Cable winding and unwinding equipment for mooring unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The utility model discloses cable take-up and pay-off equipment for a mooring unmanned aerial vehicle, and belongs to the field of mooring unmanned aerial vehicles. Comprising a shell, a cable storage mechanism, a cable arranging mechanism and a main control unit, a main motor of the cable storage mechanism drives a cable storage cylinder to rotate, the cable storage cylinder winds a stored cable, a first synchronous belt assembly is used for transmission of rotation from the main motor to the cable storage cylinder, and an encoder is used for measuring the rotating speed of the cable storage cylinder. A wire arranging motor of the wire arranging mechanism drives a lead screw of a lead screw sliding rail mechanism to rotate, the lead screw sliding rail mechanism drives a guide wheel assembly to move in the axial direction of the lead screw, the guide wheel assembly is used for guiding a cable, a tension sensor is arranged in the guide wheel assembly to test the tension of the cable, and a second synchronous belt assembly transmits rotation of the wire arranging motor to the lead screw. The main control unit controls the main motor and the winding displacement motor to act and receives and processes rotating speed and tension data transmitted by the encoder and the tension sensor. The cable take-up and pay-off equipment is flexible, and the cable take-up and pay-off equipment is suitable for cables with different cable diameters and suitable for any cable take-up and pay-off speed and any cable tension.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of tethered drones, and in particular relates to a cable retracting and releasing device for a tethered drone. Background Art

[0002] Drones were initially developed for military use, but with the rise of the civilian market, a growing number of drones are being used in a variety of fields, including public safety maintenance, emergency search and rescue, agriculture, forestry, environmental protection, communications, and aerial photography. With the expansion of the low-altitude economy market, users are increasingly demanding more diverse drone functions. This increased payload capacity inevitably leads to increased power consumption, exacerbating the issue of drone endurance. To address this issue, tethered drones have emerged. These connect traditional drones to a retractable cable system via a cable, enabling real-time power and signal transmission. This effectively extends the drone's operating time and even allows for all-weather operation. The significant endurance advantage of tethered drones makes them irreplaceable in applications such as fixed-point monitoring and emergency communications.

[0003] As a crucial device connecting the base station and the tethered drone, the cable retractor ensures the tethered cable automatically retracts and extends in unison with the drone's movements, ensuring smooth and normal operation. This crucial component determines the reliability of the tethered drone system.

[0004] The cable retracting and releasing devices commonly used in existing tethered drones generally use a DC or AC motor to drive the cable storage drum. The cable storage drum and the cable arranging mechanism are driven by a pulley or sprocket, and this transmission maintains a fixed transmission ratio. The core device of its cable arranging mechanism is a double-rotation transmission screw. The working principle is: the cable retracting and releasing motor runs, driving the cable storage drum to wind the cable, and at the same time drives the cable arranging mechanism to move. When a layer of cable is wound, the cable arranging head of the cable arranging mechanism just runs to one end of the double-rotation screw. The nut with a reversing function on the screw will automatically reverse at the end of the screw. As the screw continues to rotate, the cable arranging head returns, driving the cable to start a new layer of winding. The disadvantages of this cable retracting and releasing device are:

[0005] 1. Due to the fixed speed ratio mechanical transmission between the cable storage drum and the cable traversing mechanism, the speed of the lead screw of the cable traversing mechanism and the speed of the cable storage drum are in a fixed speed ratio relationship, that is, when the cable storage drum rotates one circle, the moving distance of the cable traversing mechanism is also fixed (matching one wire diameter). Therefore, it can only be used for cables with a fixed outer diameter and cannot be used with cables of other outer diameters (because for different cable diameters, when the cable storage drum rotates one circle, the distance the cable traversing mechanism travels along the axial direction of the cable storage drum can be adjusted according to the wire diameter).

[0006] 2. Poor operational stability. In the cable arranging mechanism of this cable retracting and unreeling device, the reciprocating screw and the reversing nut are loosely fitted to ensure easy reversal of the reciprocating nut at the threaded end of the reciprocating screw. This results in poor operational stability of the cable arranging mechanism, which can easily lead to cable arranging disorder or cable damage.

[0007] 3. The mechanical transmission parts are complex, especially due to the structural characteristics of the reciprocating screw, the screw speed is limited, and it cannot adapt to high-speed cable retraction and heavy-load conditions of drones.

[0008] 4. Poor heat dissipation. When a tethered drone uses a high-power power supply, the cable heats up. This heat is exacerbated by the multiple layers of cable wrapped around the cable drum. Existing cable retractors address this issue by increasing the diameter of the drum to increase the heat dissipation space. This increases the overall height of the device. Given the limited height of a tethered drone storage and transportation cabin, excessive cable retractor height would affect the height of the drone's takeoff and landing platform, hindering drone mounting. Summary of the Invention

[0009] Technical issues to be solved:

[0010] In order to avoid the shortcomings of the existing technology, the present invention provides a cable-retracting and -unrestricted device for tethered drones. The cable-retracting mechanism uses an independently operated servo mechanism, and the main cable-retracting and -unrestricted motor of the cable storage drum is uniformly controlled by a main control unit. The cable storage drum and the lead screw are untied to achieve a fixed speed ratio transmission, thereby achieving precise control of the rotation speed of the cable storage drum and the travel speed of the cable-retracting mechanism. This solves the problem that the existing cable-retracting and -unrestricted device for tethered drones can only be used for one type of cable with a fixed outer diameter, is not universal, has poor operating stability, and has limited cable-retracting and -unrestricted speed.

[0011] The technical solution of the present invention is: a cable retracting and releasing device for tethering a UAV, comprising a housing, a cable storage mechanism, a cable arrangement mechanism, and a main control unit; the cable storage mechanism, the cable arrangement mechanism, and the main control unit are all installed inside the housing;

[0012] The cable storage mechanism includes a main motor, a cable storage drum, and a first synchronous belt assembly. The main motor is fixed to the bottom of the housing through a main motor bracket and is used to drive the cable storage drum to rotate. The cable storage drum is horizontally rotatably mounted on the bottom of the housing through a bracket and is arranged side by side and parallel to the main motor for winding the storage cable. One end of the first synchronous belt assembly is connected to the output shaft of the main motor and the other end is connected to the support shaft of the cable storage drum, so as to transmit the rotation of the main motor to the cable storage drum. The encoder is installed at the end of the cable storage drum facing away from the first synchronous belt assembly and is used to measure the rotation speed of the cable storage drum.

[0013] The cable arrangement mechanism includes a cable arrangement motor, a lead screw slide mechanism, a guide wheel assembly, and a second synchronous belt assembly; the cable arrangement motor is horizontally mounted on the bottom of the housing through a support, and is used to drive the lead screw of the lead screw slide mechanism to rotate; the lead screw slide mechanism is horizontally mounted on the support, and is located above the cable arrangement motor; the guide wheel assembly is mounted on the slider of the lead screw slide mechanism, and the lead screw slide mechanism is used to drive the guide wheel assembly to move along the axial direction of its lead screw, and the guide wheel assembly is used to guide the cable during the cable retraction and release process, and a tension sensor is provided in the guide wheel assembly for testing the tension of the cable; one end of the second synchronous belt assembly is connected to the output shaft of the cable arrangement motor, and the other end is connected to the lead screw input end of the lead screw slide mechanism, and is used to transmit the rotation of the cable arrangement motor to the lead screw;

[0014] The main control unit is used to control the operation of the entire equipment. It is electrically connected to the motor drivers corresponding to the main motor and the cable traversing motor to control the actions of the main motor and the cable traversing motor; it is electrically connected to the encoder and the tension sensor to receive and process the speed data of the cable storage drum and the cable tension data.

[0015] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the first synchronous belt assembly includes a first pulley, a second pulley, and a first synchronous belt; the first pulley is installed on the output shaft end of the main motor and is keyed to the output shaft of the main motor; the second pulley is installed on one side of the cable storage drum, is keyed to the support shaft at one end of the cable storage drum, and is coplanar with the first pulley; the first synchronous belt is sleeved on the first pulley and the second pulley and meshes with the two.

[0016] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the cable storage drum is a hollow cylindrical structure, including a drum body, an end cover, a first support shaft, and a second support shaft; the drum body and the end covers at both ends constitute a cylindrical hollow drum, and the centers of the end covers at both ends are coaxial with the drum body and are provided with support shafts for rotationally connecting with the bracket fixed to the bottom of the shell through bearings, and the two support shafts are respectively the first support shaft and the second support shaft; the second pulley is installed on the first support shaft; the cable is wound on the outer diameter of the drum, its fixed end is fixed in the drum body, and its movable end is wound around the inner groove of the guide wheel and passes through the trumpet-shaped through hole of the guide ring to connect to the external equipment; the second support shaft is provided with a through hole connected to the inner cavity of the drum body along the axis for passing the fixed end of the cable; the drum body and the end cover are both provided with heat dissipation holes for heat dissipation of the cable.

[0017] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the cable storage mechanism also includes a slip ring, which is located in the cable storage drum and coaxially installed on the second support shaft, and is used for dynamic and static connection of the cable; the encoder is installed on the outer end of the second support shaft; the fixed end of the cable passes through the central through hole of the encoder from the outside to the inside, penetrates through the fixed end of the slip ring, and is electrically connected to the rotating end of the slip ring.

[0018] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the second synchronous belt assembly includes a third pulley, a fourth pulley, and a second synchronous belt; the third pulley is installed on the output shaft end of the cable-arranging motor and is keyed to the output shaft of the cable-arranging motor; the fourth pulley is installed on the input end of the screw, is keyed to the screw, and is coplanar with the third pulley; the second synchronous belt is sleeved on the third pulley and the fourth pulley, and engages with the two.

[0019] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the screw slide mechanism includes a screw, a slider, a slide rail bracket, a guide rod, and a travel switch; the slide rail bracket is horizontally mounted on the support; the screw is horizontally rotatably installed on the slide rail bracket; the lower end of the slider is provided with a nut structure, which is connected with the screw thread and is used to convert the rotation of the screw into axial movement of the slider along the screw; the two guide rods are symmetrically installed on both sides of the screw and pass through the bottom of the slider to guide and support the slider; the two travel switches are respectively installed on the inner sides of the two ends of the slide rail bracket, and are used to transmit the trigger signal to the main control unit when the slider slides to the end of the screw to trigger the travel switch.

[0020] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the guide wheel assembly includes a guide wheel, a guide wheel seat, a tension sensor, and a guide ring; the guide wheel seat is fixed on the slider and is used to support other components of the guide wheel assembly; the tension sensor is arranged parallel to the cable storage drum, and its outer shell is fixed to the guide wheel seat; the guide wheel is coaxially rotatably mounted on the sensing shaft of the tension sensor through a rolling bearing, and the outer diameter circumference of the guide wheel is provided with an inner groove for accommodating the cable; the tension sensor is electrically connected to the main control unit and is used to test the cable tension and feed back the data to the main control unit; the guide ring is fixed to the top of the guide wheel seat, and the guide ring is provided with a trumpet-shaped through hole along its central axis for passing the cable, and the axis of the trumpet-shaped through hole is coplanar with the axial center line of the inner groove of the guide wheel.

[0021] A further technical solution of the present invention is that the arc radius of the longitudinal section of the trumpet-shaped through hole is not less than 80 mm, and the diameter of the guide wheel is not less than 15 times the diameter of the cable.

[0022] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the cable retracting and releasing equipment also includes a heat dissipation component, and the heat dissipation component includes a first axial flow fan, a second axial flow fan, and an air guide plate; the first axial flow fan is installed on the shell, located above the main motor, and is used to dissipate heat of the cable wound on the cylinder; the air guide plate is installed on one side of the first axial flow fan, located inside the shell, and at the same time located above the cable storage drum, and is used to form a guide air duct for the first axial flow fan together with the inner wall of the shell; the second axial flow fan is installed in the cable storage drum, and is used to cooperate with the heat dissipation holes of the cylinder and the end cover to dissipate heat for the cable wound on the cylinder.

[0023] A further technical solution of the present invention is that the cable storage mechanism further includes a torque limiter, which is installed at the end of the output shaft of the main motor and is used to limit the maximum rotational torque of the main motor.

[0024] Beneficial effects

[0025] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the present invention is a cable-winding and -releasing device for tethered drones, in which the cable storage mechanism and the cable-winding mechanism are driven by their own power sources and controlled by the main control unit, so that the rotation speed of the cable storage drum and the travel speed of the guide wheel seat are flexibly controllable, thereby enabling the device to perform cable-winding and -releasing operations on cables of different diameters, and the cable storage rotation speed and the cable-winding speed can be adjusted according to the different diameters of the cables. In conjunction with the screw-guide rail mechanism and the guide wheel assembly of the present invention, since the loose fitting structure of the traditional reciprocating screw and the reversing nut is abandoned, a screw-guide rail mechanism with a travel switch is adopted, and the reversal is achieved by controlling the forward and reverse rotation of the cable-winding motor through the main control switch. The slider and the screw are closely matched, so that the operation is smooth. In addition, the design of the guide wheel assembly can ensure that the cable is not easily bent, and the tension sensor is used to ensure that the cable tension is within the set range, thereby protecting the cable. As a result, the structure of the present invention can adapt to any cable-winding and -releasing speed, realizes high-speed operation of the cable-winding and -releasing device, and can ensure smooth and quiet operation during high-speed operation.

[0026] The heat dissipation component design meets the requirements of cable-reeling equipment for high-power power transmission. It effectively dissipates heat while ensuring cable retraction and deployment, while also avoiding increasing the height of the equipment. By selecting a smaller outer diameter for the cable storage drum and combining it with a longer axial length, the heat dissipation component solves the cable heat dissipation issue, reducing the height of the cable-reeling equipment and creating a compact structure. When used to tether drones, the drone's takeoff and landing platform is closer to the ground, making it easier to accommodate the drone and its payload within the cabin.

[0027] The guide pulley assembly of the present invention is equipped with a tension sensor to provide cable tension feedback to the main control unit. An encoder installed at one end of the cable storage drum provides feedback on the drum's rotational speed. This allows the main control unit to adjust motion parameters such as cable retraction and release direction and speed in real time based on real-time data such as cable tension and drum rotational speed, ensuring the cable is always under the appropriate tension. Furthermore, a torque limiter is installed at the output shaft end of the main motor to limit the maximum torque of the main motor. If the equipment operates abnormally, causing the torque on the main motor shaft to exceed the set torque, the torque limiter slips, causing the coaxially mounted first pulley to slip, preventing the cable storage drum from rotating, further protecting the cable. Therefore, each moving component of the present invention has a status monitoring function, and the equipment operates stably and reliably. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 This is the overall appearance diagram of the cable retracting and unretracting device of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the internal structure of the hidden housing of the cable retracting and unretracting device of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the installation structure of the cable storage mechanism in the present invention;

[0031] Figure 4 The cable arrangement mechanism installation structure of the present invention Figure 1 (Hidden support side panels);

[0032] Figure 5 The cable arrangement mechanism installation structure of the present invention Figure 2 ;

[0033] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the cable storage drum in the present invention;

[0034] Figure 7 It is a schematic structural diagram of the guide wheel assembly in the present invention.

[0035] Explanation of reference numerals: 1. Housing; 2. Cable storage mechanism, 21. Main motor, 22. Cable storage drum, 221. Drum body, 222. End cover, 223. First support shaft, 224. Second support shaft, 225. Heat dissipation hole of drum body, 226. Heat dissipation hole of end cover, 23. First synchronous belt assembly, 231. First pulley, 232. Second pulley, 233. First synchronous belt, 24. Main motor bracket, 25. Bracket, 26. Slip ring, 27. Encoder, 28. Torque limiter; 3. Wire arrangement mechanism, 31. Wire arrangement motor, 311. Motor drive of wire arrangement motor Actuator, 32. Screw and slide mechanism, 321. Screw, 322. Slider, 323. Slide rail bracket, 324. Guide rod, 325. Travel switch, 33. Guide wheel assembly, 331. Guide wheel, 332. Guide wheel seat, 333. Tension sensor, 334. Guide ring, 335. Rolling bearing, 34. Second synchronous belt assembly, 341. Third pulley, 342. Fourth pulley, 343. Second synchronous belt, 35. Support; 4. Main control unit; 5. Heat dissipation assembly, 51. First axial flow fan, 52. Second axial flow fan, 53. Air guide plate; 6. Cable. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to explain the present invention, but should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0037] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" and the like to indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0038] Example 1:

[0039] See Figure 1 This embodiment provides a cable retracting and releasing device for a tethered drone, which is mainly suitable for controlling the retracting and releasing of cables for tethered drones. It can be used for cables 6 of different diameters to meet different requirements for cable retracting and releasing speeds. The cable retracting and releasing device includes a closed shell 1, a cable storage mechanism 2, a cable arrangement mechanism 3, a main control unit 4, and a heat dissipation component 5 installed in the shell 1. The shell 1 is composed of an integrated outer cover and a base, and the base is located at the bottom of the shell 1. The cable storage mechanism 2 is used to wind the storage cable, the cable arrangement mechanism 3 is used to guide the cable 6 during the cable retracting and releasing process, the main control unit 4 serves as the control center of the entire device, and is used to control the operation of the device. The heat dissipation component 5 is used to dissipate heat from the cable 6 in the device. The entire device is described in detail below.

[0040] See Figure 2 、 3 The cable storage mechanism 2 includes a main motor 21, a cable storage drum 22, a first synchronous belt assembly 23, a main motor bracket 24, and a bracket 25. The main motor 21 is horizontally fixed to the base at the bottom of the shell 1 through the main motor bracket 24. The output shaft of the main motor 21 extends out of the main motor bracket 24. The main motor bracket 24 is fixedly connected to the bottom plate of the shell 1. The main motor 21 is used to drive the cable storage drum 22 to rotate. The main motor 21 is electrically connected to the main control unit 4 and is controlled by it. The main motor 21 adopts an AC servo motor, which has the characteristics of precise control of speed and angle of rotation and smooth operation. The cable storage drum 22 is horizontally rotatably mounted on the base at the bottom of the shell 1 through two brackets 25. The cable storage drum 22 and the main motor 21 are arranged side by side and parallel to each other and are used to wind the cable 6. The two brackets 25 are both fixed to the base of the shell 1, respectively located at the two ends of the cable storage drum 22, and are rotatably connected to the support shafts at both ends of the cable storage drum 22 through spherical bearings. The use of spherical bearings reduces the manufacturing and installation precision requirements of the cable storage drum assembly, which is beneficial to cost control. For details, refer to Figure 3 、 6The cable storage drum 22 is a hollow cylindrical structure, including a cylinder body 221, an end cover 222, a first support shaft 223, and a second support shaft 224. The cylinder body 221 and the end covers 222 at both ends constitute a cylindrical hollow cylinder, and the cable 6 is wound around the outer diameter of the cylinder body 221. The end covers 222 on both sides also form a limit baffle for the cable 6. The center of the end covers 222 at both ends is coaxial with the cylinder body 221 and is provided with a support shaft, which is rotatably connected to the corresponding bracket 25 through a bearing. The support shafts at both ends are respectively marked as the first support shaft 223 and the second support shaft 224. The second support shaft 224 is provided with a through hole connected to the inner cavity of the cylinder body 221 along the axis, which is used to pass the fixed end of the cable 6 so that the fixed end of the cable 6 is fixed in the cable storage drum 22. Heat dissipation holes are provided on the cylinder body 221 and the end covers 222 for heat dissipation of the cable 6.

[0041] The first synchronous belt assembly 23 utilizes a novel circular-arc tooth synchronous belt drive structure, offering precise, smooth, vibration-free, and noise-free transmission. The first synchronous belt assembly 23 connects the output shaft of the main motor 21 and the first support shaft 223 of the cable storage drum 22, transmitting the rotation of the main motor 21 to the cable storage drum 22. Specifically, the first synchronous belt assembly 23 comprises a first pulley 231, a second pulley 232, and a first synchronous belt 233. The first pulley 231 is mounted on the output shaft of the main motor 21 and is keyed to the output shaft. The second pulley 232 is mounted on one side of the cable storage drum 22 and keyed to the first support shaft 223 of the cable storage drum 22. The second pulley 232 and the first pulley 231 form a paired pair of pulleys that engage the first synchronous belt 233. The first synchronous belt 233 fits over the first and second pulleys 231, meshing with them for transmission. When the main motor 21 drives the first pulley 231 to rotate, the second pulley 232 is driven to rotate through the first synchronous belt 233 , thereby driving the cable storage drum 22 to rotate.

[0042] See Figure 2 、 4 5, the cable arrangement mechanism 3 includes a cable arrangement motor 31, a screw guide rail mechanism 32, a guide wheel assembly 33, and a second synchronous belt assembly 34. The cable arrangement motor 31 is an AC servo motor, and its motion state is precisely controllable. The cable arrangement motor 31 is horizontally mounted on the base of the housing 1 through a support 35, as shown in FIG. Figure 4 As shown, two supports 35 are fixed to the base of the housing 1, with side panels enclosing the supports 35 on either side. A cable traversing motor 31 is mounted within the supports 35, parallel to the cable storage drum 22. Its output shaft extends through the supports 35. The cable traversing motor 31 is used to drive the lead screw 321 of the lead screw slide mechanism 32. The cable traversing motor 31 is electrically connected to and controlled by the main control unit 4.

[0043] The lead screw guide mechanism 32 is mounted horizontally on a support 35, above the cable traversing motor 31 and parallel to the axis of the cable storage drum 22. A guide wheel assembly 33 is mounted on a slider 322 of the lead screw guide mechanism 32. The lead screw guide mechanism 32 is used to drive the guide wheel assembly 33 along the axial direction of its lead screw 321. The guide wheel assembly 33 is used to guide the cable 6 during cable retraction and release. A second synchronous belt assembly 34 connects the output shaft of the cable traversing motor 31 and the input end of the lead screw 321 of the lead screw guide mechanism 32, transmitting the rotation of the cable traversing motor 31 to the lead screw 321.

[0044] Specifically, the lead screw slide mechanism 32 includes a lead screw 321, a slider 322, a slide rail bracket 323, a guide rod 324, and a travel switch 325. The slide rail bracket 323 is mounted horizontally and fixed on the support 35. The lead screw 321 is mounted horizontally and rotatably in the middle of the slide rail bracket 323, with the axis of the lead screw 321 parallel to the axis of the cable storage drum 22. A nut structure is provided at the lower end of the slider 322, which is threadedly connected to the lead screw 321. When the lead screw 321 rotates, the slider 322 moves along the axis of the lead screw 321. The forward and reverse rotation of the lead screw 321 causes the slider 322 to reciprocate along the lead screw 321. Two guide rods 324 are symmetrically mounted on either side of the lead screw 321 and extend through the bottom of the slider 322. The guide rods 324 serve to guide and support the slider 322, thereby improving the stability of the slider 322's movement. Two travel switches 325 are respectively installed on the inner sides of the two ends of the slide rail bracket 323. The travel switches 325 are electrically connected to the main control unit 4. When the slider 322 drives the guide wheel assembly 33 to arrange the cable and guides the cable 6 to be wound around the cable storage drum 22 with a full layer, the slider 322 just slides to the end of the screw 321, triggering the travel switch 325, thereby transmitting the trigger signal to the main control unit 4. The main control unit 4 comprehensively collects data such as tension and speed, and gives a reversing instruction and a speed instruction after calculation to control the reverse rotation of the cable arrangement motor 31 to realize the reversal of the slider 322.

[0045] The second synchronous belt assembly 34 includes a third pulley 341, a fourth pulley 342, and a second synchronous belt 343. The third pulley 341 is mounted on the output shaft of the cable traversing motor 31 and is keyed to the output shaft of the cable traversing motor 31. The fourth pulley 342 is mounted on the input end of the lead screw 321 and is keyed to the lead screw 321. The fourth pulley 342 and the third pulley 341 are coplanar and have the same tooth profile. The second synchronous belt 343 is mounted on and meshes with the third and fourth pulleys 341 and 342. When the output shaft of the cable traversing motor 31 drives the third pulley 341 to rotate, the fourth pulley 342 is driven by the second synchronous belt 343, which in turn drives the lead screw 321.

[0046] See also Figure 7The guide wheel assembly 33 includes a guide wheel 331, a guide wheel seat 332, a tension sensor 333, and a guide ring 334. The guide wheel assembly 33 ensures the correct direction of the cable 6 during the retraction and extension process, and ensures that the friction of the cable 6 is minimized when passing through the guide wheel assembly 33, and the cable 6 is bent as little as possible, thereby providing maximum protection for the cable 6.

[0047] The guide wheel seat 332 is fixedly mounted on the slider 322 and is used to support the other components of the guide wheel assembly 33. The tension sensor 333 is arranged parallel to the cable storage drum 22, and its outer shell is fixed to the guide wheel seat 332. The guide wheel 331 is coaxially mounted on the sensing shaft of the tension sensor 333 through two rolling bearings. The outer diameter of the guide wheel 331 is provided with an inner groove for accommodating the cable 6. The tension sensor 333 is electrically connected to the main control unit 4 and is used to test the tension of the cable 6 and feed the data back to the main control unit 4. Figure 7 As shown, the cables on the upper and lower sides of the guide wheel 331 generate tension on the guide wheel mounting shaft. These two forces form a resultant force P. The actual tension on the cable 6 can be decomposed according to the angle between the upper and lower cables. The main control unit 4 makes real-time adjustments to the rotation speed of the main motor 21 and the cable motor 31 as needed to ensure that the cable 6 is in a suitable constant tension state. The guide ring 334 is fixed to the top of the guide wheel seat 332. The guide ring 334 is provided with a trumpet-shaped through hole along its central axis for passing the cable 6. The axis of the trumpet-shaped through hole is perpendicular to the axis of the guide wheel 331 and is coplanar with the axial centerline of the inner groove. In order to avoid damage or scratches to the cable 6 during the retraction and extension process, and to prevent the optical fiber in the cable 6 from being damaged due to excessive bending stress, the longitudinal cross-section of the trumpet-shaped through hole is designed as a large arc with a radius of not less than 80 mm. The inner surface is hard-anodized, flat and smooth, reducing friction loss on the outer side of the cable. The diameter of the guide wheel 331 is no less than 15 times the diameter of the cable. In this embodiment, the diameter of the guide wheel 331 is 100 mm to ensure smooth cable routing. The guide wheel 331 is also mounted to the tension sensor 333 via two rolling bearings, allowing for flexible rotation and preventing cable 6 from being pulled and damaged due to the guide wheel 331 becoming stuck.

[0048] See Figure 6The cable storage mechanism 2 also includes a slip ring 26 and an encoder 27. The slip ring 26 is located within the cable storage drum 22 and coaxially mounted to the second support shaft 224. It provides dynamic and static connections for the cable 6. The encoder 27 is mounted on the outer end of the second support shaft 224 and measures the rotational speed of the cable storage drum 22. The encoder 27 is electrically connected to the main control unit 4, transmitting the rotational speed of the cable storage drum 22 to the main control unit 4. The main control unit 4 makes real-time adjustments to the current command based on the cable 6 tension data measured by the tension sensor 333 and the rotational speed of the cable storage drum 22, specifically adjusting the speeds of the main motor 21 and the cable arrangement motor 31 to prevent excessive tension from causing drone instability or damage to the cable 6. The cable 6 is wound around the outer diameter of the drum 221, with its fixed end secured within the drum 221. Specifically, the fixed ends of the cable 6 pass through the central through-hole of the encoder 27, passing through the fixed end of the slip ring 26, and electrically connecting to the rotating end of the slip ring 26. Slip ring 6 is designed with multiple conductive loops for power, signal, and central optical fiber, compatible with all signal connections in the composite cable. The free end of cable 6 is wrapped around the groove in guide pulley 331 and passes through the horn-shaped through-hole in guide ring 334, exiting housing 1 for connection to an external device. This external device can be a tethered drone or a robot using the cable retracting device of the present invention.

[0049] See Figure 3 The main control unit 4 is located on one side of the main motor 21 and is electrically connected to the motor driver of the main motor 21 and the motor driver 311 of the cable traversing motor 31. The main control unit 4 controls the direction and speed of the main motor 21 and the cable traversing motor 31, thereby realizing the coordinated operation between the cable traversing motor 31 and the main motor 21. That is, when the device is working, the guide wheel assembly 33 of the cable traversing mechanism 3 should move along the axis of the cable traversing drum 22 (that is, the axis of the lead screw of the cable traversing mechanism 3) by a distance of one wire diameter for each rotation of the cable storage drum 22. For cables 6 of different outer diameters, the speed at which the guide wheel assembly 33 moves along the axis of the cable storage drum 22 is different. The present invention can arbitrarily set the distance that the guide wheel assembly 33 moves along the axis of the cable storage drum 22 for each rotation of the cable storage drum 22 by modifying the parameters, so that the device can adapt to cables of any wire diameter, avoiding the need to reprocess transmission system components to adapt to cables of different wire diameters, thereby saving costs.

[0050] Simultaneously, the main control unit receives cable tension data from tension sensor 333 and rotational speed data from encoder 27 on cable storage drum 22. Based on the tension and speed feedback, it processes the cable 6 retraction and release speed, cable 6 tension, and the status of cable arrangement mechanism 3 in real time. If an abnormality occurs in the equipment's operating state, main control unit 4 promptly implements protective measures, such as speed reduction or shutdown. Main control unit 4 connects to an external computer for easy operation, allowing users to adjust equipment operating parameters and fully realize the equipment's flexibility. It also facilitates online monitoring of the equipment's operating status and enables appropriate response in emergency situations.

[0051] See Figure 2 、 Figure 6 The heat dissipation assembly 5 includes a first axial fan 51, a second axial fan 52, and an air guide plate 53. The first axial fan 51 is mounted on the housing 1, above the main motor 21. It draws in external air to dissipate heat from the cables wound around the cable storage drum 22. The air guide plate 53 is a curved plate mounted to one side of the first axial fan 51, located within the housing 1 and above the cable storage drum 22. The air guide plate 53 and the inner wall of the housing 1 together form an air duct for the first axial fan 51, providing forced air cooling for the cables 6. The second axial fan 52 is mounted within the cable storage drum 22, cooperating with the heat dissipation holes in the drum body 221 and end cap 222 to dissipate heat from the cables wound around the drum 22. Air enters the cable storage drum 22 through the heat dissipation holes 226 in the end cap, exits through the heat dissipation holes 225 in the drum body, and then flows out through the winding gaps of the cables 6, dissipating heat from the cables 6 on the drum. The second axial flow fans 52 cooperate with the second axial flow fans 52 to form an air circulation. The first axial flow fans 51 and the second axial flow fans 52 are connected to the power supply of the cable retracting and releasing device, and the heat dissipation can be started when the device is turned on.

[0052] To prevent damage to the cable 6 during abnormal operation, the cable storage mechanism 2 of the present invention is also equipped with a torque limiter 28. Mounted on the output shaft of the main motor 21, the torque limiter 28 is used to limit the maximum torque of the main motor 21. If the equipment malfunctions, causing the torque on the output shaft of the main motor 21 to exceed a set torque, the torque limiter 28 slips, causing the coaxially mounted first pulley 231 and the synchronous pulley to slip, preventing the cable storage drum 22 from rotating, thereby protecting the cable 6. This torque limiter 28 is a purely mechanical structure with an adjustable torque limit value and reliable operation, making it the most basic and reliable protection device for the cable 6.

[0053] This cable retraction and release equipment can realize intelligent cable retraction and release, adjustable and controllable cable tension, can adapt to cables of various outer diameters, can be adapted to high-speed cable retraction and release, has multiple monitoring and protection functions for equipment safety, has high equipment operation precision, is small in size and height, and has a heat dissipation design that can ensure that the cable can provide high power transmission; each component is installed in the shell, the overall structure is compact, the appearance is neat and beautiful, and at the same time ensures the safety of equipment operation and personnel.

[0054] It should be noted that the cable retraction and release device of this embodiment is not only applicable to the automatic retraction and release of cables for tethered UAVs, but can also be used in tunnels, underwater cable-controlled robots, and other related fields to achieve automatic retraction and release of towed cables. For example, the platform for pipeline crawling robots, equipped with appropriate testing instruments, can be used to complete tasks such as petrochemical and drainage pipeline inspections. Wired power supply and wired signal transmission methods are used to ensure communication quality and working time.

[0055] Example 2:

[0056] This embodiment is the same as Example 1, differing only in the method for controlling the activation of the first and second axial flow fans 51, 52 in the heat dissipation assembly 5. In this embodiment, a temperature sensor is installed in the device housing 1 and connected to the main control unit 4. When the temperature exceeds a set temperature value, the control unit 4 controls the operation of the two fans.

[0057] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it will be understood that the above embodiments are illustrative and are not to be construed as limitations on the present invention. A person skilled in the art may change, modify, replace and modify the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention without departing from the principles and purpose of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cable retracting and releasing device for tethering a drone, characterized by: It includes a housing and a cable storage mechanism, a cable arrangement mechanism, and a main control unit installed in the housing; The cable storage mechanism includes a main motor, a cable storage drum, a first synchronous belt assembly, and an encoder. The main motor is fixed to the bottom of the housing through a main motor bracket, and is used to drive the cable storage drum to rotate. The cable storage drum is horizontally rotatably mounted on the bottom of the housing through the bracket, and is arranged side by side and parallel to the main motor, and is used to wind the storage cable. The first synchronous belt assembly connects the output shaft of the main motor and the support shaft at one end of the cable storage drum, and is used to transmit the rotation of the main motor to the cable storage drum. The encoder is installed at the end of the cable storage drum facing away from the first synchronous belt assembly, and is used to measure the rotation speed of the cable storage drum. The cable arrangement mechanism includes a cable arrangement motor, a lead screw slide mechanism, a guide wheel assembly, and a second synchronous belt assembly; the cable arrangement motor is horizontally mounted on the bottom of the housing through a support, and is used to drive the lead screw of the lead screw slide mechanism to rotate; the lead screw slide mechanism is horizontally mounted on the support, and is located above the cable arrangement motor; the guide wheel assembly is mounted on the slider of the lead screw slide mechanism, and the lead screw slide mechanism is used to drive the guide wheel assembly to move along the axial direction of its lead screw, and the guide wheel assembly is used to guide the cable during the process of retracting and releasing the cable, and a tension sensor is provided in the guide wheel assembly for testing the tension of the cable; the second synchronous belt assembly is connected to the output shaft of the cable arrangement motor and the lead screw input end of the lead screw slide mechanism, and is used to transmit the rotation of the cable arrangement motor to the lead screw; The main control unit is used to control the operation of the entire equipment. It is electrically connected to the motor drivers corresponding to the main motor and the cable traversing motor to control the actions of the main motor and the cable traversing motor; it is electrically connected to the encoder and the tension sensor to receive and process the speed data of the cable storage drum and the cable tension data.

2. The cable retracting and releasing device for tethering a drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first synchronous belt assembly includes a first pulley, a second pulley, and a first synchronous belt; the first pulley is installed on the output shaft end of the main motor and is keyed to the output shaft of the main motor; the second pulley is installed on one side of the cable storage drum, is keyed to the support shaft at one end of the cable storage drum, and is coplanar with the first pulley; the first synchronous belt is sleeved on the first pulley and the second pulley and meshes with the two.

3. The cable retracting and releasing device for tethering a drone according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cable storage drum is a hollow cylindrical structure, comprising a drum body, end covers, a first support shaft, and a second support shaft; the drum body and the end covers at both ends constitute a cylindrical hollow drum, and the centers of the end covers at both ends are provided with support shafts coaxial with the drum body, which are used to be rotatably connected to the bracket fixed to the bottom of the shell through bearings, namely the first support shaft and the second support shaft; the second pulley is installed on the first support shaft; the cable is wound on the outer diameter of the drum body, its fixed end is fixed in the drum body, and its movable end is wound around the inner groove of the guide wheel and passes through the trumpet-shaped through hole of the guide ring to connect to the external equipment; the second support shaft is provided with a through hole connected to the inner cavity of the drum body along the axis line for passing the fixed end of the cable; the drum body and the end covers are both provided with heat dissipation holes for heat dissipation of the cable.

4. The cable retracting and releasing device for tethering a drone according to claim 3, characterized in that: The cable storage mechanism also includes a slip ring; the slip ring is located in the cable storage drum and is coaxially installed on the second support shaft. The slip ring is used for dynamic and static connection of the cable; the encoder is installed on the outer end of the second support shaft; the fixed end of the cable passes through the central through hole of the encoder from the outside to the inside, penetrates through the fixed end of the slip ring, and is electrically connected to the rotating end of the slip ring.

5. The cable retracting and releasing device for tethering a drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second synchronous belt assembly includes a third pulley, a fourth pulley, and a second synchronous belt; the third pulley is installed on the output shaft end of the cable arranging motor and is keyed to the output shaft of the cable arranging motor; the fourth pulley is installed on the input end of the screw, keyed to the screw, and coplanar with the third pulley; the second synchronous belt is sleeved on the third pulley and the fourth pulley and meshes with the two.

6. The cable retracting and releasing device for tethering a drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: The screw slide mechanism includes a screw, a slider, a slide rail bracket, a guide rod, and a travel switch; the slide rail bracket is horizontally mounted on a support; the screw is horizontally rotatably mounted on the slide rail bracket; a nut structure is provided at the lower end of the slider, which is connected to the screw thread and is used to convert the rotation of the screw into axial movement of the slider along the screw; the two guide rods are symmetrically installed on both sides of the screw and pass through the bottom of the slider to guide and support the slider; the two travel switches are respectively installed on the inner sides of the two ends of the slide rail bracket, and are used to transmit the trigger signal to the main control unit when the slider slides to the end of the screw to trigger the travel switch.

7. The cable retracting and releasing device for tethering a drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: The guide wheel assembly includes a guide wheel, a guide wheel seat, a tension sensor, and a guide ring; the guide wheel seat is fixed on the slider and is used to support other components of the guide wheel assembly; the tension sensor is arranged parallel to the cable storage drum, and its outer shell is fixed to the guide wheel seat; the guide wheel is coaxially rotatably mounted on the sensing shaft of the tension sensor through a rolling bearing, and the outer diameter circumference of the guide wheel is provided with an inner groove for accommodating the cable; the tension sensor is used to test the cable tension and feed back the data to the main control unit; the guide ring is fixed to the top of the guide wheel seat, and the guide ring is provided with a trumpet-shaped through hole along its central axis for passing the cable, and the axis of the trumpet-shaped through hole is coplanar with the axial center line of the inner groove of the guide wheel.

8. The cable retracting and releasing device for tethering a drone according to claim 7, characterized in that: The arc radius of the longitudinal section of the trumpet-shaped through hole is not less than 80 mm, and the diameter of the guide wheel is not less than 15 times the diameter of the cable.

9. The cable retracting and releasing device for tethering a drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cable retracting and releasing equipment also includes a heat dissipation component, which includes a first axial flow fan, a second axial flow fan, and an air guide plate; the first axial flow fan is installed on the shell, located above the main motor, and is used to dissipate heat from the cable wound on the cable storage drum; the air guide plate is installed on one side of the first axial flow fan, located inside the shell, and at the same time located above the cable storage drum, and is used to form a guide air duct for the first axial flow fan together with the inner wall of the shell; the second axial flow fan is installed in the cable storage drum, and is used to cooperate with the heat dissipation holes of the drum body and the end cover to dissipate heat from the cable wound on the cable storage drum.

10. The cable retracting and releasing device for tethering a drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cable storage mechanism further comprises a torque limiter, which is mounted on the output shaft end of the main motor and is used to limit the maximum value of the rotational torque of the main motor.

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