Onboard cable snow removal device, drone and method

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of cable maintenance snow removal, in particular to an airborne cable snow removal device, a UAV and a method, comprising: an openable and closable ring for embracing a cable; two energy collection mechanisms connected with the openable and closable ring for converting swing of the cable into mechanical energy; an energy storage mechanism connected with the energy collection mechanisms for accumulating the mechanical energy and releasing it intermittently; a snow removal and advancing mechanism arranged in the openable and closable ring and connected with an output end of the energy storage mechanism, the snow removal and advancing mechanism is configured to alternately perform snow shoveling action on the surface of the cable and advancing action along the axial direction of the cable under the driving of the released mechanical energy. The device collects the inevitable swing movement of the overhead cable under natural wind, dancing and other working conditions through a swing arm collection mechanism, converts the swing movement into directional energy storage through gear speedup and one-way bearing, and stores the energy in a spring box. When the energy accumulates to a set threshold, the energy is automatically released to drive snow removal and creeping action.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cable maintenance and snow removal technology, specifically to airborne cable snow removal devices, drones, and methods. Background Technology

[0002] Ice and snow accumulation on overhead cables in winter poses a significant safety hazard to power systems. Excessive ice and snow accumulation often leads to accidents such as line breaks, tower collapses, and insulator flashovers. Currently, de-icing and snow removal operations for overhead cables mainly include manual de-icing, mechanical de-icing devices, and direct de-icing by drones. However, all of these methods have certain drawbacks in practical applications.

[0003] Manual snow and ice removal requires workers to use aerial work platforms, climb towers, or operate insulated poles to manually tap the cables to remove the ice and snow layer. This method is extremely labor-intensive and inefficient; a worker can only remove a few dozen meters of cable per hour. Working at heights significantly increases the risk of falls and electric shock in icy, slippery, and low-temperature environments. Furthermore, it is limited by terrain, as many towers are located on steep slopes or near water, making them difficult for personnel to access.

[0004] Mechanical snow removal devices, such as self-propelled snow removal robots, partially replace human labor. However, they typically use motor-driven rollers or clamping mechanisms to move along power cables and use rotary milling cutters, hammers, and other mechanisms to remove snow and ice. These devices require large-capacity lithium batteries or are powered by tow cables, often weighing 15-40 kg, placing an additional load on the overhead cables. In sustained low-temperature environments, the usable capacity of lithium batteries often decreases to less than 50% of that at room temperature, resulting in a single-charge runtime of less than 2-3 hours during field operations, making it difficult to handle continuous snow removal tasks on power distribution lines tens of kilometers long. Furthermore, when crossing cable joints, vibration dampers, suspension clamps, and other line hardware, robots require complex obstacle-crossing mechanisms and high-precision sensing systems, resulting in complex structures, high costs, and high failure rates. Some devices even require pre-laid guide rails on the cables, limiting their practicality. Some solutions introduce solar panels or small wind turbines for online power supplementation, but in continuous overcast or snow-covered conditions, neither sunlight nor wind conditions can guarantee the continuity and stability of power supply.

[0005] Using drones for direct snow and ice removal has become a development trend in recent years. Typical methods include drones carrying counterweights to repeatedly strike cables, or carrying snow and ice melting equipment such as heat guns and lasers. However, when industrial-grade multi-rotor drones hover with a payload of several kilograms, the actual working time of a single battery is usually only 15 to 30 minutes, requiring frequent take-offs and landings to replace batteries, and the length of cable cleaned per unit time is extremely limited. If continuous hovering is forced to extend the working time, not only is battery replacement inefficient, but the propeller downwash airflow will also exacerbate irregular cable movement, drastically reduce the accuracy of the striking point, and may even damage the cable surface or cause phase-to-phase collisions, further threatening line safety.

[0006] In addition, there are passive wind-vibration snow removal devices on the market that utilize the wind-induced vibration of the cable itself to drive the internal mass block to reciprocate and impact, attempting to remove the snow layer through high-frequency impact. This device can only be installed at a fixed point on the cable and cannot move along the cable, resulting in insufficient coverage for clearing snow continuously distributed along the entire line. In actual operation, this localized vibration energy is often insufficient to effectively break down the adhesion of large areas of ice and snow, resulting in limited snow removal effectiveness and a high risk of fatigue damage to the cable sheath near the impact point.

[0007] In summary, existing technologies generally suffer from one or more shortcomings, such as the need for continuous external power supply or fuel replenishment, heavy equipment weight, short battery life, inability to move autonomously along the cable, and difficulty in adapting to large-scale continuous snow removal operations. There is an urgent need for a lightweight device that can make full use of environmental energy and can move autonomously and continuously remove snow on overhead cables without carrying external power. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to solve the problems existing in the prior art, and to propose an airborne cable snow removal device, a drone and a method therefor.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: Airborne cable snow removal system, including: An openable and closable loop for wrapping around cables; Two energy harvesting mechanisms, connected to the open and closed loop, are used to convert the oscillation of the cable into mechanical energy; An energy storage mechanism, connected to the energy harvesting mechanism, is used to store the mechanical energy and release it intermittently; A snow removal traveling mechanism is disposed within the open / closed loop and connected to the output end of the energy storage mechanism. The snow removal traveling mechanism is configured to alternately perform snow removal actions on the cable surface and traveling actions along the cable axis under the drive of the released mechanical energy.

[0010] Preferably, the energy harvesting mechanism includes: Side plate, fixedly connected to the side wall of the opening and closing ring; The outer shaft is rotatably connected to the side plate via bearings and is arranged along the axial direction of the opening and closing ring; At least one swing arm is fixed to the side wall of the outer shaft and is used to drive the outer shaft to reciprocate when the cable swings.

[0011] Preferably, the energy storage mechanism is a spring box, and multiple bearing seats are symmetrically installed on the inner sidewall of the opening and closing ring, with the bearing seats on the same side rotatably mounted on a countershaft. The input end of the mainspring barrel is connected to the outer shaft via a one-way transmission assembly, and its output end is connected to the secondary shaft. The one-way transmission assembly converts the reciprocating rotation of the outer shaft into pulses that drive the input end of the mainspring barrel to rotate in one direction, so as to tighten the internal spiral mainspring.

[0012] Preferably, the unidirectional transmission assembly includes: The first gear is fixedly connected to the outer shaft; The inner shaft is fixedly connected to the input end of the spring box; The second gear is mounted on the inner shaft via a one-way bearing and meshes with the first gear.

[0013] Preferably, the snow removal traveling mechanism includes: The movable frame is slidably connected to the inner wall of the opening and closing ring along the axial direction; An arc-shaped snowplow blade is mounted radially on the movable frame via a spring telescopic rod along the opening and closing ring. Cam 1 is slidably keyed to the secondary shaft, which serves as the output end of the energy storage mechanism, and is used to control the clamping or loosening of the cable by driving the spring telescopic rod 1 during rotation; A tension spring is connected between the movable frame and the opening / closing loop; When the curved snowplow is in a relaxed state, the moving frame is driven forward to perform the snow-shoveling action and stretch the tension spring; when the curved snowplow is in a clamped state, the tension spring retracts, pulling the opening and closing rings forward as a whole to perform the traveling action. A pull plate is fixed to the inner wall of the opening and closing ring. The moving frame is slidably connected to the pull plate through a central rod. The tension spring is sleeved on the central rod, and its two ends abut against the moving frame and the pull plate respectively. A cylindrical cam is fixed to the secondary shaft, and its outer circumferential surface is provided with a curved groove; Multiple guide frames are symmetrically installed on the inner sidewall of the opening and closing loop, and an L-shaped slide rod is slidably connected through the sidewall of one of the guide frames. The L-shaped slide bar slides through the moving frame, with one end fitted into the curved groove and the other end provided with a one-way drive protrusion, which is used to push the moving frame forward intermittently in one direction when the cylindrical cam rotates. Guide ring one is fixedly connected to one end of the cylindrical cam; Slide rod one is slidably connected to the adjacent guide frame, one end of which abuts against the contour surface of guide ring one, and the other end is connected to cam one through double shift fork one; The contour surface of the guide ring is used to push the slide rod to move axially during rotation, so as to drive the cam to slide along the secondary shaft to a position that is aligned with or offset from the spring telescopic rod.

[0014] Preferably, the snow removal traveling mechanism further includes: An arc-shaped auxiliary plate is mounted on a fixed frame along the radial direction of the opening and closing ring via a spring telescopic rod 2, and the fixed frame is fixed to the inner wall of the opening and closing ring; Cam 2, slidably keyed to the secondary shaft, is used to control the clamping or loosening of the cable by driving the spring telescopic rod 2 during rotation; Guide ring two is fixedly connected to the other end of the cylindrical cam; The second slide rod is slidably connected to the fixed frame, with one end abutting against the contour surface of the second guide ring, and the other end connected to the second cam via the second double shift fork; The contour surface of the second guide ring is used to push the second slide rod to move axially during rotation, so as to drive the second cam to slide along the secondary shaft to a position aligned with or offset from the second spring telescopic rod; The protrusions of the first guide ring and the protrusions of the second guide ring are offset in the circumferential direction so that the arc-shaped snowplow and the arc-shaped auxiliary plate alternately clamp the cable. The first slide bar is elastically connected to the adjacent guide frame via a tension spring, and the second slide bar is elastically connected to the fixed frame via another tension spring.

[0015] Preferably, the opening and closing ring includes a left half-ring and a right half-ring that are hinged to each other and are kept closed by a torsion spring; both the left half-ring and the right half-ring are fixedly connected to a connector for overcoming the torsion spring force and opening the opening and closing ring when it is clamped by an external clamping device and brought close to each other.

[0016] A drone, comprising: The drone itself; The gimbal is installed on the bottom wall of the drone body; An electric clamp is fixed to the bottom wall of the gimbal; And the aforementioned airborne cable snow removal device; The electric clamp is used to clamp the connector to open the opening and closing ring, and releases it after the cable is inserted into the opening and closing ring, so that the opening and closing ring closes under the action of the torsion spring.

[0017] A method for snow removal of airborne cables using a drone includes the following steps: S1. The drone body flies over the cable to be cleared of snow and adjusts the attitude of the gimbal so that the opening of the open / closed loop is aligned with the cable; S2. The electric clamp clamps the two connecting pieces, overcoming the torsion spring force to open the opening and closing ring; S3. The drone body descends and inserts the opened loop into the cable; S4. The electric clamp releases the connector, and the opening and closing ring closes under the restoring force of the torsion spring and wraps around the cable, completing the mounting. S5. The cable swings under the action of wind, driving the energy harvesting mechanism to work and inputting mechanical energy into the energy storage mechanism for storage; S6. When the energy stored in the energy storage mechanism reaches a threshold, the energy storage mechanism intermittently releases energy to drive the snow removal mechanism to alternately perform snow removal actions on the cable surface and travel along the cable axis, thereby realizing autonomous snow removal operations.

[0018] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this invention are: 1. This device collects the unavoidable swaying motion of overhead cables under conditions such as natural wind and swaying through a swinging arm. This energy is then converted into directional energy storage via gear speed increase and a one-way bearing, and stored in a clockwork box. Once the energy accumulates to a set threshold, it is automatically released to drive snow removal and creeping actions. Compared to existing motor-driven methods, this completely eliminates the dependence on large-capacity batteries, external power sources, or fuel, avoids the problems of low-temperature battery degradation and short battery life of lithium batteries, and eliminates the need for drones to hover for extended periods to provide power. The device's weight is significantly reduced, lessening the additional load on the cables, allowing for independent operation on the line for extended periods and meeting the needs of large-scale continuous snow removal.

[0019] 2. When the device is not connected to the cable, it is in a closed state. A drone equipped with a gimbal and electric clamps uses high-altitude assistance to grip the connector, opening the opening and closing loop to allow the cable to be inserted, after which the device can be detached. The drone then withdraws. The entire process eliminates the need for personnel to climb towers or use aerial work platforms, thus eliminating the risks of falls and electric shock associated with manual snow removal. Furthermore, the drone only undertakes a delivery task lasting tens of seconds, rather than hovering, allowing multiple devices to be deployed on a single battery charge. This improves operational efficiency and avoids problems such as frequent battery replacements and cable vibration caused by downdrafts due to prolonged hovering.

[0020] 3. This device uses the release of the spring to drive the cylindrical cam, which enables the arc-shaped snowplow and the arc-shaped auxiliary plate to alternately clamp the cable, forming a creeping gait where one end is clamped and the other end moves forward. During the movement, the arc-shaped snowplow scrapes and peels off the snow around the cable, resulting in continuous snow removal coverage without any dead angles. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the appearance of the airborne cable snow removal device proposed in this invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the two arc-shaped snowplows and the two arc-shaped auxiliary plates in the airborne cable snow removal device proposed in this invention; Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the open and closed loop in the airborne cable snow removal device proposed in this invention; Figure 4 for Figure 3 Enlarged schematic diagram of section A of the structure; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection relationship of the moving frame, slide bar 1, and sub-shaft in the airborne cable snow removal device proposed in this invention. Figure 6 for Figure 5 Enlarged schematic diagram of section B of the structure; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection relationship between the spring box, inner shaft, and secondary shaft in the airborne cable snow removal device proposed in this invention. Figure 8 for Figure 7 Enlarged schematic diagram of the C-section structure; Figure 9 for Figure 7 Enlarged schematic diagram of the structure of section D in the middle; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between guide ring one and guide ring two in the airborne cable snow removal device proposed in this invention; Figure 11 This is a system schematic diagram of the electronic synchronization lock as an alternative implementation in the airborne cable snow removal device proposed in this invention.

[0022] In the diagram: 1. Opening and closing loop; 101. Left half loop; 102. Right half loop; 103. Connector; 2. Side plate; 3. Outer shaft; 4. Tension spring; 5. Power mechanism; 51. Swing arm; 52. First gear; 53. Inner shaft; 54. Second gear; 55. One-way bearing; 56. Countershaft; 57. L-shaped slide bar; 58. Cylindrical cam; 6. Snow removal travel mechanism; 61. Guide ring 1; 62. Slide rod 1; 63. Moving frame; 64. Spring telescopic rod 1; 65. Return spring 1; 66. Double shift fork 1; 67. Curved snowplow blade; 68. Cam 1; 71. Pull plate; 72. Center rod; 73. Tension spring; 81. Guide ring II; 82. Fixing frame; 83. Slide rod II; 84. Double shift fork II; 85. Cam II; 86. Spring telescopic rod II; 87. Return spring II; 88. Arc-shaped auxiliary plate; 9. Spring box; 10. Guide frame; 11. Bearing housing. Detailed Implementation

[0023] 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. 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.

[0024] Reference Figures 1-11 Airborne cable snow removal device, including: The open / closed ring 1 is a ring-shaped load-bearing structure made of lightweight, high-strength aluminum alloy or carbon fiber reinforced composite material, consisting of a left half-ring 101 and a right half-ring 102. The two half-rings are symmetrically hinged by a rotating shaft equipped with a pre-tensioned torsion spring, and are kept closed by the torsion spring in the free state.

[0025] Connectors 103 are fixed to the outer sides of the left and right half rings respectively. The connectors 103 can be designed as wedge-shaped or flange structures to provide a defined clamping interface.

[0026] Within the cavities of the left half-ring 101 and the right half-ring 102, a snow removal traveling mechanism 6 for removing and maintaining snow from the cable surface is symmetrically arranged. This mechanism is integrated inside the open / closed ring 1 and can perform snow removal and clamping functions around the cable circumference in the closed operation state, realizing contact snow removal operations.

[0027] The core of the snow removal travel mechanism 6 includes: a movable frame 63 symmetrically arranged along the axial direction on the inner wall of the opening and closing ring 1. The movable frame 63 maintains axial movement freedom with the opening and closing ring 1 through a linear guide rail.

[0028] A spring telescopic rod 64 is slidably installed radially through the inner cavity of the movable frame 63, and an arc-shaped snow shovel 67 is fixedly connected to its telescopic end. The spring telescopic rod 64 has a built-in pre-compression spring, which allows the arc-shaped snow shovel 67 to adhere to the cable surface with a certain pre-pressure in the free state. This can adapt to small changes in the cable diameter and maintain the basic positive pressure required for snow shoveling in the non-active clamping state.

[0029] Side plates 2 are symmetrically fixed to the outer walls of both the left half-ring 101 and the right half-ring 102. Rolling bearing seats are installed on the side plates 2 to support the outer shaft 3, making the outer shaft 3 rotatably connected to the side plates 2. The outer shaft 3 is arranged horizontally along the axis of the open and closed ring 1, serving both as a power input and a mechanism support. The power mechanism 5 is installed on the outer shaft 3, responsible for collecting environmental sway energy and converting it into intermittent mechanical energy to drive the snow removal traveling mechanism 6 to complete snow removal and creeping motion (i.e., stepping alternating clamping forward).

[0030] The snow removal travel mechanism 6 also includes a power mechanism 5, which comprises a set of swing arms 51 symmetrically fixed to the outside of the outer shaft 3. The swing arms 51 can be designed as a pendulum / wind catcher with a certain windward area or inertial mass. When the cable vibrates or gallops due to wind, they can synchronously follow the angular displacement of the cable to generate reciprocating swing around the axis of the outer shaft 3, thereby inputting environmental mechanical energy into the system. Furthermore, by increasing the rotational inertia of the swing arms 51, sufficient kinetic energy can be collected even when the cable swings at low frequencies.

[0031] A first gear 52 is fixed on the outer shaft 3. A clearance through hole is provided on the side wall of the opening / closing ring 1, allowing part of the tooth profile of the first gear 52 to extend into the inner cavity of the opening / closing ring 1. Multiple bearing seats 11 are symmetrically installed on the inner side wall of the opening / closing ring 1 (in conjunction with...). Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown, a secondary shaft 56 is rotatably mounted on the bearing housing 11 on the same side. The secondary shaft 56 and the moving frame 63 are connected through each other. The mainspring barrel 9 and one of the side walls of the bearing housing 11 are rotatably connected. The secondary shaft 56 is coupled to the inner shaft 53 via the mainspring barrel 9. A second gear 54 is mounted on the inner shaft 53 via a one-way bearing 55. The second gear 54 meshes with the first gear 52. The first gear 52 and the second gear 54 adopt a speed-increasing ratio design, which can amplify the limited reciprocating swing angle of the swing arm 51 by several times. Through the one-way bearing 55, the bidirectional swing is converted into a one-way pulse angular displacement, continuously tightening the spiral mainspring in the mainspring barrel 9 and improving the energy storage efficiency of the spiral mainspring.

[0032] The spring barrel 9 is a conventional energy storage component in the prior art, including a barrel body, a spiral spring, a central shaft, and an energy storage ratchet. The spiral spring is disposed inside the barrel body, with its outer end fixed to the inner wall of the barrel body and its inner end fixed to the central shaft; the central shaft is the output end of the spring barrel 9 and is rigidly connected to the secondary shaft 56. The energy storage ratchet is coaxially fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the barrel body and rotates with the barrel body, used to accept the locking of an external locking device in the energy storage state and prevent the barrel body from reversing.

[0033] The spring barrel 9 is equipped with an electronic synchronizing lock as an energy storage and unlocking mechanism. The electronic synchronizing lock includes a status detection unit, a control unit, an execution unit, and a power supply unit, and they work together in the following manner: A state detection unit is installed on each mainspring barrel 9 to detect whether the relative winding angle of the mainspring in the corresponding mainspring barrel 9 reaches a preset threshold. The relative winding angle is the relative rotation angle between the barrel body and the central axis of the mainspring barrel 9. The state detection unit uses a micro switch or a Hall sensor. When a micro switch is used, an energy storage indicator (push block) that moves with the winding of the mainspring is installed inside the mainspring barrel 9. When the mainspring is wound to the preset threshold, the push block presses against the trigger end of the micro switch, causing the micro switch to change from an open state to a closed state and output a threshold arrival signal. When a Hall sensor is used, a Hall element is fixed to the stationary end of the mainspring barrel 9 or on the open / closed loop 1. A magnet is installed on the winding indicator disk driven by the relative rotation between the barrel body and the central axis. When the mainspring is wound to the preset threshold, the magnet rotates with the winding indicator disk to a set angle, and the Hall element outputs a threshold arrival signal. When the mainspring is released, the central axis reverses to make the relative winding angle zero, the winding indicator disk resets, and the Hall element outputs a reset signal. The two spring boxes 9 on the left and right each correspond to a state detection unit, which outputs the left threshold signal and the right threshold signal respectively.

[0034] The control unit employs a microcontroller with several input and output ports. The outputs of the left and right status detection units are connected to the two input ports of the microcontroller, respectively. The microcontroller obtains the energy storage status of the left and right spring barrels by reading the voltage levels of the two input ports. The two output ports of the microcontroller are connected to the left and right execution units via drive circuits.

[0035] The actuator is an electrically operated locking pin, located at the output end of the mainspring barrel 9, used to lock or release the rotational output of the mainspring barrel 9. The electrically operated locking pin includes an electromagnetic coil, a movable locking pin, and a return spring. When the electromagnetic coil is de-energized, the return spring pushes the locking pin out and into the locking groove or ratchet tooth groove on the output end of the mainspring barrel 9, keeping the mainspring barrel 9 locked and preventing it from rotating. When the electromagnetic coil is energized, the electromagnetic coil generates electromagnetic attraction that overcomes the spring force of the return spring, pulling the locking pin back and releasing the lock on the output end of the mainspring barrel 9. When the drive circuit receives an unlocking pulse from the microcontroller output port, it supplies drive current to the corresponding electromagnetic coil. A freewheeling diode is connected in parallel across the electromagnetic coil to absorb reverse electromotive force when power is off.

[0036] The power supply unit uses a small battery or supercapacitor, and its output is regulated by a voltage regulator circuit to power the microcontroller, the status detection unit, and the drive circuit respectively. The supercapacitor can be connected in parallel to the power supply to provide transient current buffering at the moment the spring is released. Because power is consumed only during threshold judgment and release, the microcontroller can be in a periodic sampling or low-power waiting state.

[0037] The control logic is as follows: After the microcontroller is powered on, it initializes the input and output ports, and then periodically or interruptively reads the left and right threshold signals. When only one side reaches the threshold, the microcontroller does not output an unlocking pulse, and both execution units keep the electromagnetic coils de-energized and the locking pins extended, while the corresponding spring box 9 continues to store energy. When both the left and right sides output threshold arrival signals, the microcontroller determines that both sides are ready and simultaneously outputs unlocking pulses through the two output ports within the same control cycle. This causes the left and right electromagnetic coils to be energized simultaneously through their respective drive circuits, the left and right locking pins to retract simultaneously, and the left and right spring boxes 9 to be released at the same time, driving their respective secondary shafts 56 and snow removal travel mechanisms to move. After the spring of either side's spring box 9 is released, its status detection unit is reset, the microcontroller stops outputting the unlocking pulse for that side, the electromagnetic coil is de-energized, the locking pins re-extend under the action of the reset spring, and the system returns to the energy storage detection state.

[0038] The circuit connections and control logic described above are standard knowledge to those skilled in the art, and they are fully capable of constructing a working electronic synchronization locking system based on them.

[0039] The mainspring barrel 9 has at least one energy input interface and one energy output interface. The energy input interface is configured to rotate only in one direction to wind the internal mainspring, and reverse rotation is automatically locked. The energy output interface is configured to instantly release the elastic potential energy of the internal mainspring into rotational kinetic energy when the energy storage reaches a threshold. The outer ring of the mainspring barrel 9 serves as the input end, forming an input chain with the inner shaft 53 and the one-way bearing 55, converting the pulse rotation transmitted by the gears into the winding torque of the mainspring. The central shaft of the mainspring serves as the output end, rigidly connected to the counterspindle 56. When the mainspring's energy storage reaches a preset torque threshold, the energy storage unlocking mechanism releases the pawl, and the spiral mainspring instantly transmits its elastic potential energy to the counterspindle 56 through the output end, generating a rapid rotational motion.

[0040] A cylindrical cam 58 is fixedly connected to the sub-shaft 56, and a closed-curve groove is machined on its outer cylindrical surface. Multiple guide brackets 10 are symmetrically mounted on the inner wall of the opening / closing ring 1 (in conjunction with...). Figure 3 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown), the guide frame 10 has an inverted U-shaped structure. One of the guide frame 10 sidewalls is slidably connected to an L-shaped slide rod 57, and the L-shaped slide rod 57 slides through the sidewall of the moving frame 63. The L-shaped slide rod 57 has a one-way drive protrusion (e.g., ...) on the side facing the moving frame 63. Figure 6 As shown, the protrusion only contacts the moving frame 63 in the pushing direction and can slide freely in the reverse direction to achieve unidirectional intermittent pushing. One end of the L-shaped slide rod 57 is fitted and slides in the curved groove of the cylindrical cam 58. When the cylindrical cam 58 rotates, the curved groove on its side wall forces the L-shaped slide rod 57 to reciprocate along the axial direction, and drives the moving frame 63 to generate step displacement in one direction through the protrusion.

[0041] A pull plate 71 is symmetrically fixed to the inner wall of the opening / closing loop 1. A central rod 72 is axially fixed to the pull plate 71, and the central rod 72 passes through the guide hole on the moving frame 63 to form a sliding pair. A tension spring 73 is sleeved between the moving frame 63 and the pull plate 71, and the tension spring 73 always pulls the moving frame 63 toward the pull plate 71. When the moving frame 63 is pushed away from the pull plate 71 by the L-shaped slide rod 57, the tension spring 73 is stretched and accumulates elastic restoring force, providing power for the subsequent creeping movement of the entire opening / closing loop 1 along the cable.

[0042] Furthermore, a slide rod 62 is slidably connected through the inner wall of one of the guide frames 10, and the slide rod 62 and the side wall of the movable frame 63 are slidably connected through (in combination). Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, a splined section is machined on the secondary shaft 56. Cam 68 is slidably connected to the secondary shaft 56 via the spline, allowing axial movement while transmitting torque. A double fork 66 is fixedly connected to the slide rod 62, straddling the two end faces of cam 68. A guide ring 61 is coaxially mounted on one end of the cylindrical cam 58, and the guide ring 61 has a lift profile in its circumference. The end of the slide rod 62 remains in contact with the guide ring 61. When the guide ring 61 rotates with the cylindrical cam 58, its profile pushes the slide rod 62 to make axial displacement, which drives cam 68 to slide along the spline of the secondary shaft 56 via the double fork 66. When cam 68 moves to align with the end of the spring telescopic rod 64, the lift protrusion of cam 68 will press down on the spring telescopic rod 64, causing the arc-shaped snowplow blade 67 to radially press the cable with a predetermined contact force, achieving active clamping.

[0043] A guide ring 81 is coaxially fixed to the other end face of the cylindrical cam 58. A fixed frame 82 is symmetrically installed on the inner wall of the opening / closing ring 1. A slide rod 83 slides through the other guide frame 10 and the fixed frame 82, and a double fork 84 is fixed to the slide rod 83. A secondary shaft 56 passes through the fixed frame 82 and is fitted with a cam 85 via a spline. The double fork 84 also straddles both ends of the cam 85. A spring telescopic rod 86 is also slidably installed inside the fixed frame 82. Its telescopic end is fixed to an arc-shaped auxiliary plate 88. A return spring 87 elastically connects the spring telescopic rod 86 to the fixed frame 82, keeping the arc-shaped auxiliary plate 88 in a retracted state when the cam 85 is not in action. The contour of the guide ring 81 controls the axial position of the cam 85 through the slide rod 83 and the double fork 84. When the cam 85 is aligned with the spring telescopic rod 86, the cam 85 pushes the arc-shaped auxiliary plate 88 radially to press the cable, providing a temporary fixed fulcrum for the device.

[0044] The slide bar 62 is elastically connected to the adjacent guide frame 10 via a tension spring 4 (in combination). Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown in the diagram, the two ends of the tension spring 4 are fixedly connected to slide rod 62 and guide frame 10 respectively, and slide rod 83 is also elastically connected to the fixed frame 82 through another tension spring 4. This spring provides a restoring force to ensure that slide rod 62 and slide rod 83 can reliably retract during the guide ring's lifting and lowering phase, thereby axially resetting the corresponding cam and changing the clamping state.

[0045] A return spring 65 is installed between the spring telescopic rod 64 and the moving frame 63. After the protrusion of the cam 68 rotates, the return spring 65 pushes the spring telescopic rod 64 to retract, so that the arc-shaped snowplow 67 exits the active clamping state and returns to the pre-compressed floating snowplowing state.

[0046] The raised contours of guide ring 2 81 and guide ring 1 61 have a phase difference in the circumferential direction to ensure that they work alternately, and their lift ranges have an overlap angle of 5° to 15°. At the moment of switching, while ensuring that the arc-shaped auxiliary plate 88 has not completely loosened, the arc-shaped snowplow 67 has already begun to apply clamping force to achieve "soft switching".

[0047] When guide ring 2 81 pushes cam 2 85 to align with spring telescopic rod 2 86, the arc-shaped auxiliary plate 88 is pressed down to clamp the cable, providing an anchoring point for the device. Simultaneously, guide ring 1 61 axially shifts cam 1 68 to a position offset from spring telescopic rod 1 64, and the arc-shaped snowplow 67 disengages from the cam's force, relying solely on the built-in spring of spring telescopic rod 1 64 to apply a small preload to adhere to the cable surface. This preload is sufficient to maintain contact between the cutting edge of the arc-shaped snowplow 67 and the snow layer, but does not prevent axial relative sliding between the cable and the arc-shaped snowplow 67, thus meeting the needs of snow removal operations. That is, the small preload of spring telescopic rod 1 64 is set such that the axial frictional resistance generated by this preload is less than the static friction between the device and the cable when the arc-shaped auxiliary plate 88 clamps. The functional requirements of spring telescopic rod 1 64 and arc-shaped snowplow 67 are clarified above and can be summarized into three conditions: Condition 1 (Lower Limit of Snow Removal Capacity): "The curved snowplow blade 67 is in free state and is in contact with the cable surface with a certain preload." That is, the preload must be sufficient to ensure that the cutting edge of the curved snowplow blade 67 continuously contacts and cuts into the snow layer, providing the basic positive pressure required for snow removal and ensuring that the curved snowplow blade 67 always maintains contact with the cable surface. This is the lower limit of the preload function.

[0048] Condition 2 (Upper Limit of Axial Sliding): "It shall not prevent the axial relative sliding between the cable and the curved snowplow 67", that is, the preload shall not be too large, and the curved snowplow 67 shall be allowed to advance along the cable axial direction with the moving frame, and shall not be prevented from moving due to friction self-locking.

[0049] Condition 3 (Anchoring stability constraint): "The axial frictional resistance generated by the pre-tightening force is less than the static frictional force between the device and the cable when the arc-shaped auxiliary plate 88 is clamped", that is, the frictional resistance of the arc-shaped snowplow 67 must be less than the anchoring force of the arc-shaped auxiliary plate 88, so as to ensure that the main body of the device does not slide with the arc-shaped snowplow 67 during the snow removal process.

[0050] Three conditions together define the feasible range of preload: the lower limit is determined by snow removal conditions, and the upper limit is determined by axial sliding conditions and anchoring stability conditions. This is a complete design criterion system, and those skilled in the art can determine the preload value through conventional calculations based on this criterion.

[0051] Based on the above design principles, the process for determining specific parameters is as follows: Determining the lower limit of preload: Based on the snow cover type, snow layer thickness, and snowplow blade geometry under the target working conditions, calculate the minimum normal force required for snow removal. For example, the required cutting force of the snowplow blade depends on the shear strength of the snow layer and the cutting cross-sectional area, which can be obtained by those skilled in the art through simple mechanical calculations.

[0052] Determination of the upper limit of preload: Calculate the maximum allowable axial frictional resistance using the friction coefficient and the clamping force of the auxiliary plate, and then deduce the upper limit of preload.

[0053] Determining the spring stiffness: After selecting the target preload within the preload range, the spring stiffness is directly determined using Hooke's Law, taking into account the pre-compression stroke of the spring telescopic rod. The compression stroke of the built-in spring in the telescopic rod needs to be greater than the tolerance range of the cable diameter to ensure effective contact is maintained even when the cable diameter fluctuates.

[0054] The selection of cutting edge angle and material is a standard engineering decision. Those skilled in the art can select the cutting edge angle and wear-resistant material based on the hardness and brittleness of the object being cleared, and with reference to the design experience of mature tools such as snowplows and scrapers.

[0055] To further illustrate the feasibility of the above design principles, the applicant provides the following illustrative example: Taking an application with a cable diameter of approximately 30 mm and clearing 5-10 mm of snow and thin ice as an example, the selectable range for preload is roughly 3-10 N; the selectable range for the stiffness of the built-in pre-compression spring of the spring telescopic rod 64 is 0.4-1.2 N / mm; the selectable range for the cutting edge angle is 30°-55°; and the material for the curved snowplow 67 can be wear-resistant engineering plastic. It should be noted that, under different cable specifications, different snow cover conditions, and different device dimensions, those skilled in the art can determine suitable values ​​through conventional calculations based on the design principles clearly stated in the instruction manual.

[0056] With the arc-shaped auxiliary plate 88 clamped and the arc-shaped snowplow 67 relaxed, the cylindrical cam 58 continues to rotate, driving the L-shaped slide bar 57 to move axially through the curved groove. The protrusion of the L-shaped slide bar 57 pushes the moving frame 63 forward along the cable axis in one direction. During this process, the arc-shaped snowplow 67 is in a pre-tightened state against the cable. As the moving frame 63 moves forward, it scrapes the snow off the cable surface. At the same time, the displacement of the moving frame 63 stretches the tension spring 73, storing some of the mechanical energy input during the snow removal process as elastic potential energy.

[0057] During this stage, the arc-shaped auxiliary plate 88 maintains radial clamping of the cable, ensuring no relative slippage between the opening / closing ring 1 and the cable, thus guaranteeing the stability of the axial position reference of the device during snow removal operations.

[0058] After the moving frame 63 completes its preset stroke, the cylindrical cam 58 continues to rotate. The guide ring 61 pushes the cam 68 to align with the spring telescopic rod 64, and the arc-shaped snowplow 67 becomes an active clamp and anchor to the cable. Simultaneously, the guide ring 81 causes the cam 85 to shift, and the arc-shaped auxiliary plate 88 is released under the action of the return spring 87. At this time, the elastic force accumulated in the tension spring 73 begins to release, pulling the opening and closing ring 1 and the entire mechanism to slide forward one step relative to the cable, completing one snowplowing creeping cycle. Through this intermittent motion mechanism, the device can gradually remove snow and snow cover along the cable.

[0059] A drone, comprising: The drone itself; The gimbal is mounted on the bottom wall of the drone body; An electric clamp is fixed to the bottom wall of the gimbal; And the aforementioned airborne cable snow removal device; The electric clamp is used to hold the connector 103 to open the opening and closing ring 1, and releases it after the cable is inserted into the opening and closing ring 1, so that the opening and closing ring 1 closes under the action of the torsion spring.

[0060] Specifically, an electric clamp is installed at the bottom of the gimbal attached to the drone body. This electric clamp, a current technology, can be driven by a servo motor or electromagnet. It can simultaneously move from both sides towards the center and clamp the two connecting pieces 103, pushing them closer together. This overcomes the torsion spring torque, forcing the left half-ring 101 and right half-ring 102 to rotate around the axis, causing the lower opening of the opening / closing ring 1 to smoothly open from a closed state, allowing the cable to enter or exit through the opening. After the electric clamp releases, the restoring force of the torsion spring causes the opening / closing ring 1 to close again, securing the cable. This mechanism ensures the speed and safety of attaching and detaching the drone.

[0061] A method for snow removal of airborne cables using a drone includes the following steps: S1. The drone flies over the cable to be cleared of snow, adjusts the gimbal attitude, and aligns the opening of the open / closed loop 1 with the cable. S2. The electric clamp clamps the two connecting parts 103, overcoming the torsion spring force to open the opening and closing ring 1; S3. The drone body descends and inserts the opened loop 1 into the cable; S4. The electric clamp releases the connector 103, and the opening and closing loop 1 closes under the restoring force of the torsion spring and wraps around the cable, completing the mounting. S5. The cable swings under the action of wind, which drives the energy harvesting mechanism to work and inputs mechanical energy into the energy storage mechanism for storage; S6. When the energy stored in the energy storage mechanism reaches the threshold, the energy storage mechanism intermittently releases energy to drive the snow removal mechanism 6 to alternately perform snow removal actions on the cable surface and travel along the cable axis, thereby realizing autonomous snow removal operations.

[0062] In this invention, the device relates to the removal of snow from the surface of cables, and does not involve the removal of ice or icing. This device is particularly suitable for snow removal operations on overhead transmission lines where there is continuous ambient wind and cables frequently sway. For sections with anti-vibration hammers, clamping pipes, and other hardware, the work area needs to be planned in advance, or the device should be deployed in an unobstructed area. Furthermore, multiple snow removal devices can be installed on the corresponding cables to complete flexible and convenient snow removal operations on different cable sections.

[0063] During operation, the drone hovers above the cable, the gimbal adjusts its attitude, and the electric clamp clamps the two connectors 103 to open the opening / closing loop 1. After the cable enters the opening / closing loop 1, the electric clamp releases, and the torsion spring drives the left and right half-loops to close and surround the cable, completing the device deployment. The entire process requires no personnel to climb the tower, achieving safe and efficient remote mounting.

[0064] After the device is mounted, the cable, due to wind-induced lateral vibration or swaying, causes the swing arm 51 to reciprocate around the outer shaft 3 in an approximately periodic manner. This oscillation is converted into directional pulses through the speed-increasing meshing of the first gear 52 and the second gear 54, and the unidirectional transmission of the one-way bearing 55, gradually tightening the spiral spring in the spring box 9. When the spring is tightened to the preset torque threshold, the energy storage unlocking mechanism is triggered, the pawl disengages from the ratchet, and the spiral spring instantly releases its elastic potential energy, driving the secondary shaft 56 and the cylindrical cam 58 to complete a rapid rotation, providing a power stroke for snow removal and movement.

[0065] During each energy release stroke, the cylindrical cam 58 controls the L-shaped slide rod 57 to intermittently push the moving frame 63 in one direction via a curved groove; its two end guide rings 61 and 81 alternately move the slide rods 62 and 83 according to a preset phase difference, causing the cams 68 and 85 to shift axially in sequence, thereby controlling the alternating clamping of the arc-shaped snowplow 67 and the arc-shaped auxiliary plate 88. In the first half of the stroke: the arc-shaped auxiliary plate 88 clamps, the arc-shaped snowplow 67 moves forward with the moving frame 63 in a pre-compressed state to shovel snow, and the tension spring 73 is stretched and stores energy; in the second half of the stroke: the arc-shaped snowplow 67 clamps, the arc-shaped auxiliary plate 88 releases, and the tension spring 73 pulls the opening and closing ring 1 forward as a whole. This cyclical snow-shoveling operation allows the device to utilize the energy of the cable's own swaying motion to achieve autonomous creeping snow removal without an external power source.

[0066] This device can effectively address one or more shortcomings of existing technologies, such as the need for continuous external power supply or fuel replenishment, heavy equipment weight, short battery life, inability to move autonomously along the cable, and difficulty in adapting to large-scale continuous snow removal operations.

[0067] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An airborne cable snow removal device, characterized in that, include: An openable and closable loop (1) is used to wrap around a cable; the openable and closable loop (1) includes a left half-ring (101) and a right half-ring (102) that are hinged to each other and are kept closed by a torsion spring; both the left half-ring (101) and the right half-ring (102) are fixedly connected to a connector (103) for overcoming the force of the torsion spring and opening the openable and closable loop (1) when it is clamped by an electric clamp on the UAV body and moves closer to each other; Two energy harvesting mechanisms are connected to the opening and closing ring (1) to convert the swing of the cable into mechanical energy. The energy harvesting mechanism includes a side plate (2) fixed to the side wall of the opening and closing ring (1), an outer shaft (3) rotatably connected to the side plate (2) via a bearing, and at least one swing arm (51) fixed to the side wall of the outer shaft (3). The outer shaft (3) is arranged along the axial direction of the opening and closing ring (1), and the swing arm (51) is used to drive the outer shaft (3) to reciprocate when the cable swings. An energy storage mechanism is connected to the energy harvesting mechanism to store mechanical energy and release it intermittently; the energy storage mechanism is a spring barrel (9), and the input end of the spring barrel (9) is connected to the outer shaft (3) through a one-way transmission assembly; the one-way transmission assembly converts the reciprocating rotation of the outer shaft (3) into pulses that drive the input end of the spring barrel (9) to rotate in one direction, so as to tighten the internal spiral spring; The snow removal travel mechanism (6) is located within the open / closed loop (1) and connected to the output end of the energy storage mechanism. The snow removal travel mechanism (6) is configured to alternately perform snow removal actions on the cable surface and travel actions along the cable axis under the drive of the released mechanical energy.

2. The airborne cable snow removal device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple bearing seats (11) are symmetrically installed on the inner side wall of the opening and closing ring (1). The bearing seats (11) on the same side are rotatably mounted with a secondary shaft (56). The output end of the spring box (9) is connected to the secondary shaft (56).

3. The airborne cable snow removal device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The unidirectional transmission assembly includes: The first gear (52) is fixed to the outer shaft (3); The inner shaft (53) is fixedly connected to the input end of the spring box (9); The second gear (54) is mounted on the inner shaft (53) via a one-way bearing (55) and meshes with the first gear (52).

4. The airborne cable snow removal device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The snow removal travel mechanism (6) includes: The movable frame (63) is slidably connected to the inner wall of the opening and closing ring (1) along the axial direction of the opening and closing ring (1); The arc-shaped snowplow (67) is slidably mounted on the movable frame (63) along the opening and closing ring (1) via a spring telescopic rod (64); A return spring (65) is fixedly connected to the side wall of the spring telescopic rod (64), and the return spring (65) is fixedly connected to the moving frame (63); Cam 1 (68) is slidably keyed to the sub-shaft (56) which is the output end of the energy storage mechanism, and is used to control the clamping or loosening of the cable by driving the spring telescopic rod 1 (64) during rotation; A tension spring (73) is connected between the movable frame (63) and the opening / closing loop (1); L-shaped slide bar (57), the L-shaped slide bar (57) slides through the moving frame (63), and the other end of the L-shaped slide bar (57) is provided with a one-way drive protrusion; When the arc-shaped snowplow (67) is in a relaxed state, the moving frame (63) is driven forward by the L-shaped slide bar (57) to perform the snow shoveling action and stretch the tension spring (73); when the arc-shaped snowplow (67) is in a clamped state, the tension spring (73) retracts, pulling the opening and closing ring (1) forward as a whole to perform the traveling action; A pull plate (71) is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the opening and closing ring (1). The moving frame (63) is slidably connected to the pull plate (71) through the central rod (72). The tension spring (73) is sleeved on the central rod (72), and the two ends of the tension spring (73) are respectively abutted and installed on the moving frame (63) and the pull plate (71).

5. The airborne cable snow removal device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The snow removal travel mechanism (6) also includes: A cylindrical cam (58) is fixed to the secondary shaft (56), and the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical cam (58) is provided with a curved groove; Multiple guide frames (10) are symmetrically installed on the inner side wall of the opening and closing ring (1), and an L-shaped slide rod (57) is slidably connected through the side wall of one of the guide frames (10). One end of the L-shaped slide bar (57) is fitted into the curved groove, and the L-shaped slide bar (57) pushes the moving frame (63) forward intermittently in one direction when the cylindrical cam (58) rotates; Guide ring 1 (61) is fixed to one end of the cylindrical cam (58); The slide rod (62) is slidably connected to the side wall of the adjacent guide frame (10). One end of the slide rod (62) abuts against the contour surface of the guide ring (61), and the other end of the slide rod (62) is connected to the cam (68) through the double fork (66). The contour surface of the guide ring (61) is used to push the slide bar (62) to move axially during rotation, so as to drive the cam (68) to slide along the secondary shaft (56) to a position aligned with or offset from the spring telescopic rod (64).

6. The airborne cable snow removal device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The snow removal travel mechanism (6) also includes: A fixed frame (82) is fixed to the inner wall of the opening and closing ring (1); The arc-shaped auxiliary plate (88) is slidably mounted on the fixed frame (82) along the radial direction of the opening and closing ring (1) via the spring telescopic rod two (86); The second spring telescopic rod (86) is elastically connected to the fixed frame (82) through the second return spring (87); Cam 2 (85) is slidably keyed to the sub-shaft (56) and is used to control the clamping or loosening of the cable by driving the spring telescopic rod 2 (86) during rotation; Guide ring 2 (81) is fixed to the other end of the cylindrical cam (58); The slide bar 2 (83) is slidably connected to the adjacent guide frame (10). One end of the slide bar 2 (83) abuts against the contour surface of the guide ring 2 (81), and the other end of the slide bar 2 (83) is connected to the cam 2 (85) through the double fork 2 (84). The contour surface of the guide ring 2 (81) is used to push the slide rod 2 (83) to move axially during rotation, so as to drive the cam 2 (85) to slide along the secondary shaft (56) to a position aligned with or offset from the spring telescopic rod 2 (86); The protrusion of the first guide ring (61) and the protrusion of the second guide ring (81) are provided with a phase difference in the circumferential direction so that the arc-shaped snowplow (67) and the arc-shaped auxiliary plate (88) alternately clamp the cable. The first slide bar (62) is elastically connected to the adjacent guide frame (10) via a tension spring (4), and the second slide bar (83) is elastically connected to the fixed frame (82) via another tension spring (4).

7. A drone, characterized in that, The airborne cable snow removal device, as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, further includes: The drone itself; The gimbal is mounted on the bottom wall of the drone body; An electric clamp is fixed to the bottom wall of the gimbal; The electric clamp is used to clamp the connector (103) to open the opening and closing ring (1), and releases it after the opening and closing ring (1) is fitted with the cable, so that the opening and closing ring (1) closes under the action of the torsion spring.

8. The method for snow removal of airborne cables by a drone as described in claim 7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. The UAV body flies over the cable to be cleared of snow and adjusts the attitude of the gimbal so that the opening of the open / closed loop (1) is aligned with the cable; S2. The electric clamp clamps the two connecting pieces (103) to overcome the torsion spring force and open the opening and closing ring (1); S3. The UAV body descends and inserts the opened loop (1) into the cable; S4. The electric clamp releases the connector (103), and the opening and closing ring (1) closes and wraps around the cable under the restoring force of the torsion spring, thus completing the mounting. S5. The cable swings under the action of wind, driving the energy harvesting mechanism to work and inputting mechanical energy into the energy storage mechanism for storage; S6. When the energy stored in the energy storage mechanism reaches the threshold, the energy storage mechanism intermittently releases energy to drive the snow removal traveling mechanism (6) to alternately perform snow removal actions on the cable surface and traveling actions along the cable axis, thereby realizing autonomous traveling snow removal operations.

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