Unmanned aerial vehicle based insulator string wicket installation device and method

Abstract

The application relates to a kind of unmanned aerial vehicle-based insulator string W pin installation device and method, device includes unmanned aerial vehicle, mechanical arm being arranged in unmanned aerial vehicle and installation mechanism being arranged in the end of mechanical arm.Installation mechanism includes pedestal, W pin positioning clamp, push rod, linear drive, positioning clamp arm and two linkage assemblies;W pin positioning clamp is used for clamping W pin, linear drive is used for driving push rod to move along W pin installation direction.Push rod corresponds with the middle hole of W pin, and can form idle stroke before abutting the hole bottom of middle hole;Push rod drives two clamp arm bodies to close in the idle stroke by two linkage assemblies respectively, so that clamp arm body holds the outer edge of insulator iron cap;After push rod continues to move forward and abuts the hole bottom of middle hole, W pin is pushed to enter lock pin position through the entry of iron cap's bolt slot.The application can reduce the number of end independent drive, reduce the weight of end mechanism, and improve the stability and reliability of W pin installation when unmanned aerial vehicle hovers at high altitude.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of high-voltage transmission line maintenance technology, and in particular to an insulator string W-pin installation device and method based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Background Technology

[0002] Transmission lines commonly use disc-type suspension insulator strings to support the conductors and achieve electrical insulation. Adjacent insulators are connected by iron caps, ball-head steel feet, and W-pins. After the ball-head steel feet are inserted into the ball sockets of the iron caps, they rely on the W-pins for limiting and preventing detachment. Therefore, the installation quality of the W-pins directly determines the connection reliability of the insulator string and is crucial to ensuring the safe and stable operation of transmission lines.

[0003] Currently, the installation of W-pins for insulators is still mainly carried out by manual tower climbing or with the assistance of insulating tools. Manual close-range high-altitude live-line work is risky, labor-intensive, and has limited efficiency. Moreover, under complex working conditions such as wind disturbance and limited space, the stability of operation is difficult to guarantee, and problems such as inaccurate W-pin alignment, improper insertion, detachment, or difficulty in confirming the installation status are prone to occur, which can easily leave hidden dangers for line operation.

[0004] Existing technologies have disclosed live-line working robots and matching W-pin disassembly and assembly end devices, which can replace manual labor in completing some W-pin disassembly and assembly operations. However, such equipment is mostly adapted to line walking robots, fixed working platforms, or relatively stable robotic arm platforms. It needs to rely on line components for mounting, obstacle crossing, or support positioning. The deployment process is complex, the preparation cycle is long, and the operational flexibility is insufficient. It has limited adaptability to scattered, multi-point, and emergency high-altitude W-pin replacement scenarios.

[0005] Meanwhile, existing W-pin assembly and disassembly end effectors are designed for stable operating platforms, and their structural dimensions, overall weight, and motion coordination methods are not suitable for the working conditions of drones equipped with lightweight robotic arms. Line-walking robots and fixed platforms have high tolerance for end effector loads and minimal self-weight interference; however, drones are extremely sensitive to load, endurance, hovering stability, and wind resistance. Heavy and complex end effector mechanisms will significantly increase the difficulty of drone control and are prone to problems such as alignment deviations and assembly failures.

[0006] Currently, drones are mostly used in the power sector for auxiliary scenarios such as line inspection, image acquisition, and defect identification. Some solutions can achieve simple replacement of ordinary pins. However, the W-pin of the insulator cap has a special shape, insertion path, and locking mechanism. It needs to be accurately inserted into the groove on the side of the cap and form an internal limit. This places extremely high demands on the stability of the tool posture, positioning accuracy, and assembly reliability. Conventional drone maintenance equipment and general pin tooling cannot meet the special high-altitude installation requirements of W-pins.

[0007] In summary, existing technologies cannot meet the multiple requirements of UAV high-altitude operations for lightweight end tools, attitude adaptability, alignment accuracy and installation reliability, and cannot adequately support UAVs equipped with lightweight robotic arms to carry out stable and precise high-altitude installation of insulator string pins. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to address the problems of existing line walking robots and fixed platform W-pin dismantling and assembly equipment having complex deployment processes, long preparation times, and insufficient on-site mobility, as well as the difficulty of existing W-pin dismantling and assembly end devices in meeting the comprehensive requirements of drone-mounted lightweight robotic arms for high-altitude hovering operations in terms of end-effector lightweighting, attitude adaptability, alignment accuracy, and installation reliability. This invention provides a drone-based insulator string W-pin installation device and method.

[0009] To address the aforementioned technical problems, in a first aspect, the present invention provides an insulator string W-pin installation device based on a drone, comprising: Drones; A robotic arm is mounted on the drone; and The mounting mechanism, located at the end of the robotic arm, includes a base, a W-pin positioning clamp, a push rod, a linear drive component, a positioning clamp arm, and two linkage components. The W-pin positioning clamp is disposed on the base; the linear drive is used to drive the push rod to move along the W-pin installation direction; the push rod corresponds to the middle hole of the W-pin and can form a free stroke before abutting the bottom of the middle hole; The positioning clamping arm includes two clamping arm bodies hinged to the base. When the two clamping arm bodies are closed, they are used to hold the outer edge of the insulator cap. The linkage component includes a slide rod connected to the push rod, a pulley provided on the slide rod, and a track block provided on the corresponding clamping arm body. The track block has a guide surface that cooperates with the pulley. The guide surface is used to guide the corresponding clamping arm body to rotate in the closing direction when the pulley moves forward with the push rod. When the push rod moves forward within the idle stroke, it drives the corresponding clamping arms to rotate in the closing direction through the two linkage components. This causes the two clamping arms to hold the outer edge of the insulator cap before the W pin is pushed out of the W pin positioning clamp, and keeps the W pin in the W pin positioning clamp before the push rod abuts the bottom of the hole, preventing it from being pushed out. After the two clamping arms hold the insulator cap, the push rod continues to move forward and pushes the W pin out of the W pin positioning clamp after abutting the bottom of the hole, so that the W pin enters the locking pin position through the pin slot inlet of the insulator cap.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the W-pin positioning clamp includes a positioning support plate mounted on the base at the end away from the robotic arm, and two clamping plates disposed opposite to each other on the positioning support plate; a clamping groove for clamping the W-pin is formed between the two clamping plates; the end of the clamping groove away from the base has an insertion port for inserting and removing the W-pin.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the W-pin positioning clamp further includes two limiting plates, which are disposed in the clamping groove and each has a limiting arc surface that matches the arc-shaped portion on both sides of the tail of the W-pin.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, a contact plate is further included, one end of which is disposed at the end of the base away from the robotic arm, and the other end forms an arc-shaped contact surface for abutting against the outer peripheral surface of the insulator cap.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the two clamping arms are respectively disposed on both sides of the W pin positioning clamp; the middle part of each clamping arm is hinged to the base, one end is connected to the base through an elastic element, and the other end forms a holding end for holding the outer edge of the iron cap.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the guide surface includes an oblique guide section, an arc transition section and a straight retaining section, wherein the arc transition section connects the oblique guide section and the straight retaining section; The inclined guide section is used to drive the corresponding clamping arm to rotate in the closing direction when the pulley moves along it; the arc transition section is used to guide the pulley to move smoothly from the inclined guide section to the straight holding section; the straight holding section is used to keep the corresponding clamping arm in a closed state when the pulley moves to the straight holding section.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, an image acquisition component is further included, which is disposed on the base and is used to acquire at least an image including the iron cap, the pin slot and the W pin.

[0016] In a second aspect, the present invention also discloses a method for installing W-pins on insulator strings based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), using the aforementioned UAV-based insulator string W-pin installation device. The installation method includes: The W-pin is clamped in the W-pin positioning clamp; The drone is controlled to move the robotic arm and installation mechanism to the vicinity of the target insulator string, and the position of the installation mechanism is adjusted so that the locking foot of the W pin corresponds to the pin slot inlet of the iron cap. Drive the push rod forward along the W pin installation direction, so that the push rod drives the corresponding clamping arm to close through the two linkage components within the idle stroke, and holds the outer edge of the iron cap; Continue to drive the push rod forward, so that the push rod abuts against the bottom of the hole in the middle of the W pin, and pushes the W pin through the inlet of the pin slot into the locking pin position of the iron cap; After the W-pin enters the locking pin position, the push rod is driven to retract, causing the push rod to exit the middle hole of the W-pin. The two clamping arms open as the push rod retracts, and then the mounting mechanism is controlled to disengage from the iron cap.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, the mounting mechanism is provided with an abutment plate, the abutment plate having an arc-shaped abutment surface that abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the iron cap; after adjusting the position of the mounting mechanism and before driving the push rod forward, the robotic arm is controlled to move the mounting mechanism closer to the iron cap, so that the arc-shaped abutment surface abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the iron cap.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, the guide surface includes an oblique guide section, an arc transition section, and a straight holding section; During the free stroke of the push rod, the push rod drives the slide rod forward, causing the pulley to move along the oblique guide section of the track block and drive the corresponding clamping arm to rotate in the closing direction; The pulley continues to move through the arc transition section to the straight holding section, keeping the clamping arm in a closed state; After the push rod continues to move forward and abuts the bottom of the hole in the middle of the W pin, it continues to push the W pin into the locking pin position of the iron cap while the clamping arm remains closed.

[0019] The technical solution of the present invention has the following advantages over the prior art: This invention integrates the W-pin installation mechanism at the end of a drone's robotic arm, enabling the drone to directly fly to the vicinity of the insulator string to complete the W-pin installation operation. This reduces manual tower climbing and close-range live-line operations, lowering the risks and labor intensity of high-altitude work. Compared to line-walking robots or fixed platform equipment, this method eliminates the need for complex on-line, walking, and obstacle-crossing processes, offering greater flexibility in on-site deployment. It is particularly suitable for scattered, multi-point, or emergency W-pin replacement operations.

[0020] The mounting mechanism of this invention uses a linear drive to move a push rod forward, which in turn drives two linked components to move, allowing the two actions of clamping the metal cap and pushing in the W-pin to be completed sequentially during the continuous forward movement of the same push rod. Compared to schemes that use separate drive mechanisms for clamping and pushing actions, this invention reduces the number of independent end-effectors and transmission mechanisms, lightens the overall weight of the end effector, reduces structural complexity, and better meets the requirements of UAV platforms for load, endurance, and hovering stability.

[0021] The push rod has a pre-existing idle stroke before contacting the bottom of the hole in the center of the W-pin. During this idle stroke, the push rod has not yet pushed the W-pin away from the W-pin positioning clamp. Instead, it first drives the two clamping arms to close via two linkage components, causing the clamping arms to hold the outer edge of the insulator cap. This design prevents the W-pin from being prematurely pushed out before the installation mechanism is stably positioned, reducing the risk of the W-pin being misaligned, stuck, falling off, or not properly inserted.

[0022] Because the holding and pushing actions are naturally connected by the continuous forward movement of the same push rod, this invention reduces the reliance on coordinated control of multiple drive components and can mechanically guarantee the action sequence of stabilizing the end cap first and then pushing in the W pin. This mechanical sequence constraint is suitable for dynamic operations in the hovering state of UAVs, improving assembly stability and insertion reliability.

[0023] The two linkage components consist of a slide bar, a pulley, and a track block, respectively. When the push bar moves forward, the clamping arm closes through the cooperation of the pulley and the guide surface of the track block. This transmission method has a compact structure, a short motion transmission path, and the rolling guide cooperation between the pulley and the track block can reduce the risk of transmission jamming. It is also adaptable to manufacturing errors and positioning deviations, and can adapt to the slight position fluctuations that may occur at the end of the robotic arm when the drone is hovering.

[0024] During the W-pin insertion process, the reaction force generated by the insertion resistance can be transmitted to the iron cap through the cooperation between the clamping arm and the iron cap, thereby reducing the burden on the UAV flight control system and the end effector of the robotic arm to resist the insertion disturbance alone. This is especially important for high-altitude operation scenarios where there is wind interference or the UAV's hovering accuracy is limited.

[0025] In summary, this invention reduces the weight of the end mechanism and the difficulty of high-altitude alignment under the conditions of light-load, high-altitude hovering, and limited operating space of drones, reduces the risk of W-pin misalignment, jamming, or incomplete positioning, and improves the stability and reliability of W-pin installation of insulator strings. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To make the content of this invention easier to understand, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the insulator string structure; Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the W-pin; Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-section after being cut along the AA direction; Figure 4 This is a top view schematic diagram of the insulator string W-pin installation device based on a drone provided by the present invention; Figure 5This is a top view schematic diagram of the installation mechanism provided by the present invention; Figure 6 This is a side view of the base and abutment plate provided by the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the push rod, slide rod, and pulley provided by the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the state of the W pin being clamped in the W pin positioning clip provided by the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing the state of the abutting plate abutting against the iron cap of the insulator provided by the present invention; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the push rod of the present invention pushes the W pin and abuts against the bottom of the middle hole; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the push rod pushes the W pin and the pin slot of the iron cap into place, as provided by the present invention. Figure 12 This is a flowchart of an insulator string W-pin installation method based on a drone provided by the present invention.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the accompanying drawings: 10. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV); 20. Robotic Arm; 30. Mounting Mechanism; 31. Base; 311. Clearance Hole; 32. W-Pin Positioning Clamp; 321. Positioning Bearing Plate; 322. Clamping Plate; 323. Clamping Slot; 324. Insertion Port; 325. Limiting Plate; 3251. Limiting Arc Surface; 33. Push Rod; 331. Push Rod Front End; 34. Linear Drive Component; 351. Clamping Arm Body; 3511. Holding End; 352. Hinge Shaft; 353. Elastic Component; 36. Linkage Assembly; 361. Slide Rod; 362. Slide... Wheel; 363, Track block; 3631, Guide surface; 3632, Oblique guide section; 3633, Straight holding section; 3634, Arc transition section; 37, Abutment plate; 371, Arc abutment surface; 39, Mounting frame; 100, Insulator string; 110, Insulator; 120, Iron cap; 121, Ball socket; 122, Pin slot; 1221, Pin slot inlet; 1222, Pin slot outlet; 130, Ball head steel foot; 140, W pin; 141, Middle hole; 142, Hole bottom; 143, Arc-shaped part; 144, Clamping foot. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, so that those skilled in the art can better understand and implement the present invention. However, the embodiments described are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0030] See Figures 1 to 3 As shown, this embodiment provides an insulator string W-pin installation device based on a drone, used to install the W-pin 140 into the iron cap 120 of the insulator string 100.

[0031] The W pin 140 has a central hole 141, which is an elongated hole with one end closed, forming the bottom 142 of the hole. One end of the W pin 140 has two arc-shaped portions 143, and the other end has a retaining foot 144. The central hole 141 is located between the two arc-shaped portions 143.

[0032] The insulator string 100 includes multiple insulators 110, iron caps 120, and ball-head steel feet 130. Each insulator 110 is provided with an iron cap 120 and a ball-head steel foot 130. The ball-head steel foot 130 of one insulator 110 is inserted into the iron cap 120 of the adjacent insulator 110 and is connected and limited by a W-pin 140. Specifically, the iron cap 120 has a ball socket 121 for receiving the ball-head steel foot 130 and a pin groove 122 for inserting the W-pin 140. One side of the pin groove 122 forms a pin groove inlet 1221, and the other side forms a pin groove outlet 1222. After the ball-head steel foot 130 is inserted into the ball socket 121, the W-pin 140 enters the pin groove 122 from the pin groove inlet 1221 and moves along the pin groove 122 to the locking pin position. When pin 140 is in the locking position, pin 140 is located on the path of ball joint foot 130 exiting ball socket 121, thus restricting ball joint foot 130 from exiting ball socket 121; at the same time, the locking foot 144 of pin 140 extends outward from the pin slot outlet 1222 and opens outward, thus restricting pin 140 from exiting pin slot 122 in the reverse direction.

[0033] See Figures 1 to 7 As shown, the UAV-based insulator string W-pin installation device includes a UAV 10, a robotic arm 20, and an installation mechanism 30. The robotic arm 20 is mounted on the UAV 10, and the installation mechanism 30 is located at the end of the robotic arm 20. The robotic arm 20 may include a rotary joint, a telescopic joint, or a combination of rotary and telescopic joint structures, so that the installation mechanism 30 can be finely adjusted relative to the UAV 10 in terms of forward / backward, up / down, and angular direction. The UAV 10 is used to drive the robotic arm 20 and the installation mechanism 30 closer to the target insulator string 100, and the robotic arm 20 is used to adjust the posture of the installation mechanism 30 relative to the cap 120, so that the locking foot 144 of the W-pin 140 corresponds to the pin slot inlet 1221 of the cap 120.

[0034] See Figures 4 to 7 As shown, the mounting mechanism 30 includes a mounting frame 39, a base 31, a W-pin positioning clamp 32, a push rod 33, a linear drive component 34, a positioning clamp arm, and two linkage components 36.

[0035] The mounting frame 39 is connected to the end of the robotic arm 20, and the base 31 is located at the end of the mounting frame 39 away from the robotic arm 20. The linear drive 34 is mounted on the mounting frame 39. The push rod 33 is connected to the output end of the linear drive 34 and moves relative to the base 31 along the mounting frame 39 toward the base 31, that is, along the W-pin mounting direction.

[0036] The base 31 supports the W-pin positioning clamp 32, the positioning clamp arm, and the linkage assembly 36. The W-pin positioning clamp 32 is located at the end of the base 31 away from the mounting frame 39 and is used to clamp the W-pin 140 before installation. The positioning clamp arm is used to hold the outer edge of the iron cap 120 during installation. The two linkage assemblies 36 are respectively located between the push rod 33 and the positioning clamp arm and are used to transmit the forward movement of the push rod 33 to the positioning clamp arm.

[0037] In one embodiment, the linear drive 34 is an electric cylinder. The electric cylinder is mounted on the mounting frame 39, and its output end is connected to the push rod 33. It drives the push rod 33 to reciprocate along the W-pin mounting direction and provides the axial stroke and axial thrust required to push in the W-pin 140. The electric cylinder can provide feedback on the pushing stroke of the push rod 33 via a position detection signal.

[0038] In one embodiment, the mounting device further includes a control unit. The control unit is communicatively connected to the linear drive 34 and is used to receive control commands sent from a remote operating terminal, and to control the linear drive 34 to move the push rod 33 forward or backward. The control unit can also receive position detection signals fed back by the linear drive 34 to obtain the push stroke of the push rod 33.

[0039] See Figure 5 As shown, the W-pin positioning clamp 32 includes a positioning support plate 321 and two clamping plates 322. The positioning support plate 321 is mounted on the end of the base 31 away from the robotic arm 20, and the two clamping plates 322 are disposed opposite to each other on the positioning support plate 321. A clamping groove 323 is formed between the two clamping plates 322, which is used to receive and clamp the W-pin 140. The end of the clamping groove 323 away from the base 31 has an insertion port 324, through which the W-pin 140 can be inserted into the clamping groove 323, or pushed out of the insertion port 324 by the push rod 33.

[0040] See Figure 5 As shown, the W-pin positioning clamp 32 also includes two limiting plates 325. The two limiting plates 325 are disposed in the clamping groove 323 and each has a limiting arc surface 3251 that matches the two arc-shaped portions 143 of the W-pin 140. After the W-pin 140 is inserted into the clamping groove 323, the limiting arc surface 3251 cooperates with the arc-shaped portion 143 of the W-pin 140 to restrict the attitude of the W-pin 140, reducing the risk of the W-pin 140 shaking, deviating, or falling out during the movement of the UAV 10, the attitude adjustment of the robotic arm 20, and the alignment of the mounting mechanism 30.

[0041] See Figure 5 and Figure 8As shown, the push rod 33 is arranged along the W-pin installation direction, and the front end 331 of the push rod corresponds to the middle hole 141 of the W-pin 140, which is clamped in the W-pin positioning clip 32. At the beginning of installation, the front end 331 of the push rod 33 is located at the opening of the middle hole 141, but does not abut against the bottom 142 of the middle hole 141.

[0042] When the linear drive 34 drives the push rod 33 forward, the front end 331 of the push rod penetrates into the central hole 141 of the W pin 140. Since the push rod 33 has not yet reached the bottom 142 of the central hole 141, it will not push the W pin 140 away from the W pin positioning clamp 32. The stroke of the push rod 33 from the start of its forward movement until it reaches the bottom 142 of the hole is called the idle stroke.

[0043] This idle stroke is not an invalid stroke. In this embodiment, the idle stroke is used to drive the two linkage components 36 to close first and hold the outer edge of the iron cap 120. In this way, before the W pin 140 is pushed out, the mounting mechanism 30 has already formed a relatively stable relative positional relationship with the iron cap 120, which can reduce the top deviation, jamming or falling off caused by the premature push-out of the W pin 140.

[0044] See Figures 4 to 6 As shown, the positioning clamping arm includes two clamping arm bodies 351, which are respectively disposed on both sides of the W-pin positioning clamp 32. The middle of each clamping arm body 351 is hinged to the base 31, one end is connected to the base 31 via an elastic element 353, and the other end forms a holding end 3511, which has an arc-shaped clamping surface that matches the outer edge of the iron cap 120. When the two clamping arm bodies 351 are closed, the two holding ends 3511 can hold the outer edge of the iron cap 120. The elastic element 353 is a spring.

[0045] Each linkage component 36 includes a slide rod 361, a pulley 362, and a track block 363. A clearance hole 311 is provided on the base 31, extending along the W-pin mounting direction. The slide rod 361 is vertically connected to one end of the push rod 33, and the end of the slide rod 361 away from the push rod 33 passes through the clearance hole 311 and is equipped with the pulley 362. The slide rod 361 can move with the push rod 33 along the W-pin mounting direction, and the clearance hole 311 is used to allow the slide rod 361 to move. The track block 363 is disposed on the corresponding clamping arm body 351, and the track block 363 has a guide surface 3631 that mates with the pulley 362.

[0046] See Figure 8As shown, when the push rod 33 is not moving forward or is in its initial position, the two clamping arms 351 are in the open state, allowing the mounting mechanism 30 to approach the cap 120. When the push rod 33 moves forward within its idle stroke, the two sliding rods 361 move forward synchronously with the push rod 33, and the pulley 362 moves along the guide surface 3631 of the corresponding track block 363, pushing the corresponding clamping arm 351 to rotate around the hinge axis 352 in the closing direction. At this time, the two clamping arms 351 gradually close until the holding end 3511 holds the outer edge of the cap 120.

[0047] Push rod 33 continues to move forward and abuts against the bottom 142 of the middle hole 141 (e.g.) Figure 10 (As shown), then, push rod 33 begins to push W pin 140, causing W pin 140 to enter the locking pin position inside iron cap 120 through the pin slot inlet 1221 (as shown). Figure 11 (As shown). Since the two clamping arms 351 have already closed and held the outer edge of the iron cap 120 before this, when the push rod 33 pushes the W pin 140, the reaction force generated by the pushing resistance can be transmitted to the iron cap 120 through the clamping arms 351, making it difficult for the mounting mechanism 30 to move backward or deviate relative to the iron cap 120, thereby reducing the burden on the drone 10 and the robotic arm 20 to resist the pushing disturbance alone.

[0048] See Figure 5 and Figure 11 As shown, the guide surface 3631 includes an inclined guide section 3632, an arc transition section 3634, and a straight retaining section 3633. The arc transition section 3634 connects the inclined guide section 3632 and the straight retaining section 3633. The inclined guide section 3632 is used to drive the corresponding clamping arm 351 to rotate in the closing direction when the pulley 362 moves along it. The arc transition section 3634 is used to guide the pulley 362 to move smoothly from the inclined guide section 3632 to the straight retaining section 3633. The straight retaining section 3633 is used to restrict the corresponding clamping arm 351 from rotating in the opening direction when the pulley 362 moves to the straight retaining section 3633, so that the corresponding clamping arm 351 remains in the closed state. The straight retaining section 3633 extends along the W-pin installation direction, and its length is used to cover the retaining stroke required to push the W-pin 140 into the locking pin position after the push rod 33 abuts against the bottom of the hole 142.

[0049] During installation, pulley 362 first moves along the inclined guide section 3632, and clamping arm 351 closes. Then, pulley 362 enters the straight holding section 3633 via the arc transition section 3634, and clamping arm 351 maintains its gripping state on the outer edge of the cap 120. In this way, when push rod 33 abuts against the bottom of hole 142 and pushes W pin 140 into the locking pin position, clamping arm 351 is not easily released due to the pushing reaction force, which helps to maintain the relative stability between installation mechanism 30 and cap 120.

[0050] See Figure 5As shown, the mounting mechanism 30 also includes an abutment plate 37. One end of the abutment plate 37 is located at the end of the base 31 away from the robotic arm 20, and the other end of the abutment plate 37 forms an arc-shaped abutment surface 371 on the side where the insertion port 324 is located. The arc-shaped abutment surface 371 is used to abut against the outer peripheral surface of the iron cap 120. In one embodiment, the abutment plate 37 and the positioning support plate 321 can be integrally formed, and the two are different functional parts on the same plate-shaped member. One side of the plate-shaped member is used to form the support plate surface for the clamping plate 322, and the end face of the plate-shaped member forms the arc-shaped abutment surface 371.

[0051] Before the push rod 33 moves forward, the robotic arm 20 can move the installation mechanism 30 closer to the iron cap 120, so that the arc-shaped abutment surface 371 of the abutment plate 37 first abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the iron cap 120. The abutment plate 37 can provide initial positioning and support for the installation mechanism 30, ensuring a good correspondence between the locking foot 144 of the W pin 140 and the pin slot inlet 1221. The abutment plate 37, in conjunction with the positioning clamping arm, can improve the stability of high-altitude alignment and the pushing process.

[0052] The mounting mechanism 30 also includes an image acquisition component. This component, located on the base 31, acquires operational images of the area containing the cap 120 and the W-pin positioning clip 32, displaying the cap 120, the pin slot inlet 1221, and the W-pin 140 in the acquired images. The image acquisition component can be a camera or a miniature camera, and the acquired images are used to display the relative positions of the cap 120, the pin slot inlet 1221, and the W-pin 140, providing a reference for operators to remotely observe and adjust the operational posture.

[0053] During installation, the drone 10 first moves the robotic arm 20 and the installation mechanism 30 to the vicinity of the target insulator string 100. The vicinity of the target insulator string 100 refers to a position where the iron cap 120 of the W-pin 140 to be installed is within the working range of the robotic arm 20, and the installation mechanism 30 has not yet made contact with the iron cap 120. The operator can control the drone 10 to perform coarse positioning based on the working images transmitted back by the image acquisition component, ensuring that the iron cap 120 enters the positional range where the robotic arm 20 can adjust the installation mechanism 30.

[0054] Subsequently, based on the relative position of the locking foot 144 of the W pin 140 and the pin slot inlet 1221 in the work image, the operator controls the robotic arm 20 to drive the installation mechanism 30 to make fine adjustments in the forward / backward, up / down, and angular directions, so that the locking foot 144 of the W pin 140 is located outside the pin slot inlet 1221, and the installation direction of the W pin 140 corresponds to the entry direction of the pin slot inlet 1221. After completing the above pre-alignment, the robotic arm 20 drives the installation mechanism 30 to continue to approach the iron cap 120, so that the arc-shaped abutment surface 371 of the abutment plate 37 is against the outer peripheral surface of the iron cap 120. After the abutment plate 37 is against the iron cap 120, the installation mechanism 30 is initially positioned relative to the iron cap 120, and the locking foot 144 of the W pin 140 remains outside the pin slot inlet 1221. Afterward, when the push rod 33 moves forward, the W pin 140 can enter the iron cap 120 along the pin slot inlet 1221.

[0055] See Figures 8 to 11 As shown, this embodiment of the invention also provides a method for installing W-pins on insulator strings based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This method can be completed using the aforementioned installation device with an image acquisition component. The installation method includes the following steps: S1, clamping pin W140.

[0056] like Figure 8 As shown, the W pin 140 is clamped in the W pin positioning clamp 32. Specifically, the W pin 140 is placed into the clamping groove 323, so that the arc-shaped portions 143 on both sides of the tail of the W pin 140 cooperate with the limiting arc surfaces 3251 of the two limiting plates 325, and one end of the W pin 140 where the arc-shaped portion 143 is located is located on the side where the closed end of the clamping groove 323 is located, and one end of the W pin 140 where the locking foot 144 is located is located on the side where the insertion port 324 of the clamping groove 323 is located.

[0057] S2, Move to the vicinity of the target insulator string 100.

[0058] The drone 10 is controlled to move the robotic arm 20 and the installation mechanism 30 to the vicinity of the target insulator string 100. The vicinity of the target insulator string 100 is defined as the position where the iron cap 120 of the W pin 140 to be installed is within the working range of the robotic arm 20, and the installation mechanism 30 has not yet made contact with the iron cap 120.

[0059] The image acquisition component acquires operational images of the area where the cap 120 and the W-pin positioning clip 32 are located, so that the operational images can display the cap 120, the pin slot inlet 1221, and the W-pin 140. Based on the operational images transmitted back by the image acquisition component, the operator can control the drone 10 to perform coarse positioning, ensuring that the cap 120 enters the position range within which the robotic arm 20 can adjust the mounting mechanism 30.

[0060] S3, Pre-alignment.

[0061] Based on the relative position of the W pin 140 locking foot 144 and the pin slot inlet 1221 in the work image, the operator controls the robotic arm 20 to drive the installation mechanism 30 to make fine adjustments in the front-back, up-down and angle directions, so that the installation mechanism 30 reaches the pre-aligned position.

[0062] The pre-alignment position refers to the following: the locking foot 144 of the W pin 140 is located outside the pin groove inlet 1221 of the iron cap 120, the installation direction of the W pin 140 corresponds to the entry direction of the pin groove inlet 1221, and when the installation mechanism 30 continues to approach the iron cap 120, the arc-shaped abutment surface 371 of the abutment plate 37 can abut against the outer peripheral surface of the iron cap 120.

[0063] In this embodiment, the installation direction of the W pin 140 corresponds to the entry direction of the pin slot inlet 1221. This means that when the push rod 33 subsequently pushes the W pin 140 forward, the W pin 140 can enter the iron cap 120 along the pin slot inlet 1221, and the W pin 140 locking foot 144 will not deviate significantly from the pin slot inlet 1221.

[0064] S4, the abutment plate 37 is attached to the iron cap 120.

[0065] like Figure 9 As shown, after the installation mechanism 30 reaches the pre-alignment position, the control robotic arm 20 drives the installation mechanism 30 to continue approaching the iron cap 120, so that the arc-shaped abutment surface 371 of the abutment plate 37 abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the iron cap 120. After the abutment plate 37 abuts against the iron cap 120, the installation mechanism 30 is initially positioned relative to the iron cap 120, and the locking foot 144 of the W pin 140 remains outside the pin slot inlet 1221, so that the W pin 140 can be sent into the pin slot inlet 1221 when the push rod 33 moves forward.

[0066] S5, push rod 33 drives the clamping arm 351 to close during its free stroke.

[0067] After confirming that the locking foot 144 of the W pin 140 corresponds to the pin slot inlet 1221 based on the work image transmitted back by the image acquisition component, and confirming that the abutment plate 37 is abutting against the outer peripheral surface of the iron cap 120, the operator sends a push-in start command to the control unit via the remote operation terminal. Upon receiving the push-in start command, the control unit controls the linear drive 34 to drive the push rod 33 forward along the W pin installation direction. The push rod 33 enters the middle hole 141 of the W pin 140 during its idle stroke, but has not yet abutted the bottom of the hole 142, therefore the W pin 140 is not pushed out. Simultaneously, the push rod 33, through two linkage components 36, drives the two clamping arms 351 to close, causing the two clamping arms 351 to close and hold the outer edge of the iron cap 120.

[0068] During the free travel of push rod 33, push rod 33 drives slide rod 361 forward, causing pulley 362 to move along the inclined guide section 3632 of track block 363, and causing the corresponding clamping arm 351 to rotate in the closing direction; then, pulley 362 continues to move through the arc transition section 3634 to the straight holding section 3633, keeping clamping arm 351 in the closed state. At this time, push rod 33 is still within the free travel before abutting the bottom of hole 142, and W pin 140 remains in clamping groove 323.

[0069] S6, Continue to push W sales 140.

[0070] like Figure 10 As shown, the push rod 33 continues to move forward, and the push rod 33 abuts against the bottom 142 of the hole 141 in the middle of the W pin 140. Then, the push rod 33 pushes the W pin 140 out of the insertion port 324 of the clamping groove 323, and causes the W pin 140 to enter the locking pin position inside the iron cap 120 through the pin slot inlet 1221 (as shown). Figure 11 (As shown).

[0071] During the pushing process, the image acquisition component acquires working images including the iron cap 120, the pin slot inlet 1221 and the W pin 140, and transmits the working images to the remote operation terminal so that the operator can observe the pushing status of the W pin 140 relative to the iron cap 120.

[0072] Meanwhile, the push stroke of the push rod 33 is obtained through the position detection signal of the linear drive 34. The push stroke is fed back to the control unit and transmitted to the remote operation terminal so that the operator can observe the forward movement state of the push rod 33.

[0073] The control unit determines whether pin W140 has been pushed into place based on the pushing stroke. When the pushing stroke enters the preset pushing stroke range, the control unit determines that pin W140 has been pushed into the locking pin position. The preset pushing stroke range can be determined based on the displacement required for pin W140 to enter the locking pin position of cap 120 from the clamping groove 323, and in combination with the allowable positional deviation during the pre-alignment of the mounting mechanism 30.

[0074] If the push-in stroke has not yet entered the preset push-in stroke range, the control unit controls the linear drive 34 to continue to drive the push rod 33 forward by a small stroke until the push-in stroke enters the preset push-in stroke range.

[0075] S7, push rod 33 retracts and exits the mounting mechanism 30.

[0076] After the control unit determines that pin W140 has been pushed into the locking position, the operator, based on the work image and pushing stroke displayed on the remote control terminal, controls the linear drive 34 to retract the push rod 33. The push rod 33 exits the central hole 141 of pin W140; as the push rod 33 retracts, pulley 362 moves in the opposite direction along guide surface 3631, and clamping arm 351 resets in the opening direction under the action of elastic element 353. Subsequently, the robotic arm 20 is controlled to drive the installation mechanism 30 to disengage from the cap 120, completing the installation of pin W140.

[0077] Using the above method, the continuous forward movement of push rod 33 is divided into two stages: the first stage is the idle stroke before abutting the bottom of hole 142, which is used to drive the positioning clamp arm to close; the second stage is the pushing stroke after abutting the bottom of hole 142, which is used to push W pin 140 into the locking pin position inside iron cap 120. Therefore, this embodiment can achieve the process of first stabilizing the relative position between the mounting mechanism 30 and iron cap 120, and then pushing in W pin 140, without increasing the complexity of multi-drive coordinated control.

[0078] The installation mechanism 30 in this embodiment has a compact structure and a small number of driving components, which helps to reduce the load on the end of the UAV 10. At the same time, the positioning clamp arm, the abutment plate 37 and the W pin positioning clamp 32 respectively constrain the attitude of the iron cap 120 and the W pin 140, which helps to reduce the impact of hovering disturbances of the UAV 10, wind disturbances and small position fluctuations at the end of the robotic arm 20 on the insertion process of the W pin 140, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the insulator string W pin installation.

[0079] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely illustrative examples for clear explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations here. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A W-pin installation device for insulator strings based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), characterized in that: include: Drones; A robotic arm is mounted on the drone; as well as The mounting mechanism, located at the end of the robotic arm, includes a base, a W-pin positioning clamp, a push rod, a linear drive component, a positioning clamp arm, and two linkage components. The W-pin positioning clamp is disposed on the base; the linear drive is used to drive the push rod to move along the W-pin installation direction; the push rod corresponds to the middle hole of the W-pin and can form a free stroke before abutting the bottom of the middle hole; The positioning clamping arm includes two clamping arm bodies hinged to the base. When the two clamping arm bodies are closed, they are used to hold the outer edge of the insulator cap. The linkage component includes a slide rod connected to the push rod, a pulley provided on the slide rod, and a track block provided on the corresponding clamping arm body. The track block has a guide surface that cooperates with the pulley. The guide surface is used to guide the corresponding clamping arm body to rotate in the closing direction when the pulley moves forward with the push rod. When the push rod moves forward within the idle stroke, it drives the corresponding clamping arms to rotate in the closing direction through the two linkage components. This causes the two clamping arms to hold the outer edge of the insulator cap before the W pin is pushed out of the W pin positioning clamp, and keeps the W pin in the W pin positioning clamp before the push rod abuts the bottom of the hole, preventing it from being pushed out. After the two clamping arms hold the insulator cap, the push rod continues to move forward and pushes the W pin out of the W pin positioning clamp after abutting the bottom of the hole, allowing the W pin to enter the locking pin position through the pin slot inlet of the insulator cap. The two clamping arms are respectively disposed on both sides of the W pin positioning clamp; the middle of each clamping arm is hinged to the base, one end is connected to the base through an elastic element, and the other end forms a holding end for holding the outer edge of the iron cap. The guide surface includes an inclined guide section, an arc transition section, and a straight retaining section, wherein the arc transition section connects the inclined guide section and the straight retaining section; The inclined guide section is used to drive the corresponding clamping arm to rotate in the closing direction when the pulley moves along it; the arc transition section is used to guide the pulley to move smoothly from the inclined guide section to the straight holding section; the straight holding section is used to keep the corresponding clamping arm in a closed state when the pulley moves to the straight holding section.

2. The insulator string W-pin installation device based on UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that: The W-pin positioning clamp includes a positioning support plate mounted on the base at the end away from the robotic arm, and two clamping plates disposed opposite to each other on the positioning support plate; a clamping groove for clamping the W-pin is formed between the two clamping plates; the end of the clamping groove away from the base has an insertion port for inserting and removing the W-pin.

3. The insulator string W-pin installation device based on UAV according to claim 2, characterized in that: The W-pin positioning clamp also includes two limiting plates, which are disposed in the clamping groove and each has a limiting arc surface that matches the arc-shaped portion on both sides of the tail of the W-pin.

4. The insulator string W-pin installation device based on UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that: The installation mechanism also includes an abutment plate, one end of which is located at the end of the base away from the robotic arm, and the other end forms an arc-shaped abutment surface for abutting against the outer circumference of the insulator cap.

5. The insulator string W-pin installation device based on UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes an image acquisition component, which is disposed on the base and is used to acquire at least an image containing the iron cap, the pin slot and the W pin.

6. A method for installing W-pins on insulator strings based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), characterized in that: Using the UAV-based insulator string W-pin mounting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the mounting method includes: The W-pin is clamped in the W-pin positioning clamp; The drone is controlled to move the robotic arm and installation mechanism to the vicinity of the target insulator string, and the position of the installation mechanism is adjusted so that the locking foot of the W pin corresponds to the pin slot inlet of the iron cap. Drive the push rod forward along the W pin installation direction, so that the push rod drives the corresponding clamping arm to close through the two linkage components within the idle stroke, and holds the outer edge of the iron cap; Continue to drive the push rod forward, so that the push rod abuts against the bottom of the hole in the middle of the W pin, and pushes the W pin through the inlet of the pin slot into the locking pin position of the iron cap; After the W-pin enters the locking pin position, the push rod is driven to retract, causing the push rod to exit the middle hole of the W-pin. The two clamping arms open as the push rod retracts, and then the mounting mechanism is controlled to disengage from the iron cap.

7. The method for installing W-pins on an insulator string based on a drone according to claim 6, characterized in that: The installation mechanism also includes an abutment plate, one end of which is located at the end of the base away from the robotic arm, and the other end forms an arc-shaped abutment surface for abutting against the outer peripheral surface of the insulator cap. After adjusting the position of the installation mechanism and before driving the push rod forward, the robotic arm is controlled to move the installation mechanism closer to the cap, so that the arc-shaped abutment surface abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the cap.

8. The method for installing W-pins on an insulator string based on a drone according to claim 6, characterized in that: The guide surface includes an inclined guide section, an arc transition section, and a straight holding section; During the free stroke of the push rod, the push rod drives the slide rod forward, causing the pulley to move along the oblique guide section of the track block and drive the corresponding clamping arm to rotate in the closing direction; The pulley continues to move through the arc transition section to the straight holding section, keeping the clamping arm in a closed state; After the push rod continues to move forward and abuts the bottom of the hole in the middle of the W pin, it continues to push the W pin into the locking pin position of the iron cap while the clamping arm remains closed.

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