Multi-axis unmanned aerial vehicle suitable for railway overhead line system inspection

Abstract

The utility model discloses a multi-axis unmanned aerial vehicle suitable for railway contact network inspection, which belongs to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicles, and comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle body and an instrument fixing device, the unmanned aerial vehicle body comprises a fuselage and a plurality of rotors arranged on the fuselage through cantilevers; the instrument fixing device is arranged on the machine body and used for fixedly installing an instrument. The multi-axis unmanned aerial vehicle is provided with the instrument fixing device, the first fixing piece can be fixed to the vehicle body of the unmanned aerial vehicle, then the second fixing piece is fixed to a detection instrument, connection between the instrument and the unmanned aerial vehicle can be completed, and the detection efficiency can be improved by replacing different instruments (such as an ultraviolet imager, an ultrasonic detector and a hyperspectral imager). Different types of detection can be carried out on the railway overhead line system, potential safety hazards can be found in time, and operation of the overhead line system is guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, specifically to a multi-axis UAV suitable for railway catenary inspection. Background Technology

[0002] In the railway transportation sector, the overhead contact system, as a crucial power supply facility for electrified railways, directly impacts the safety and stability of railway operations. Traditional methods of inspecting railway overhead contact systems primarily rely on manual inspection or inspection using railcars. Manual inspection is inefficient, labor-intensive, and poses safety hazards due to working at heights. Railcar inspections are limited by railway operation scheduling, lack flexibility, and are difficult to conduct comprehensive inspections of overhead contact systems in complex terrains or special areas. Therefore, drones are increasingly being used in overhead contact system inspection. However, existing drones used for overhead contact system inspection typically only possess optical cameras, making them unsuitable for various inspection tasks. They also lack universal mounting devices, making it difficult to equip them with instruments of different specifications and types. Utility Model Content

[0003] To address the aforementioned technical shortcomings, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a multi-axis drone suitable for railway catenary inspection. By designing an instrument fixing device, it can carry various types of instruments and complete various types of inspection tasks.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model adopts the following technical solution: This utility model provides a multi-axis unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) suitable for railway catenary inspection, comprising:

[0005] The drone body includes a fuselage and multiple rotors mounted on the fuselage via cantilever arms;

[0006] An instrument fixing device is installed on the machine body for fixing and mounting the instrument, including a first fixing component and a second fixing component that are respectively fixedly connected to the machine body and the instrument;

[0007] The first fixing member and the second fixing member are connected by an angle adjustment member.

[0008] Preferably, the angle adjusting component includes an upper hinge seat and a lower hinge seat that are fixedly connected to the first fixing member and the second fixing member, respectively. The upper hinge seat and the lower hinge seat are both inserted with the same pin. The upper hinge seat is provided with an adjusting mechanism for driving the lower hinge seat to rotate around the pin.

[0009] Preferably, the adjusting mechanism includes a worm gear rotatably mounted on the upper hinge seat and a worm wheel sleeved on the pin shaft. The worm wheel is connected to the lower hinge seat through a limiting mechanism. The worm gear meshes with the worm wheel. When the worm gear rotates, the worm wheel drives the lower hinge seat to rotate around the pin shaft.

[0010] Preferably, the limiting mechanism includes two parallel first limiting plates fixed on the lower hinge seat, and a second limiting plate fixed on the side wall of the worm gear. The second limiting plate is located between the two first limiting plates and abuts against the side walls of the two first limiting plates.

[0011] Preferably, the second fastener includes:

[0012] A base, which is fixedly connected to an angle adjustment component, and a horizontal rail is fixed to the bottom of the base;

[0013] Two sliding sleeves are respectively slidably fitted at both ends of the horizontal rail, and the vertical rail is fixed on the sliding sleeves;

[0014] Two claws are slidably mounted on two longitudinal rails;

[0015] The tightening mechanism, mounted on the base, is used to drive the two claws to move toward the sliding sleeve and to drive the two sliding sleeves to approach each other.

[0016] Preferably, the tightening mechanism includes a tightening rod rotatably mounted on the base and at least two pull ropes. One end of each pull rope is wrapped around the tightening rod, and the other end is fixed to the claw. The pull ropes are also wrapped around a sliding sleeve. When the tightening rod rotates, the pull ropes drag the claw towards the sliding sleeve and pull the sliding sleeve towards the center of the horizontal rail.

[0017] Preferably, both the sliding sleeve and the claw are provided with rubber shock-absorbing pads.

[0018] Preferably, the first fixing member includes an upper cover plate and a lower cover plate, which cooperate to form a clamp to hold the machine body in place.

[0019] Preferably, ear plates are provided on both sides of the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate, and the corresponding ear plates on the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate are fixedly connected by bolts.

[0020] Preferably, a landing gear is fixed to the bottom of the fuselage.

[0021] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0022] This invention features a multi-axis UAV with an instrument fixing device. A first fixing component is attached to the UAV's fuselage, and a second fixing component is then attached to the testing instrument, thus connecting the instrument to the UAV. By changing different instruments (such as ultraviolet imagers, ultrasonic detectors, and hyperspectral imagers), different types of inspections can be performed on the railway contact network, promptly identifying potential safety hazards and ensuring the network's operation. The invention also includes an angle adjustment component. By rotating the worm gear, the worm wheel rotates, causing the lower hinge to rotate around the pin, changing the angle between the second and first fixing components. This allows for easy adjustment of the instrument to a suitable tilt angle based on the lens angle of different instruments. The second fixing component employs a multi-layer sliding structure, working in conjunction with a tightening mechanism to synchronously drive the claw and sliding sleeve, quickly adapting to testing instruments of different sizes and shapes. This ensures secure fixing and efficient assembly / disassembly of the equipment, enhancing the UAV's compatibility with diverse testing needs. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of the overall structure of a multi-axis UAV suitable for railway catenary inspection, provided for an embodiment of this utility model.

[0025] Figure 2 A front view of the overall structure of a multi-axis UAV suitable for railway catenary inspection, provided for an embodiment of this utility model.

[0026] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified view of a portion of point A in the middle.

[0027] Figure 4 A side view of the overall structure of a multi-axis UAV suitable for railway catenary inspection, provided for an embodiment of this utility model.

[0028] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of an instrument fixing device in a multi-axis UAV suitable for railway catenary inspection, provided as an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the fit between the worm gear and the lower hinge seat in a multi-axis UAV suitable for railway catenary inspection, provided as an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0031] 1. Fuselage; 2. Cantilever; 3. Rotor; 4. First Fixing Component; 41. Upper Cover Plate; 42. Lower Cover Plate; 5. Second Fixing Component; 51. Base; 52. Horizontal Rail; 53. Sliding Sleeve; 54. Longitudinal Rail; 55. Claw; 56. Tensioning Rod; 57. Pull Rope; 58. Rubber Shock Absorber; 59. Guide Sleeve; 6. Angle Adjustment Component; 61. Upper Hinge Seat; 62. Lower Hinge Seat; 63. Pin; 64. Worm Gear; 65. Worm Wheel; 66. First Limiting Plate; 67. Second Limiting Plate; 7. Landing Gear; 8. Instruments. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0033] Example 1:

[0034] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, Embodiment 1 of this utility model provides a multi-rotor drone suitable for railway catenary inspection, including a drone body comprising a fuselage 1 and four rotors 3. The four rotors 3 are mounted on the fuselage 1 via cantilever arms 2. When the drone starts, the rotors 3 rotate at high speed, generating lift and thrust, enabling the drone to take off smoothly and fly in the air. A landing gear 7 is fixed to the bottom of the fuselage 1, which provides support during takeoff and landing, protecting the fuselage 1 and other components from damage caused by ground impacts. This utility model does not modify the drone body; therefore, the structure of the drone body will not be described in detail.

[0035] The key design feature of this invention is the inclusion of an instrument fixing device on the fuselage 1 of the drone. This device can be used to fix various types of inspection instruments 8, such as optical cameras and infrared thermal imagers, for detecting the appearance and temperature of the contact wire. The instrument fixing device includes a first fixing member 4 and a second fixing member 5. The first fixing member 4 is fixedly connected to the fuselage 1, and the second fixing member 5 is fixedly connected to the instrument 8. The first fixing member 4 and the second fixing member 5 are connected by an angle adjustment member 6. This allows for adjustment of the tilt angle of the instrument 8 after it is fixedly connected to the fuselage 1, facilitating drone-based control for shooting.

[0036] like Figure 2As shown, the first fixing component 4 includes an upper cover plate 41 and a lower cover plate 42. These two cover plates cooperate to form a clamp structure, which clamps the fuselage 1. Both sides of the upper cover plate 41 and the lower cover plate 42 are fixed with lugs, and the corresponding lugs are fixedly connected by bolts. This connection method is simple and firm, which can ensure that the instrument fixing device can be stably installed on the fuselage 1 and will not shake or shift during flight.

[0037] The angle adjusting component 6 includes an upper hinge seat 61, a lower hinge seat 62, and a pin 63. The pin 63 passes through the upper hinge seat 61 and the lower hinge seat 62, forming a rotatable structure. An adjusting mechanism is provided on the upper hinge seat 61 to adjust the included angle between the lower hinge seat 62 and the upper hinge seat 61. The adjusting mechanism includes a worm gear 64 and a worm wheel 65. The worm gear 64 is rotatably mounted on the upper hinge seat 61, and the worm wheel 65 is sleeved on the pin 63. The worm wheel 65 is connected to the lower hinge seat 62 via a limiting mechanism, allowing the worm wheel 65 to rotate together with the lower hinge seat 62, and the worm gear 64 meshes with the worm wheel 65.

[0038] When the angle of instrument 8 needs to be adjusted, the worm 64 is rotated. Due to the meshing transmission between the worm 64 and the worm wheel 65, the worm wheel 65 drives the lower hinge seat 62 to rotate around the pin 63, thereby adjusting the angle of instrument 8. This transmission method has self-locking properties. When the worm 64 stops rotating, the worm wheel 65 remains stationary, allowing instrument 8 to maintain a stable angle after adjustment, thus ensuring the stability of instrument 8 when the UAV flies along the contact wire.

[0039] Example 2:

[0040] Based on Embodiment 1, this utility model specifically designs a limiting mechanism. For example... Figure 6 As shown, two parallel first limiting plates 66 are fixed to the lower hinge seat 62, and a second limiting plate 67 is fixed to the side wall of the worm gear 65, with the second limiting plate 67 positioned between the two first limiting plates 66 and abutting against their side walls. This structure ensures that when the worm gear 65 rotates, it can drive the first limiting plates 66 to rotate via the second limiting plate 67, thereby accurately driving the lower hinge seat 62 to rotate synchronously, ensuring the precision of angle adjustment.

[0041] Example 3:

[0042] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, based on Embodiments 1 and 2, the base 51 of the second fixing member 5 in this utility model is fixedly connected to the lower hinge seat 62 of the angle adjusting member 6. A horizontal rail 52 is fixed to the bottom of the base 51, and two sliding sleeves 53 are respectively slidably sleeved on both ends of the horizontal rail 52. Each sliding sleeve 53 is fixed with a longitudinal rail 54 perpendicular to the horizontal rail 52. Two claws 55 are respectively slidably sleeved on the two longitudinal rails 54.

[0043] When installing instrument 8, first adjust the positions of the claws 55 and the sliding sleeves 53 according to the size and shape of instrument 8, so that instrument 8 can be positioned between the sliding sleeves 53 and the claws 55. Then, use the tightening mechanism provided on the base 51 to drive the two claws 55 to move towards the sliding sleeves 53 and drive the two sliding sleeves 53 closer together, thereby fixing instrument 8 to the base 51. Both the sliding sleeves 53 and the claws 55 are equipped with rubber shock-absorbing pads 58. During the flight of the UAV, the rubber shock-absorbing pads 58 can act as a buffer, reducing the impact of vibration on instrument 8. Because vibration may interfere with the normal operation of instrument 8 and reduce the accuracy of detection data, the presence of rubber shock-absorbing pads 58 can effectively protect instrument 8 and improve the reliability of detection results.

[0044] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the tightening mechanism designed in this utility model includes a tightening rod 56 rotatably mounted on a base 51 and at least two pull ropes 57. In this embodiment, four pull ropes 57 are used. The four pull ropes 57 are divided into two groups, which respectively cooperate with two claws 55 and a sliding sleeve 53. One end of the pull rope 57 is wrapped around the tightening rod 56, and the other end is fixed to the claw 55. The pull rope 57 is also wrapped around the sliding sleeve 53. In this way, when the tightening rod 56 is rotated, the pull rope 57 will gradually wrap around the tightening rod 56, thereby dragging the claw 55 towards the sliding sleeve 53, and at the same time dragging the sliding sleeve 53 towards the middle of the horizontal rail 52. In this way, by rotating the tightening rod 56, the claws 55 and the sliding sleeve 53 can be firmly fixed to the instrument 8. A locking nut is threaded onto the tightening rod 56. The locking nut can be rotated to press against the base 51, and the tightening rod 56 is fixed by friction, making it difficult for the tightening rod 56 to rotate freely, thereby maintaining the fixed relationship between the claw 55 and the instrument 8.

[0045] A guide sleeve 59 is fixed on the sliding sleeve 53, and the pull rope 57 passes through the guide sleeve 59 to constrain the position of the pull rope 57.

[0046] According to the inspection requirements, the operator fixes the appropriate instrument 8 to the second fixing part 5 and adjusts the angle of the instrument 8 through the adjustment mechanism. After the drone takes off, it flies along the railway contact network, aligning the instrument 8 with the contact network component to be inspected. During the inspection process, due to the stability of the instrument fixing device and the precision of the angle adjustment, the instrument 8 is able to stably acquire accurate inspection data.

[0047] When replacing instrument 8, the operator rotates the tensioning rod 56 to loosen the pull rope 57, causing the claw 55 and sliding sleeve 53 to slide on the horizontal and vertical rails 52 and 54, thus loosening the fixation on the original instrument 8. The original instrument 8 is then removed, the new instrument 8 is placed in the appropriate position, and the tensioning rod 56 is rotated again. The pull rope 57 drags the claw 55 and sliding sleeve 53 to move and securely fix the new instrument 8. This rapid instrument 8 replacement method improves the efficiency of the UAV, enabling it to adapt to different inspection needs. Simultaneously, the structural design of the instrument fixing device ensures stable installation of different types of instruments 8 without affecting their normal operation.

[0048] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this utility model without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if these modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this utility model and their equivalents, this utility model also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A multi-axis unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) suitable for railway catenary inspection, characterized in that, include: The drone body includes a fuselage and multiple rotors mounted on the fuselage via cantilever arms; An instrument fixing device is installed on the machine body for fixing and mounting the instrument, including a first fixing component and a second fixing component that are respectively fixedly connected to the machine body and the instrument; The first fixing member and the second fixing member are connected by an angle adjustment member.

2. The multi-copter unmanned aerial vehicle suitable for inspecting a railway overhead line system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The angle adjustment component includes an upper hinge seat and a lower hinge seat, which are fixedly connected to the first fixing member and the second fixing member, respectively. The upper hinge seat and the lower hinge seat are both inserted with the same pin. The upper hinge seat is provided with an adjustment mechanism for driving the lower hinge seat to rotate around the pin.

3. The multi-copter unmanned aerial vehicle suitable for inspecting a railway overhead contact system according to claim 2, wherein, The adjusting mechanism includes a worm gear rotatably mounted on the upper hinge seat and a worm wheel sleeved on the pin shaft. The worm wheel is connected to the lower hinge seat through a limiting mechanism. The worm gear meshes with the worm wheel. When the worm gear rotates, the worm wheel drives the lower hinge seat to rotate around the pin shaft.

4. The multi-copter unmanned aerial vehicle suitable for inspecting a railway overhead line system as claimed in claim 3, wherein, The limiting mechanism includes two parallel first limiting plates fixed on the lower hinge seat, and a second limiting plate fixed on the side wall of the worm gear. The second limiting plate is located between the two first limiting plates and abuts against the side walls of the two first limiting plates.

5. The multi-copter unmanned aerial vehicle suitable for inspecting a railway overhead contact system of claim 1, wherein, The second fastener includes: A base, which is fixedly connected to an angle adjustment component, and a horizontal rail is fixed to the bottom of the base; Two sliding sleeves are respectively slidably fitted at both ends of the horizontal rail, and the vertical rail is fixed on the sliding sleeves; Two claws are slidably mounted on two longitudinal rails; The tightening mechanism, mounted on the base, is used to drive the two claws to move toward the sliding sleeve and to drive the two sliding sleeves to approach each other.

6. A multi-copter drone suitable for inspection of a railway overhead contact system as claimed in claim 5, wherein, The tightening mechanism includes a tightening rod rotatably mounted on the base and at least two pull ropes. One end of each pull rope is wrapped around the tightening rod, and the other end is fixed to the claw. The pull ropes are also wrapped around a sliding sleeve. When the tightening rod rotates, the pull ropes drag the claw towards the sliding sleeve and pull the sliding sleeve towards the center of the horizontal rail.

7. The multi-copter unmanned aerial vehicle suitable for inspecting a railway overhead contact system as claimed in claim 5, wherein, Both the sliding sleeve and the claw are equipped with rubber shock-absorbing pads.

8. The multi-copter unmanned aerial vehicle suitable for inspecting a railway overhead contact system of claim 1, wherein, The first fastener includes an upper cover plate and a lower cover plate, which cooperate to form a clamp to hold the machine body in place.

9. A multi-axis UAV suitable for railway catenary inspection as described in claim 8, characterized in that, Both sides of the upper and lower cover plates are provided with ear plates, and the corresponding ear plates on the upper and lower cover plates are fixedly connected by bolts.

10. The multi-copter unmanned aerial vehicle suitable for inspecting a railway overhead contact system of claim 1, wherein, The bottom of the fuselage is fixed with landing gear.

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