spring-reset hook to hang and disconnect the wire. The control unit is electrically connected to the mobile chassis, the twin-mast lifting mechanism, the electric leveling support assembly, and the aerial hanging and disconnecting mechanism.

2. The lightweight grounding wire hanging and removing device suitable for hydropower stations according to claim 1, characterized in that, The external dimensions of the device when it is retracted and reset are limited to length ≤1300mm, width ≤1000mm, and height ≤2000mm.

3. A lightweight grounding wire hanging and removing device suitable for hydropower stations according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dual-mast lifting mechanism is a multi-stage telescopic structure, with a lifting stroke ranging from 2m to 13m, and a limit switch is installed on the lifting mechanism.

4. A lightweight grounding wire hanging and removing device suitable for hydropower stations according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aerial hanging and untying mechanism is equipped with an aerial tilt sensor, and the chassis tilt sensor is installed on the upper surface of the chassis to collect horizontal tilt data in real time. When the tilt angle exceeds the threshold, the control unit starts the leveling program.

5. A lightweight grounding wire hanging and removing device suitable for hydropower stations according to claim 1, characterized in that, The grounding mechanism includes a reel with a built-in tension adjustment mechanism located at the bottom of the busbar column. One end of the busbar is connected to a spring return hook, which is initially attached to the top of the busbar column and awaits gripping by the end gripper. The mobile chassis operates on its side and automatically retracts and extends the grounding wire according to the travel of the twin-mast lifting mechanism.

6. A lightweight grounding wire hanging and removing device suitable for hydropower stations according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power battery and control unit are connected and placed on the front side of the top of the chassis, while the hydraulic pump station and hydraulic cylinder are connected and placed on the rear side of the top of the chassis. An aerial hanging and untying mechanism is set between the front and rear sides and folded and placed in the middle. The four corners of the chassis are hinged and leveled, and the chassis is vertically upward when folded.

7. A method for attaching and detaching a grounding wire, employing a lightweight grounding wire attachment and detachment device suitable for hydropower stations as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: The tracked mobile chassis moves to the working point at the bottom of the column using laser navigation; S2: Deploy the electric leveling supports at the four corners of the tracked mobile chassis, and detect the horizontal status through the chassis tilt sensor and the air tilt sensor on the overhead hanging and unloading mechanism, and level it through the electric cylinder of the electric leveling support; S3: The robotic arm's vision positioning module positions the arm and uses its end gripper to pick up the spring reset hook from the grounding mechanism. S4: The twin-mast lifting mechanism raises the spring return hook to the target height and stops it using a limit switch, while simultaneously detecting residual electricity non-contactly using a voltage meter; S5: The robotic arm will bring the reset hook close to the overhead busbar; S6: The visual positioning module identifies the aerial working conditions and adjusts the attitude to complete the grounding wire connection; S7: Release the end gripper, the lifting device retracts and descends, and the leveling outriggers return to their original positions.

8. A method for hanging and removing a grounding wire according to claim 7, characterized in that, Before step S1, the device moves into the elevator, exits the elevator, travels to the standby starting point, and places the cable reel.

9. A method for hanging and removing a grounding wire according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes S8: Navigate to the next benchmark work point and repeat S1-S8 until the maintenance work is completed.

10. A method for hanging and removing a grounding wire according to claim 9, characterized in that, After completing the maintenance work, identify the characteristic position of the air spring reset hook and remove the hook. After the work is completed, retract the hook back to the standby point or return it to the storage location.

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