Novel unmanned aerial vehicle-mounted insulator zero-value detector support

Abstract

The utility model relates to unmanned plane detection application technical field especially is a new type unmanned plane carries insulator zero value detector support, including unmanned plane hangs the connecting plate, unmanned plane hangs the connecting plate, is used for with the mounting interface screw hole butt joint of reserving in the abdomen of unmanned plane, shock absorber is used for buffering radial and axial vibration when unmanned plane flight, integrated main truss is used for bearing and electrical connection each function module, control host computer casing is used for packing high voltage circuit, low pressure control circuit and internal wire, electrode holder is used for adjusting and supporting elastic electrode, elastic electrode is used for with insulator string contact and gathers zero value signal, adopts "unmanned plane + support" non -contact detection, and operating personnel do not need to climb the tower, and completely eliminate high altitude fall, and the risk of electric shock, equipotential design and three room separate filling structure ensure that high pressure part and unmanned plane flight control system are completely isolated, avoid along surface sparkover and electromagnetic interference.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of drone testing application technology, specifically to a novel drone-mounted insulator zero-value detector bracket. Background Technology

[0002] Suspension insulator strings are critical insulation components of high-voltage transmission lines, and their operating status directly affects power grid safety. Under ideal conditions, each insulator bears a certain voltage; if an insulator's insulation performance deteriorates or is completely lost due to aging, lightning strikes, pollution, or mechanical damage (i.e., a "zero-value insulator"), the potential difference between its two ends will significantly decrease or approach zero. Once a zero-value insulator forms, the voltage originally borne by that insulator will transfer to adjacent insulators, causing local electric field concentration, accelerating deterioration, and ultimately potentially leading to flashover of the entire string, line tripping, or even large-scale power outages. Therefore, zero-value detection of insulator strings in operation is an essential part of power transmission operation and maintenance.

[0003] Traditional zero-value detection methods primarily employ a "manual tower climbing + insulated operating rod" approach: operators carry an insulated operating rod, a spark gap detector, or a megohmmeter to climb the tower and measure the voltage distribution or insulation resistance across each insulator. This method has the following significant drawbacks:

[0004] The work is highly dangerous, as personnel need to climb iron towers that are tens or even hundreds of meters high. Working at height is subject to severe weather conditions such as strong winds, high temperatures, rain, and snow, which can easily lead to accidents such as falls and electric shocks.

[0005] The work is labor-intensive and inefficient. The insulated operating rod is usually 5–8 m long and weighs 3–6 kg. It is difficult to lift the rod and align it with the steel cap of the insulator. Each string of 20–30 insulators needs to be inspected one by one, and it takes 15–30 minutes per string. Only a small number of towers can be completed in a day.

[0006] The test results are greatly affected by human factors. The spark gap discharge sound needs to be judged by human ear and is easily affected by environmental noise. Misalignment of the rod head and poor contact can lead to misjudgment or missed detection.

[0007] Therefore, a new type of drone is needed to carry an insulator zero-value detector bracket to improve the above problems. Utility Model Content

[0008] This utility model addresses the technical problems existing in the prior art by providing a novel UAV-mounted insulator zero-value detector bracket. It overcomes the high safety risks, low efficiency, and low accuracy associated with manual tower climbing for inspection in existing technologies, achieving safe, efficient, and accurate inspection with zero personnel climbing.

[0009] The technical solution of this utility model to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows:

[0010] A novel drone-mounted insulator zero-value detector bracket includes:

[0011] The drone mounting plate has a double-layer composite structure and is pre-drilled through holes for connecting to the drone and the shock absorber respectively.

[0012] The upper and lower ends of the shock absorber are respectively bolted to the UAV mounting plate and the integrated main truss.

[0013] The control host housing is mounted on the integrated main truss, and the interior of the control host housing is divided into a head high-voltage resistor potting area, a middle high-voltage circuit potting area, and a tail low-voltage control circuit installation area.

[0014] One end of the electrode holder is rotatably connected to the end of the integrated main truss, and the other end is screwed to the elastic electrode used for contact detection insulators.

[0015] Preferably, the hollow main strut of the integrated main truss has an elliptical cross-section, and its major axis is configured to be parallel to the pitch axis of the UAV.

[0016] Preferably, the integrated main truss includes a hollow main rod, and the hollow main rod is provided with a partition rib. The partition rib divides the inner cavity of the hollow main rod into at least two independent conductor channels. The high-voltage conductors and low-voltage signal lines are arranged in separate cavities, and the inner wall of the channel is sprayed with an insulating coating.

[0017] Preferably, the tail end of the integrated main truss is provided with a center-of-gravity balancing interface, which is a threaded rod for screwing in a counterweight.

[0018] Preferably, the electrode holder includes a connecting piece with adjustable spacing limiting holes, a hollow tube beam with an integrally formed skirt on the outer wall, and an adjusting base with a positioning structure.

[0019] Preferably, the skirt of the electrode holder is integrally formed with the hollow tube beam, and the outer diameter of the skirt increases gradually in the direction away from the integrated main truss. The elastic electrode includes a U-shaped spring sheet and an electrode support column, and the tail of the electrode support column is connected to the adjustable spacing limiting hole of the electrode holder.

[0020] Preferably, the support also includes a stabilizing rod, one end of which is connected to the integrated main truss, and the other end is used to connect to the top of the drone.

[0021] Preferably, the stabilizer bar is an arc-shaped bar with a triangular cross-section. One end is inserted into the slot of the integrated main truss, and the other end is screwed into the pre-drilled hole on the top of the UAV.

[0022] Preferably, the bracket further includes a shorting clip and a connecting wire. The shorting clip is used to be fitted onto the drone wing rod, and the connecting wire electrically connects the drone wing rod, the shock absorber, and the elastic electrode.

[0023] Preferably, the UAV mounting connection plate is a double-layer composite structure with an upper square layer and a lower X-shaped layer, with four corners staggered and reserved through holes. Bolts pass through the upper through holes to be screwed to the UAV, and bolts pass through the lower through holes to be screwed to the shock absorber.

[0024] The advantages of this utility model providing a novel bracket for a drone-mounted insulator zero-value detector are: It employs a non-contact detection method combining the drone and the bracket, eliminating the need for operators to climb the tower and completely eliminating the risks of falls from heights and electric shock. Furthermore, the three-chamber separated potting structure inside the control unit housing ensures complete isolation between the high-voltage components and the drone's flight control system, preventing surface flashover and electromagnetic interference. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is an exploded schematic diagram of the bracket for the insulator zero-value detector mounted on the novel UAV of this utility model;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the bracket for mounting an insulator zero-value detector on a novel UAV according to this utility model;

[0027] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram after rotating by a certain angle;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the short-circuit buckle and connecting wire structure of this utility model.

[0029] In the diagram: 1. UAV mounting plate; 2. Shock absorber; 3. Integrated main truss; 4. Control unit housing; 5. Electrode holder; 6. Elastic electrode; 7. Stabilizer bar; 8. Shorting clip and connecting wire. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0031] In the description of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0032] In the description of this application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set up," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this technology based on the specific circumstances.

[0033] In the description of this application, spatial relation terms such as "below," "under," "below," "below," "above," "over," etc., are used herein to describe the relationship between one element or feature shown in the figures and other elements or features. It should be understood that, in addition to the orientation shown in the figures, spatial relation terms also include different orientations of the device in use and operation. For example, if the device in the figures is flipped, an element or feature described as "below" or "under" or "below" of other elements or features will be oriented "above" other elements or features. Therefore, the exemplary terms "below" and "under" can include both upper and lower orientations. Furthermore, the device may also include other orientations (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or other orientations), and the spatial descriptive terms used herein are interpreted accordingly.

[0034] In the description of this application, the term "for example" is used to mean "used as an example, illustration, or description." Any embodiment described as "for example" in this application is not necessarily to be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments. The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to implement and use the present invention. Details are set forth in the following description for purposes of explanation. It should be understood that those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention can be implemented without using these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and processes will not be described in detail to avoid obscuring the description of the present invention with unnecessary detail. Therefore, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is consistent with the broadest scope of the principles and features disclosed in this application.

[0035] A new type of drone is equipped with a bracket for an insulator zero-value detector, for reference. Figures 1 to 4 As shown, it includes:

[0036] The drone mounting connection plate 1 is used to connect with the mounting interface screw hole reserved on the belly of the drone;

[0037] Shock absorber 2 is used to buffer radial and axial vibrations during drone flight;

[0038] The integrated main truss 3 is used to support and electrically connect the various functional modules;

[0039] The control unit housing 4 is used to encapsulate the high-voltage circuit, the low-voltage control circuit, and the internal wires.

[0040] Electrode holder 5 is used to adjust and support the elastic electrode;

[0041] The elastic electrode 6 is used to contact the insulator string and acquire zero-value signals.

[0042] The support structure is lightweight and flexible in mounting, allowing drones to quickly reach the inspection point. The adaptive contact design of the elastic electrodes significantly reduces the inspection time for a single insulator, improving overall inspection efficiency by more than ten times compared to manual methods.

[0043] The UAV mounting connection plate 1 is a double-layer composite structure with a square upper layer and an X-shaped lower layer. The four corners are staggered and reserved with through holes, which are screwed to the UAV and the shock absorber 2 respectively.

[0044] The shock absorber 2 is a ring-shaped steel wire shock absorber formed by bending multiple steel wires. It has threaded connecting blocks at both ends, and is connected to the UAV mounting connecting plate 1 at the top and the integrated main truss 3 at the bottom.

[0045] The integrated main truss 3 consists of an elliptical hollow main rod, a head docking plate, a middle slot, a tail center of gravity balancing interface, and an integrated control box upper shell cover; the main rod is equipped with partition ribs to separate high-voltage wires and improve pressure resistance; the upper shell cover of the control box is reserved with a UAV mounting connection plate and shock absorber interface, and the tail is reserved with a threaded counterweight interface and external equipment through hole;

[0046] The control host housing 4 is a snap-fit ​​box made of ultra-lightweight, high-insulation material, with three independent potting areas inside: the head high-voltage resistor potting area, the middle high-voltage circuit potting area, and the tail low-voltage control circuit installation area; the control host housing 4 is snapped and sealed to the middle and rear section of the integrated main truss 3 through through holes.

[0047] Using drones for non-contact inspection eliminates the need for personnel to climb towers, fundamentally reducing the risk of falls from heights and electric shock. Equipotential bonding and a three-chamber separation potting structure for the main unit casing ensure complete isolation between the high-voltage components and the drone itself, effectively preventing surface flashover and electromagnetic interference.

[0048] The electrode holder 5 includes:

[0049] The head elastic electrode support column connecting piece is provided with adjustable spacing limiting holes for installing the elastic electrode 6 and adapting to test samples of different specifications;

[0050] Two hollow tube crossbeams and an integrally formed skirt on the outer wall are used to increase creepage distance, uniform electric field and improve mechanical strength;

[0051] The tail direction adjustment base and connecting plate are equipped with equidistant docking and fixing holes and limiting protrusions, which are used to realize the concentric rotation and positioning of the electrode seat 5 relative to the integrated main truss 3 in the horizontal or vertical direction.

[0052] The elastic electrode 6 consists of a U-shaped phosphor bronze spring sheet and an aluminum alloy electrode support column. The phosphor bronze spring sheet is bent into a flat U-shape and embedded in a pre-set groove at the head of the Y-shaped electrode support column, and fixed with aluminum alloy rivets. The tail of the electrode support column is equipped with studs and limiting posts, which are screwed to the adjustable spacing limiting holes of the electrode seat 5. The elastic electrode provides a stable, low-resistance contact surface, reducing contact errors. The overall structure has good vibration damping and stability, and can operate stably in environments with high wind speeds, temperature and humidity changes, and complex terrain, solving the problem of blind spots in manual inspection.

[0053] Among them, the long axis of the elliptical hollow main strut of the integrated main truss 3 is parallel to the pitch axis of the UAV, so as to reduce the windward area and improve the structural rigidity.

[0054] Among them, the partition bars in the integrated main truss 3 divide the inner cavity of the main rod into at least two independent conductor channels, with high-voltage conductors and low-voltage signal lines arranged in separate cavities.

[0055] Among them, the center of gravity balancing interface in the integrated main truss 3 is a threaded rod column, which can be screwed into counterweights of different masses, and is used to achieve fine adjustment of the center of gravity of the whole machine when replacing elastic electrodes 6 or external equipment of different weights.

[0056] Among them, the skirt umbrella inside the electrode seat 5 is integrally extruded with the hollow tube crossbeam, the outer diameter of the skirt umbrella gradually increases from bottom to top, and the umbrella edge is rounded.

[0057] Among them, the upper end of the drone mounting connection plate 1 is also equipped with a stabilizing rod 7. The stabilizing rod 7 is an ultra-lightweight, highly insulated arc rod with a triangular cross section. One end is inserted into the slot of the integrated main truss 3, and the other end is screwed into the pre-drilled hole on the top of the drone to form a three-dimensional triangular stabilizing structure, which is used to suppress the swing of the support head.

[0058] The component includes a short-circuit clip and connecting wire 8. The short-circuit clip is an aluminum-magnesium alloy quick-release ring, fitted onto the base of the drone's wing rod. A wire connects the drone's carbon fiber wing rod, shock absorber 2, and elastic electrode 6 to form an equipotential body, eliminating the risk of tip discharge. The clip is fitted onto the base of the drone's carbon fiber wing rod, and the wire electrically connects it to the metal connecting block at the lower end of the dedicated shock absorber 2 and the support column of the elastic electrode 6. This ensures that the drone's main structure, shock absorber, and detection electrode are at the same potential, eliminating the risk of tip discharge caused by potential differences and protecting the drone's flight control system.

[0059] The first step is to stabilize the suspension and attitude of the entire machine.

[0060] The UAV suspends the entire support frame on its abdomen via a UAV-mounted connecting plate 1 and four evenly distributed shock absorbers 2. The multi-strand steel wire rings within the shock absorbers provide linear elasticity within a radial range of ±3 mm and an axial range of ±2 mm, absorbing propeller vibrations and gust impacts. One end of the stabilizing rod 7 is fixedly connected to the top of the UAV, while the other end is inserted into a slot in the main truss 3, forming a three-dimensional triangular structure with the top of the UAV. This significantly suppresses low-frequency swaying of the support frame's head, ensuring the elastic electrode 6 maintains stable attitude during descent and contact.

[0061] The second step is to fine-tune the center of gravity in real time:

[0062] When replacing the elastic electrodes 6 of different lengths / quantities or the external communication box, the center of gravity of the entire aircraft can be changed by screwing in / out counterweights of different masses into the center of gravity balance interface at the tail of the support, so that it is always located near the intersection of the pitch axis and roll axis of the UAV, thereby reducing the flight control load and improving the hovering accuracy in windy conditions.

[0063] The third step is high-voltage safety isolation:

[0064] The control unit housing 4 adopts a "three-chamber separation" potting structure: the head high-voltage resistor potting area, the middle high-voltage circuit potting area, and the tail low-voltage control circuit installation area are independent of each other. The high-voltage wires are routed through independent channels formed by the separating ribs and are arranged in separate chambers from the low-voltage signal lines. The skirt umbrella 521 gradually increases in outer diameter and rounds the corners to make the surface electric field intensity uniformly distributed. The creepage distance is increased by ≥2.3 times compared to a straight pipe of the same length, effectively preventing surface flashover under high humidity and high altitude conditions.

[0065] Step 4, Equipotential bonding:

[0066] The short-circuit clip and connecting wire 8 connect the UAV carbon fiber wing rod, shock absorber 2 metal connecting block, aluminum alloy electrode support column and phosphor bronze spring to the same potential, and connect to the low end of the high voltage output to eliminate the potential difference between the bracket and the UAV, and avoid electromagnetic interference from tip discharge to flight control, GNSS and data transmission links.

[0067] Step 5: Electrode elastic adaptive contact:

[0068] As the drone flies forward and brings the elastic electrode 6 close to the insulator cap, the U-shaped phosphor bronze spring initially makes line contact with the arc surface of the cap. As the drone continues to fly, the spring undergoes elastic deformation, and the opening width elastically contracts, changing from line contact to surface contact. The contact area is ≥30 mm², and the contact resistance is ≤1 mΩ. The flat U-shaped structure avoids the risk of traditional cylindrical steel wires getting stuck in the gap between the cap and the skirt. The pre-set groove at the head of the Y-shaped electrode support column provides a rigid backing for the spring, preventing excessive bending fatigue.

[0069] Step 6, Zero Value Determination Process:

[0070] After the drone is equipped with the insulator zero-value detector bracket, it takes off and flies to the vicinity of the insulator to be tested. It then aligns itself with the insulator's steel cap and flies forward, ensuring complete contact between the elastic U-shaped phosphor bronze contact piece and the cap. The drone hovers, and the high-voltage circuit inside the main control unit housing 4 applies a DC high voltage to the insulator through the elastic electrode 6; simultaneously, leakage current is sampled. If the insulator is good, the leakage current is less than the calibrated value; if the piece is zero-value, the leakage current surges to the calibrated value. The control circuit transmits the current value to the ground station in real time via the drone's data transmission link. The software automatically marks the zero-value piece number and provides an audible alert. The testing time for one piece is ≤1 second. After the test, the drone flies away, requiring no power outages and no personnel to climb the tower.

[0071] While embodiments or examples of this disclosure have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments or examples, and the scope of this utility model is not limited by these embodiments or examples, but only by the granted claims and their equivalents. Various elements in the embodiments or examples may be omitted or replaced by their equivalents. Furthermore, the steps may be performed in a different order than that described in this disclosure. Further, various elements in the embodiments or examples may be combined in various ways. Importantly, as the technology evolves, many elements described herein can be replaced by equivalents that appear after this disclosure.

Claims

1. A novel bracket for mounting an insulator zero-value detector on a drone, characterized in that, include: The UAV mounting connection plate (1) is a double-layer composite structure, and has reserved through holes for connecting to the UAV and the shock absorber (2) respectively; The upper and lower ends of the shock absorber (2) are respectively screwed to the UAV mounting connection plate (1) and the integrated main truss (3); The control host housing (4) is set on the integrated main truss (3). The control host housing (4) is internally divided into a head high voltage resistor potting area, a middle high voltage circuit potting area and a tail low voltage control circuit installation area. One end of the electrode holder (5) is rotatably connected to the end of the integrated main truss (3) and the other end is connected to the elastic electrode (6) used for contact detection insulators.

2. The bracket according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hollow main strut of the integrated main truss (3) has an elliptical cross-section, and its major axis is configured to be parallel to the pitch axis of the UAV.

3. The bracket according to claim 1, characterized in that, The integrated main truss (3) includes a hollow main rod with a partition rib inside. The partition rib divides the inner cavity of the hollow main rod into at least two independent conductor channels. High-voltage conductors and low-voltage signal lines are arranged in separate cavities, and the inner wall of the channel is sprayed with an insulating coating.

4. The bracket according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tail of the integrated main truss (3) is provided with a center of gravity balancing interface, which is a threaded rod column used to screw in the counterweight.

5. The bracket according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electrode holder (5) includes a connecting piece with adjustable spacing limiting holes, a hollow tube beam with an integrally formed skirt on the outer wall, and an adjusting base with a positioning structure.

6. The bracket according to claim 5, characterized in that, The skirt of the electrode seat (5) is integrally formed with the hollow tube beam, and the outer diameter of the skirt gradually increases in the direction away from the integrated main truss (3). The elastic electrode (6) includes a U-shaped spring sheet and an electrode support column. The tail of the electrode support column is connected to the adjustable spacing limiting hole of the electrode seat (5).

7. The bracket according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support also includes a stabilizer bar (7), one end of which is connected to the integrated main truss (3), and the other end is used to connect to the top of the drone.

8. The bracket according to claim 7, characterized in that, The stabilizer bar (7) is an arc-shaped bar with a triangular cross-section. One end is inserted into the slot of the integrated main truss (3), and the other end is screwed into the reserved hole on the top of the UAV.

9. The bracket according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bracket also includes a shorting clip and a connecting wire (8). The shorting clip is used to be fitted onto the drone wing rod and the connecting wire electrically connects the drone wing rod, the shock absorber (2) and the elastic electrode (6).

10. The stent according to claim 1, characterized in that, The UAV mounting connection plate (1) is a double-layer composite structure with an upper square and a lower X-shaped structure. The four corners are staggered and reserved with through holes. The bolts pass through the upper through holes and are screwed to the UAV. The bolts pass through the lower through holes and are screwed to the shock absorber (2).

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