Robotic device for coating and / or pre-treating overhead transmission or distribution line conductors

Abstract

A robotic device 300 for applying coatings and / or treatments to overhead transmission or distribution lines includes a pair of wheels 302, 304 configured to travel along the conductors of the wires. A pair of applicators 322, 323 for applying coatings or pretreatments to the wires are provided at the front and rear ends of the device 300. The wheels 302, 304 are mounted on the top bar 312 of a T-shaped connector 315 of the housing. The connector 315 includes a stem 314 that suspends the body 350 of the device 300 below the wheels. First and second tanks for storing fluids used in the pretreatment or coating process are located within first and second sections 354, 356 of the body 350. The fluid is supplied from the tanks to the applicators 322, 323 via a pump and through fluid conduits located inside the hollow interior of the connector 315.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a robotic device configured to pre-treat and / or coat overhead power transmission lines or distribution lines, an overhead power transmission line or distribution line system, a method configured to coat overhead power transmission lines or distribution lines by coating, and a retrofitting coating system.

[0002] The present specification describes methods, systems, and devices for in-situ coating of overhead power transmission and distribution conductors using robotic crawlers capable of passing mid-span obstacles.

Background Art

[0003] Overlapping global trends have created an increasing need to enhance power transmission and distribution capacity. Such trends include electrification, the development of renewable energy generation, and population growth. Global power generation is projected to increase from 25 trillion to 45 trillion kWh between 2020 and 2050 (US EIA, 2020). Currently, mechanisms to increase transmission and distribution capacity involve reconductoring overhead lines or constructing new transmission and distribution lines. These approaches involve large-scale construction work, right-of-way disputes / social acceptance issues, long project lead times, and require substantial capital investment. Therefore, to meet the growing demand for electricity, there is a need for cost-effective methods to increase power transmission and distribution capacity.

[0004] A new solution has emerged for enhancing the capabilities of overhead transmission and distribution (T+D) conductors: optical wavelength selective coatings. These coatings enhance the capabilities of overhead transmission and distribution conductors by optimizing the surface to achieve maximum passive radiative cooling, with maximum solar reflectance (approximately 0.8) and maximum thermal emissivity (approximately 0.9). This reduction in passive temperature of overhead transmission and distribution lines results in higher current capacity per unit area or lower power loss per unit operating current. Such coatings have been demonstrated to increase transmission capacity by up to 30% or reduce transmission losses by up to 15%.

[0005] Examples of such coatings are described in Patent Documents 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

[0006] Applying performance-enhancing coatings directly to overhead transmission and distribution conductors on-site represents an opportunity for network operators to improve the quality of transmission and distribution assets without changing conductors or constructing new lines. Such novel technologies eliminate the need for large-scale construction, long project lead times, and significantly reduce costs.

[0007] As will be disclosed in more detail below, various embodiments of the present invention disclose a technology that can connect to an overhead line, move along an overhead line, pre-treat an overhead line, and / or coat an overhead line.

[0008] Various coating robots are known.

[0009] It is desirable to provide robotic devices capable of obstacle navigation. Power transmission and distribution lines consist of various obstacles, including spacers, spacer dampers, suspension clamps, vibration dampers, and suspension towers. Any scalable and productive power transmission line coating robot should be able to effectively avoid at least some of these obstacles, so that the prior removal of these obstacles is not a condition for the work.

[0010] Furthermore, the problem of conductor bundling must be addressed. Each phase of a transmission or distribution line can exist as a bundle containing two, three, four, or more conductors. The geometric shape of these bundles can vary depending on the number of conductors in the phase. Ideally, a transmission line coating robot should be able to coat multiple conductors (sometimes referred to herein as “sub-conductors”) of a bundle in a single pass for all conductor configurations.

[0011] According to various embodiments of the present invention, a robotic device is disclosed that has a field overhead transmission line or distribution line pretreatment and / or coating function and / or obstacle navigation function and / or function for pretreatment and / or coating of a plurality of conductors per phase.

[0012] Known devices can be classified into two broad categories: (i) power line inspection robots and (ii) power line coating robots.

[0013] Power line inspection robot Various types of power line inspection robots are known. Power line inspection is a routine part of maintenance, and signs of damage and deterioration are inspected, reported, and maintained as needed.

[0014] Power line inspections can be carried out by people walking along the lines, but this is inherently dangerous and requires a large workforce. Alternatively, conductors can be inspected from the air using helicopters. However, this incurs substantial financial costs, and it will be understood that the work requires specialized personnel. To reduce the costs associated with using helicopters, drones have also emerged as a means of power line inspection. However, these are limited by adverse weather conditions and have limitations, such as a more restricted ability to place sensors directly on the lines to measure corrosion levels using eddy current sensors.

[0015] The power line inspection robot is designed to provide a solution to the aforementioned problems. A critical requirement for maintaining productivity is the navigation of obstacles within the power lines.

[0016] For example, Patent Document 6 discloses a power line inspection robot equipped with independent end effectors that can sequentially remove and thus avoid obstacles. Patent Document 7 discloses a robotic system for overhead power line inspection and maintenance, which comprises several drive arms having the same structure, the drive arms suspended on bundled conductors via drive wheels, and the system can overcome obstacles due to its multiple arms. "The present invention allows for relatively simple path plotting when overcoming obstacles, has good operability, and does not require manual control of the device during the obstacle overcoming process."

[0017] Patent document 8 discloses a similar design having four mounting points above two conductors. "Obstacle crossing inspection can be completed by sequentially controlling the lifting and movement of the mechanical foot when encountering obstacles such as vibration-damping hammers, spacer rods, and pole tower cross arms, thereby solving the aforementioned problems in the background art."

[0018] Similarly, Patent Documents 9 and 10 disclose a design in which obstacles on power lines can be overcome by a mixed use of UAVs and line crawlers, i.e., a design in which the crawler separates and becomes a UAV when it reaches an obstacle. Other configurations relating to obstacle crossing designs are disclosed in Patent Documents 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25. Importantly, all of the above disclosures relate to the ability to pre-treat or coat.

[0019] Patent document 26 discloses a transmission line inspection robot for inspecting for damage or corrosion. Patent documents 27 and 28 disclose robots for overhead transmission lines for mechanically removing ice adhering to transmission lines. Patent documents 29 and 30 disclose robots for inspecting transmission line components and laying conditions. None of the disclosed configurations disclose apparatus for pre-treatment or coating of conductors.

[0020] In a broader related field, Patent Document 31 discloses a device for assisting in winding a power line robot onto a power line. Patent Document 32 discloses an overhead line patrol inspection robot pole tower permanent charging station. It is noted that "currently, technologies for charging inspection robots are mainly classified into two categories: one in which the robot itself holds the charging device, and another in which the robot has its battery charged by an external device," each of which has problems due to increased weight or reduced mobility. It discloses a configuration with an overhead line charging station that enables long-term inspection and "permanent" operation on the power line. Similarly, Patent Document 33 discloses an automatic charging system for a power line patrol robot. This system automatically charges the patrol robot, reducing the frequency of charging the robot or avoiding stopping the robot, thereby improving patrol efficiency.

[0021] Some known inspection robots include mechanisms for obstacle navigation, but none of the known inspection robots include any overhead power transmission and distribution line pre-treatment or coating functions.

[0022] Known power line coating robots Patent document 34 discloses an aerial cable treatment system having a cable surface treatment assembly and a coating assembly for applying a wavelength-selective coating to an aerial conductor. With respect to high-voltage transmission lines, it is disclosed that "the aerial cable treatment system can be attached to a power line and run across the power line between two adjacent towers or across another suitable span, and the power line can be cleaned and / or coated as it travels." Key components of this design include cable cleaning, coating application, optical guidance, onboard control and motorized systems for propulsion. The components of the system are contained in a single enclosed housing unit, and the conductor extends through the interior of the housing unit during coating or cleaning. The conductor is located between an upper set and a lower set of wheels arranged within the housing unit. Therefore, it does not provide the ability to pass through obstacles.

[0023] Cable pretreatment solutions include "mechanisms that prepare, clean, de-ic, or otherwise mechanically interact with overhead cables, such as brushes, bristle, scrubbers, scrapers, sandpaper, emery paper, sanding paper, rollers, etc."

[0024] The cable pretreatment system can provide an air supply system that forms a 360° air wipe to remove recently generated debris. The pretreatment system also has an optical guidance system that can determine whether the pretreatment is sufficient and return to areas where the cleanliness is insufficient.

[0025] A cable coating assembly is also described. This includes a nozzle that communicates with a fluid storage tank via a liquid supply system forming a pump. The storage tank is disclosed as a disposable unit that can be refilled or replaced. A "drop coating applicator assembly" connected to an air compressor is described to "evenly distribute the drip coating material around the cable." The air wipe ensures that the material penetrates all grooves in the conductor. Similar to the pretreatment system, an optical guidance system records the application of the coating and determines whether the application is sufficient. If not, the device recoats the wire. A spray gun linked to a compressor is also disclosed. This system is described as a multi-carriage system in which the first and second carriages can cross the wire together or separately.

[0026] Patent Document 35 also discloses an automated paint spray robot for applying an insulating coating to overhead power lines. This is due to the need to insulate previously constructed power lines that lack insulation, and such power lines pose a safety risk due to increased pollution / population in the surrounding area. "It consists of several modular structures, which comprise a mobile body, a power module, an aircraft-mounted control system, an agitation module, a spray module, and a hold-down gag." The coating application module includes two spray heads "at 180° relative to the point-connected structure." The pump used is a plunger positive displacement pump, which appears to be connected to an eccentric wheel drive mechanism, which simultaneously agitates the paint and moves it into a liquid transfer pipeline.

[0027] Patent Document 36 and Patent Document 37 also disclose an overhead conductor spraying robot. Similar to Patent Document 38, this is derived from the need to retroactively insulate overhead electric wires for safety. Patent Document 39 discloses a housing, in which "a lead wire fixing device is arranged on a shell, and is used for fixedly connecting an overhead lead wire spraying machine to an overhead lead wire and guiding the walking of the overhead lead wire spraying robot", and an "adhesive gun" is arranged on the shell and is used for "coating paste on an overhead conductor". The paste is applied through an adhesive extrusion unit.

[0028] Patent Document 40 also discloses an automatic spraying robot for overhead power transmission lines, which is aimed at spraying insulating agents.

[0029] Patent Document 41 discloses an overhead power transmission line cleaning robot. The robot comprises a movable trolley, a power supply module, a cleaning motor, a servo driver, a compression device and a cleaning device. It is stated as follows: "The overhead power transmission line cleaning robot can be used independently, and can also be used in cooperation with a spraying robot". "The above cleaning motor comprises a connected high-pressure sprayer motor and a membrane pump, the inlet of the membrane pump is connected to the cleaning agent bucket of the cleaning device, and the membrane pump is a pump for drawing in the cleaning agent from the cleaning agent bucket that is fed to the cleaning head of the cleaning device". The cleaning agent schematically described is dimethylbenzene.

[0030] The above-mentioned Patent Document 34, Patent Document 35, Patent Document 36, Patent Document 37, Patent Document 38, Patent Document 39, Patent Document 40, and Patent Document 41 disclose configurations in which coating application or a conductor cleaning mechanism is integrated with a base robot platform.

[0031] However, importantly, none of the configurations disclosed above disclose the ability to move while avoiding obstacles or coat a plurality of conductors in a single pass. This is because these configurations generally use a "shell"-type design having an annular ring that seals around the conductor.

[0032] Each transmission phase may have a single conductor or a bundle of conductors, such as two, three, four, or more conductors. Transmission phases are usually bundled together. Therefore, there may be one, two, three, or four or more conductors per phase. Refer to the configurations shown in Figures 1A to 1F.

[0033] In addition, power transmission lines have multiple obstacles along them. These include spacers, dampers, and suspension towers. Therefore, in the art, there remain problems to be solved for power transmission robots that can pre-process and coat overhead transmission and distribution conductors, preferably with a multi-conductor configuration, so that they can pass through obstacles within the power lines.

[0034] Patent document 42 specifically discloses a live-line coating robot for power lines for de-icing applications. This robot consists of a robot body, a control system, a power supply system, and a finishing system. The finishing system "includes an application brush assembly and holds a material pound, a gasoline engine, and a liquid pump." "The application brush assembly is around a clamp-on structure and includes a nozzle with three 120° spaces. The filling holes of the nozzles are connected to the gasoline engine by a supply pipe, and the gasoline engine anticipates the holding of the connected pound." Furthermore, "the live-line coating robot for de-icing coating of power lines may include step cover barriers such as spacers." While this discloses the concept of obstacle navigation, it does not provide an outline of detailed mechanisms for coating application or extension / contraction of the coating applicator / pretreatment module. Furthermore, pretreatment (cleaning / surface treatment) capabilities are not disclosed.

[0035] Patent document 43 discloses an overhead power line de-icing robot. These disclose "a sliding groove convenient for an obstacle crossing travel mechanism and a de-icing structure," and "the present invention includes an anti-icing coating application device disposed on an obstacle walking mechanism to apply an anti-icing coating to an outdoor overhead power line to prevent the power line from refreezing." "To ensure the application effect of the anti-icing coating, the anti-icing coating application device is a rotating nozzle or a swing nozzle, and the nozzle (SiC) is facing the power line."

[0036] This document does not describe the functionality of coating multiple conductors, nor does it discuss the pretreatment mechanism. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0037] [Patent Document 1] WO2020 / 053559 [Patent Document 2] WO2021 / 105673 [Patent Document 3] WO2021 / 152311 [Patent Document 4] WO2021 / 181076 [Patent Document 5] WO2022 / 003096 [Patent Document 6] EP-2882575 [Patent Document 7] WO2014 / 086087 [Patent Document 8] CN-212648942U [Patent Document 9] CN-106887807 [Patent Document 10] CN-109638718 [Patent Document 11] CN-112003185 [Patent Document 12] CN-208923721U [Patent Document 13] CN-212676775U

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[0038] This invention According to one aspect of the present invention, a robotic device is provided configured to pre-treat and / or coat overhead power lines or distribution lines, the robotic device comprising a pre-treatment module and / or a coating application module, and the robotic device further comprising an obstacle avoidance module.

[0039] The robotic device may comprise only one of a pretreatment module and a coating module, or it may comprise both a pretreatment module and a coating module. Preferably, at least a coating module is provided. If the robotic device comprises only one of a pretreatment module and a coating module, the robotic device according to the present invention, which comprises a pretreatment module, may travel along a wire to which pretreatment is to be applied to a wire having another robotic device according to the present invention, which comprises a coating module, and then travel along the aforementioned wire to coat the wire. If the robotic device comprises both a pretreatment module and a coating module, the robotic device may travel along a wire to perform both pretreatment and subsequent coating on the wire, i.e., in a single pass, or the robotic device may pass along the wire to perform pretreatment first, and then travel along the wire again to coat the wire.

[0040] An overhead transmission line or distribution line, as referred to herein and configured in any aspect or embodiment of the present invention to be pre-treated and / or coated by a robotic device of the present invention, comprises one or more sets of conductors. The one or more sets of conductors may be a single conductor or may comprise a bundle of conductors, i.e., a plurality of conductors.

[0041] A bundle of conductors may contain two, three, four, or more conductors, such as two to four conductors. For example, a bundle may contain two, three, four, or six conductors, or more. A bundle may contain at least two, at least three, or at least four conductors. Exemplary bundle configurations include two, three, four, or six bundles of conductors. A bundle refers to a grouped set of multiple conductors in an overhead transmission or distribution line. A set of conductors, for example, a bundle of conductors, may be associated with a given phase of a transmission or distribution line. A line may contain one or more conductors, for example, multiple such sets of bundles of conductors. In relation to each phase of a transmission or distribution line, one or more sets of conductors, optionally, multiple bundles of conductors may be provided.

[0042] If conductors are present within each bundle, they may be parallel to one another. The positions of the conductors within the bundle are maintained relative to each other by features such as spacers. These result in midspan obstacles that must be passed through, as discussed herein.

[0043] Overhead transmission or distribution lines may be single-circuit lines or double-circuit lines. Each circuit may have three phases. Each phase, for example, an arm of a transmission or distribution line, may have one or more sets of conductors, for example, a bundle of multiple conductors.

[0044] As described below, the present invention extends to overhead transmission or distribution line systems comprising overhead transmission or distribution lines and robotic devices according to aspects or embodiments of the present invention. The robotic devices may cooperate with the overhead transmission or distribution lines in any of the methods described herein, for example, by being attached to the overhead transmission or distribution lines. The power lines may be power lines according to any of the embodiments described.

[0045] According to any aspect or embodiment of the present invention, pretreatment and / or coating are applied to one or more conductors in a set of one or more conductors of an electric wire.

[0046] Depending on the specific conditions and / or characteristics given to the wire, a range of different types of pretreatment or coating may be applied. It should be understood that the application of pretreatment may or may not include applying a material to the wire. The application of pretreatment may include, for example, polishing the conductor of the wire, or other processes that do not necessarily involve applying a material to the wire. Therefore, an applicator for pretreatment may not necessarily apply a material to the wire, and may be configured to apply a treatment such as polishing to the wire.

[0047] Preferably, the pre-treatment module is configured to clean at least a portion of an overhead transmission line or distribution line, for example, by cleaning one or more conductors in one or more sets of conductors in a power line.

[0048] Preferably, the pre-processing module is configured to prepare at least a portion of the surface of an overhead transmission or distribution line, for example, to prepare the surface of one or more conductors in a set of one or more conductors of a power line.

[0049] Preferably, the pretreatment module comprises a mechanical polishing system and / or a chemical treatment system. The pretreatment module may be configured to mechanically polish and / or chemically treat one or more conductors in one or more sets of conductors of an electric wire.

[0050] A robotic device may comprise one or more applicators for performing pretreatment and / or coating operations. Each applicator may be configured to engage with one conductor in a set of one or more conductors of a wire and apply pretreatment or coating to that conductor. The pretreatment and / or coating function may be provided using a suitable end effector of the robotic device. Thus, each applicator for performing pretreatment and / or coating operations may be an end effector of the robotic device. This specification discusses various optional features of the applicators. Each of the one or more applicators may be in one of the configurations described. Additional applicators with different configurations may or may not be provided for each.

[0051] Applicators, such as end effectors, may optionally form part of a coating module and / or a pretreatment module. Applicators for performing pretreatment may form part of a pretreatment module, and applicators for performing coating may form part of a coating module. Regardless of whether a coating module or / or a pretreatment module is present, one or more sets of applicators may be provided.

[0052] Therefore, a robotic device may include one or more sets of applicators for performing pre-treatment operations and / or one or more sets of applicators for performing coating operations. If one or more sets of conductors in a wire comprise multiple conductors, i.e., a bundle, providing multiple applicators for pre-treatment and / or multiple applicators for cleaning allows each different applicator to engage with each different conductor in the set, i.e., the bundle, making it possible to pre-treat and / or coat multiple conductors in the set, i.e., the bundle, in a single pass. Thus, a device may include multiple sets of applicators for performing pre-treatment and / or multiple sets of applicators for performing coating operations, and when a wire comprises multiple sets of conductors (i.e., a bundle of conductors), each of the sets of applicators may have a different applicator that engages with each different conductor in the set of conductors, making it possible to pre-treat and / or coat multiple conductors in the set of multiple conductors in a single pass.

[0053] Alternatively, or additionally, it will be understood that multiple applicators may be provided, which may be engaged with the same conductor in one or more sets of conductors (regardless of whether the set includes multiple conductors, e.g., a bundle), to perform, for example, different types of pretreatment and / or coating on each conductor, or to apply the pretreatment and / or coating more completely.

[0054] The applicator for the coating or pretreatment module should be of the appropriate type for applying the intended coating or pretreatment and should be in an appropriate location for performing the coating or pretreatment. Illustrative locations for the applicator for coating or pretreatment are described below.

[0055] If the robotic device includes a pre-treatment module, the applicator may comprise a set of one or more applicators configured to apply pre-treatment in the form of one or more surface treatments, cleanings, mechanical polishings, and chemical treatments to one or more conductors in a set of one or more conductors of a wire. For example, an applicator for applying mechanical polishing, such as an end effector, may comprise a brush for polishing the wire. Different applicators may be provided for mechanical polishing and chemical treatments, respectively.

[0056] Each applicator in a coating module may be configured to coat a conductor by applying a fluid to the respective conductor of the applicator.

[0057] At least some of one or more applicators, and optionally each applicator, may be configured to pre-treat or coat conductors (as appropriate) by applying a fluid to each conductor of the applicator by a contact-based method. Preferably, if a coating module is provided, each applicator for coating is configured to coat conductors by applying a fluid to each conductor of the applicator by a contact-based method. Each applicator configured to coat or pre-treat conductors by applying a fluid to a conductor (regardless of whether it is an applicator of a pre-treatment module or an applicator of a coating module) is preferably configured to coat or pre-treat conductors in this manner, for example, each applicator of a coating module is preferably configured to coat conductors in this manner. Contact-based methods may be selected from brushing, rolling, dip coating, fluid jet, flow coating, fluid deposition and processing, electrostatic painting, slot die coating (and equivalent conventions), annular die coating, extrusion, and combinations thereof. Such methods have been shown to offer better control over pretreatment or coating processes compared, for example, spraying materials onto a conductor.

[0058] A pre-processing module may be configured to pre-process one or more conductors in a set of one or more conductors of an overhead transmission or distribution line, for example in one pass, and optionally, the set of one or more conductors may comprise multiple conductors, and the pre-processing application module may be configured to pre-process multiple conductors in a set of conductors of a power line, for example in one pass. In some embodiments, the pre-processing module may be configured to pre-process each conductor in a set of one or more conductors of an overhead transmission or distribution line in a single pass.

[0059] A coating module may be configured to coat one or more conductors in a set of one or more conductors of an overhead transmission or distribution line, for example, in a single pass, and optionally, the set of one or more conductors of the line comprises multiple conductors, and the coating module is configured to coat multiple conductors in the set of conductors of the line, for example, in a single pass. In some embodiments, the coating module may be configured to coat each conductor present in a set of one or more conductors of an overhead transmission or distribution line in a single pass.

[0060] The ability to pre-treat and / or coat multiple conductors (for example, in a set of conductors in a wire) in a single pass can be achieved by providing multiple applicators for performing each of the pre-treat and / or coating operations, each different applicator configured to engage with each different conductor of the multiple conductors (in a set of conductors) in the wire and apply the pre-treat or coating to the conductor. For example, at least one applicator may be provided for each conductor of the multiple conductors (or each individual conductor) in a set of conductors in a wire. A single applicator may be provided for each conductor, or multiple applicators may be provided for a given conductor to impart different types of pre-treat or coating to it.

[0061] Generally, a pretreatment module may be configured to pretreatment (e.g., clean) one or more conductors of an overhead transmission or distribution line, for example, in a single pass. Optionally, the line may have multiple conductors, and the pretreatment coating module may be configured to pretreatment (e.g., clean) multiple conductors of the line, for example, in a single pass. In some embodiments, the pretreatment module may be configured to pretreatment (e.g., clean) each of the one or more conductors present in the overhead transmission or distribution line in a single pass.

[0062] A coating module may be configured to coat one or more conductors of an overhead transmission or distribution line, for example, in a single pass, and optionally the line may have multiple conductors, and the coating module may be configured to coat multiple conductors of the line, for example, in a single pass. In some embodiments, the coating module may be configured to pre-treat (e.g., wash) each of the one or more conductors present in the overhead transmission or distribution line in a single pass.

[0063] According to any embodiment of the present invention, each of one or more applicators for performing a pretreatment and / or coating operation is preferably configured to engage with one conductor in a set of one or more conductors of a wire to apply the pretreatment or coating to the conductor. The applicator engages around each conductor. As discussed above, each different applicator may engage with each different part of the same conductor, and each may engage with a different conductor if there are multiple conductors in a set of one or more conductors.

[0064] If a pretreatment module (e.g., a set of one or more applicators for pretreatment) is present, it may be configured to provide full-circumferential pretreatment on the conductor to be pretreated. If a coating module (e.g., a set of one or more applicators for coating) is present, it may be configured to provide full-circumferential coating on the conductor to be coated. Full-circumferential pretreatment or coating may be provided using any preferred configuration.

[0065] The following (sometimes referred to as “Applicator”) applies to at least one, some, or each of one or more applicators for performing pretreatment and / or coating operations. As stated above, additional applicators may or may not be present, and for example, each present application may optionally have the same configuration as the embodiments defined herein.

[0066] The applicator is configured to surround the conductor in a circumferential direction when engaged around the conductor to apply a coating or pretreatment to the conductor. At least one of one or more applicators, or preferably each applicator, may be configured in this way.

[0067] Preferably, the applicator is configured to surround the conductor around its entire circumference when engaged with the conductor to apply a coating or pretreatment to the conductor.

[0068] The applicator may define an annular shape when engaged around a conductor to apply a coating or pretreatment to the conductor, and define a central bore for receiving the conductor. If the applicator is movable between a closed configuration and an open configuration, as discussed below, the configuration discussed in this paragraph applies to the closed configuration in which the applicator engages around a conductor to apply a coating or pretreatment to the conductor. At least one applicator (preferably, if a coating application module is present, at least each of one or more applicators of the coating application module) is configured as described in this paragraph.

[0069] An applicator engages around a conductor to apply a pretreatment or coating, and contacts the conductor when engaged, for example, along the entire circumference of the conductor. Each existing applicator may be configured in this way.

[0070] An applicator may be configured to transition between a closed configuration for engaging with the conductor of a wire to apply a pretreatment or coating to the conductor and an open configuration for disengaging from the conductor. In the open configuration, the applicator is disengaged from the conductor, i.e., the applicator does not come into contact with the conductor. The transition to the open configuration for disengaging from the conductor itself may enable passing through (i.e., going through) a particular obstacle, or (as done in a particular preferred embodiment discussed herein) enable retracting the applicator from the conductor to pass through (i.e., go through) an obstacle. In the closed configuration, the applicator may extend over the entire circumference around the axis of the bore, and therefore around the axis of the conductor when it is disposed within the bore. If the device includes a coating application module, preferably, at least each applicator in a set of one or more applicators configured to apply a coating is configured to transition between an open configuration and a closed configuration in one of the methods described. More generally, each applicator among one or more applicators of a pretreatment module or coating application module may be configured to transition between an engagement configuration, e.g., a closed configuration, for engaging with the conductor of a wire to apply pretreatment or coating to the conductor, and an engagement configuration, e.g., an open configuration, for disengaging from the conductor. The applicator contacts the conductor in the engagement configuration, e.g., the closed configuration, and does not contact the applicator in the engagement configuration, e.g., the open configuration.

[0071] The applicator may be positioned in a location corresponding to the “installation” position discussed below when it is in an open configuration ready to be retracted from the conductor in embodiments where retraction from the conductor is performed. The applicator is configured to transition from a closed configuration to an open configuration in either direction as needed during use. Thus, the applicator may transition from a closed configuration to an open configuration for disengaging from the conductor, for example, to pass an obstacle, and then transition from an open configuration to a closed configuration to engage or reengage around the conductor to apply a coating or pretreatment to the conductor.

[0072] The applicator may comprise first and second components that are movable relative to each other and transition the applicator between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The first and second components may be connected to each other in any preferred manner so that the components can move toward each other to transition the applicator between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The applicator may comprise additional components or may consist of the first and second components. The first and second components are preferably configured to define an annular shape when the applicator is in a closed configuration having a central bore for receiving a conductor.

[0073] In some preferred embodiments, the applicator comprises first and second parts connected to each other at a hinge, the first and second parts being rotatable relative to each other around the hinge, and transitioning the applicator between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The hinge extends longitudinally. The first and second parts are configured to define an annular shape having a central bore for receiving a conductor when the applicator is in the closed configuration. This is sometimes referred to as a “shell” structure. The first and second parts may be connected to each other directly or indirectly at the hinge. The first and second parts may comprise a first end joined to each other at the hinge and a free end on the opposite side, the free ends engaging with each other when the applicator is in the closed configuration and separating from each other when the applicator is in the open configuration.

[0074] An applicator may be configured to transition from a closed configuration to an open configuration for disengaging from a conductor under the control of an obstacle avoidance module. The obstacle avoidance module may be operable to transition the applicator to the open configuration for disengaging from a conductor. If the device comprises a plurality of applicators configured to transition between open and closed configurations, the applicators are preferably selectively and independently transitionable between open and closed configurations. Applicators are selectively and independently transitionable between open and closed configurations as needed to pass through (i.e., go past) obstacles during use. An obstacle avoidance module may, during use, initiate a transition of a given applicator from a closed configuration to an open configuration or vice versa as needed to pass through an encountered obstacle.

[0075] "Selectively and independently" means that each applicator can independently transition between open and closed configurations in either direction as needed, without requiring a corresponding transition between open and closed configurations of any of the other applicators present. Thus, one applicator may transition to an open configuration, disengaging from its conductor and passing through an obstacle, while another applicator remains engaged with its conductor and continues to apply pretreatment and / or coating to it. Of course, it may be desirable, at an optional choice, for multiple applicators to transition simultaneously in the same manner.

[0076] Transitioning the applicator between an open and closed configuration can be achieved using any suitable operating mechanism. In some embodiments, an actuator is provided associated with each applicator, configured to transition between the open and closed configurations. The actuator can transition the applicator between the open and closed configurations under the control of an obstacle avoidance module. Each actuator is preferably independently controllable to transition its applicator between the open and closed configurations.

[0077] Preferably, the applicator is selectively retractable from the conductor it engages with to apply pretreatment or coating, in order to pass through obstacles during use. Each applicator in one or more applicators (for example, each applicator in a set of one or more applicators in a pretreatment module and each applicator in a set of one or more applicators in a coating module, as shown) may be selectively retractable in this way. Transitioning the applicator to an open configuration in which it is no longer engaged with the conductor may be sufficient for the applicator to pass through certain types of obstacles (e.g., smaller midspan obstacles that do not extend far from the wire in the lateral direction), but the ability to retract the applicator from its conductor allows it to pass through a wider range of obstacles. For example, this may allow it to pass through midspan obstacles such as spacers and dampers, and also through other obstacles such as suspension insulators that effectively form a T-junction with the conductor.

[0078] An applicator, for example, an end effector, may be retractable from an installation position close to a conductor to which it engages for applying a coating and / or pretreatment to the end effector, to a retracted position where the end effector is located away from the conductor. The applicator is disengaged from the conductor at the installation position. The installation position may correspond to the position of the applicator when it is in the open configuration described above, where it is disengaged from the conductor, or to any other position where it is disengaged from the conductor (for example, a position where the applicator is not configured to transition between an open configuration and a closed configuration). Preferably, the applicator is configured to transition from an engagement configuration, for example a closed configuration, for engaging around a conductor of a wire to apply a pretreatment or coating, to a disengagement configuration, for example an open configuration, where the applicator in the disengagement configuration, for example an open configuration, is positioned at the installation position and (additionally) is configured to be retractable from the installation position to a retracted position where the applicator is located away from the conductor. Similarly, in order to re-engage with the conductor, the applicator may move from a retracted position to an installed position around the conductor, and then transition to an engagement configuration for engaging with the conductor, such as a closed configuration.

[0079] The applicator's retraction does not simply involve deforming the applicator from an engaged configuration to an unengaged configuration, or from a closed configuration to an open configuration (for example, involving only rotational movement between the applicator's components), as can occur when the shell-shaped configuration exemplified above opens, and the applicator remains circumferentially positioned around the conductor. Retraction moves the applicator away from the conductor, allowing it to pass through obstacles. Retraction is the applicator's retraction to a position where it is no longer circumferentially positioned around the conductor, rather than, for example, positioned alongside the conductor. The applicator is no longer positioned around the conductor's axis, i.e., it is no longer concentric with respect to the conductor's axis.

[0080] The applicator defines a central cavity, such as a bore, for receiving a conductor when in a closed configuration for engaging around the conductor. The applicator may define a central axis extending through the bore in the direction in which the conductor extends when it is positioned in the cavity, such as the bore. The applicator surrounds the axis in the circumferential direction. Retraction of the applicator involves movement of the central axis of the applicator. The central axis of the internal cavity of the applicator for receiving the conductor may move to a position parallel to and separated from the position of the conductor when the applicator engages around the conductor.

[0081] However, the applicator is configured to move from a position surrounding the conductor in the circumferential direction to a position where it no longer surrounds the conductor in the circumferential direction when the applicator is retracted.

[0082] In embodiments where the applicator comprises first and second components connected to each other along a hinge, retraction of the applicator involves movement of the hinge. The hinge is separated from the conductor in the retracted position. The longitudinal axis of the hinge may be located along a first wire when the applicator is in its open configuration (installation position), and may be located along a second wire separated from the first wire when the applicator is in its retracted position. Movement of the applicator may involve movement of the hinge axis from the plane in which the applicator is located in the open configuration (installation position) to a different plane.

[0083] Evacuation may involve rotational motion and / or linear motion. Evacuation includes at least a linear motion component.

[0084] A robotic device defines a longitudinal direction in the direction of the power line and a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The device defines a height direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal and transverse directions. The transverse and height directions may extend horizontally and vertically when the device is installed on the power line during use. Retraction has at least a transverse component that moves the applicator to the side of the conductor. This usually allows passage of obstacles that extend vertically above the conductor. Retraction may also include a height component. Thus, the retracted position of the applicator is located to the side and, optionally, above the non-retracted position of the applicator (e.g., the applicator's installation position). Rotation involves lateral movement and, if one or more sets of conductors are a bundle of multiple conductors, usually moves away from the longitudinal centerline of the bundle. The entire applicator, e.g., the end effector, retracts from the conductor.

[0085] The applicator is preferably able to retract to different positions depending on the size and / or location of the obstacle being traversed. This can improve flexibility when crossing a wider range of obstacles.

[0086] If retractable, the applicator can selectively retract from the conductor it engages with under the control of the obstacle avoidance module.

[0087] The obstacle avoidance module is preferably operable in use to retract the applicator from the conductor to pass through an obstacle. The obstacle avoidance module is preferably operable so that each of the one or more applicators present can be retracted as described above. The obstacle avoidance module may be operable in use to transition the applicator from its engaged configuration, e.g., closed configuration, to its disengaged configuration, e.g., open configuration, to disengage the applicator from the conductor and place it in a mounting position, and then retract it from the conductor to pass through an obstacle. Similarly, to re-engage with the wire, the obstacle avoidance module may move the applicator from the retracted position to a mounting position around the conductor, and then transition it to an engaged configuration for engaging around the conductor, e.g., a closed configuration.

[0088] Using any suitable retraction mechanism, the applicator may be made retractable as described. At least one applicator may be mounted or coupled to the housing in one of the following ways to enable retraction. The ability to retract the applicator is provided by suitably coupling the applicator to the housing of the robotic device. This coupling may allow the applicator to move relative to the housing of the device. Such a coupling is sometimes called a dynamic coupling. This is in contrast to a fixed coupling in which the applicator is coupled to a fixed position relative to the housing. This coupling may include parts that are movable relative to each other to enable the retraction of the applicator when in use. One of the parts of the (dynamic) coupling may be an arm, and the applicator is mounted on the arm. The movable parts of the coupling may be configured to slide or rotate relative to each other. For example, the coupling may include a rotary joint, a swing arm, a linear joint, or a four-bar linkage mechanism. Depending on the range and / or type of movement to be provided to the applicator, couplings of varying complexity and including varying numbers of components and / or joints may be used.

[0089] Therefore, at least one of one or more applicators, and optionally each applicator, may be coupled to the housing of the robotic device by a coupling that allows the applicator to retract from the conductor during use, for example, each applicator may be coupled to the housing of the robotic device by a coupling that allows the applicator to move relative to the housing of the device to retract from the conductor during use, for example, the coupling comprises parts that are movable relative to each other during use to allow the applicators to retract, and optionally the coupling comprises a rotary joint, a swing arm, a linear joint, or a four-bar linkage mechanism.

[0090] In some embodiments, the applicator is mounted to the housing by a serial manipulator or, preferably, a robotic arm such as a multi-axis robotic arm.

[0091] The robotic arms referred to herein include multiple links connected by multiple joints. The multi-axis robotic arms referred to herein may have at least two or three axes, optionally at least four axes, or preferably at least six axes. Preferably, the robotic arm is a multi-axis robotic arm having at least six axes, for example, a six-axis robotic arm.

[0092] At least several applicators, and optionally each applicator, can be mounted in this manner. The robotic arm is a manipulator for selectively retracting the applicator from the conductor when in use. The applicator is mounted at the distal end of the arm, and the proximal end of the arm is connected to the housing of the robotic device. The robotic arm may be a serial manipulator. This allows the applicator to be easily retracted from the wire as needed to pass through obstacles. A robotic arm, especially a multi-axis robotic arm, can provide flexibility in how the applicator can be retracted, for example, where the applicator can move to pass through a particular obstacle. This allows for retraction over longer distances, e.g., several meters or more, to avoid obstacles. Such a configuration can also allow the same applicator to engage with different conductors in each of a set of multiple conductors in a wire, thereby pre-treating and / or coating different conductors in each set. For example, if the applicator is mounted on a robotic arm, e.g., a multi-axis robotic arm, it may also be possible for the applicator to reach multiple conductors in a set of conductors.

[0093] In some further embodiments, a fixed joint for the applicator to the housing of the robotic device may be used, and the portion of the housing itself may be movable to retract the applicator. Examples of such configurations are described herein, in which the housing comprises portions connected to one or more central joints, each central joint defined between pairs of arms of the housing, and the applicator is mounted on each arm of the central joint, for example, fixed, and when each central joint is released, the arm to which the applicator is mounted moves, causing the applicator to retract ("split housing" configuration). The arm may rotate away from the (horizontal) plane of the conductor to retract the applicator.

[0094] Accordingly, in the embodiment, the housing of the robot device comprises portions connected to one or more central joints, each central joint defined between a pair of arms movable relative to each other to transition the central joint between a closed configuration in which an arm connects the housing portions and an open configuration for passing through obstacles, and at least one applicator is fixedly mounted, for example, to one of the housing arms, so that the applicator retracts when the arm moves when each central joint is opened. The housing portion is a longitudinal portion. The housing portion may also be a housing half.

[0095] The fixing joint of the applicator to the housing may be used without the above-mentioned function of moving a part of the housing to retract the applicator, if the applicator does not need to be retractable (for example, if the applicator is simply deformable between an open configuration and a closed configuration for disengaging and engaging the conductor).

[0096] In general, an obstacle avoidance module (e.g., its applicator retraction system) may be operable in use to allow one or more applicators to selectively retract from each of their conductors in a set of conductors of a wire in order to pass through an obstacle. If there are multiple applicators, each individual applicator is preferably able to retract independently and selectively from each of its conductors as needed to pass through an obstacle. An obstacle avoidance module (e.g., its applicator retraction system) may be configured such that each individual applicator is able to retract independently and selectively from its conductors as needed to pass through an obstacle. "Selectively and independently" means that each applicator can retract independently as needed without requiring any corresponding retraction of any other applicator. Therefore, one applicator can retract from its conductor, while other applicators remain engaged with those conductors and continue to apply pretreatment and / or coating to them. Of course, it may be desirable, at an optional rate, to retract multiple applicators simultaneously in the same manner.

[0097] An applicator (or each applicator) is selectively disengaged from its conductor, preferably retracted from the conductor. The applicator is configured to re-engage with its respective conductor after passing through an obstacle. An obstacle avoidance module may be further configured to re-engage the applicator or each applicator with its respective conductor after the obstacle has passed. Re-engagement may involve moving the applicator from the retracted position to the installed position where it was retracted, and in either case involves a transition of the applicator from a disengaged configuration, e.g., an open configuration, to an engaged configuration, e.g., a closed configuration, where the applicator engages around the conductor. The obstacle avoidance module may operate the retraction system to return the applicator from the retracted position to an installed position around the conductor for engagement with the conductor.

[0098] An obstacle avoidance module may include an obstacle detection system for detecting when the device is approaching an obstacle, and an applicator retraction system (obtained by any of the embodiments described herein) which, when in use, is operable to selectively disengage from each conductor in one or more sets of conductors of a wire and optionally retract the applicator in order to pass through (i.e., go past) the detected obstacle. Thus, disengagement of the applicator, and retraction where applicable, is achieved actively, for example, by the obstacle avoidance module appropriately initiating the disengagement or retraction of the applicator. This is done proactively before the applicator comes into contact with the obstacle.

[0099] The retraction of the applicator according to any aspect or embodiment of the present invention described herein is performed autonomously, regardless of how it is done. All applicator retraction (or return to the installation position) and / or transitions between engaged and disengaged configurations, for example, between closed and open configurations, are performed autonomously. These functions are performed automatically, for example, under the control of a robotic device, without user intervention.

[0100] Preferably, the obstacle avoidance module is configured to disconnect and / or move the pre-treatment module and / or coating application module (or at least their applicators) from the overhead power transmission or distribution line (or at least a portion thereof) when it encounters one or more obstacles.

[0101] A robotic device of the present invention, in any aspect or embodiment of the present invention, is configured to move along an overhead transmission or distribution line during use to apply pretreatment and / or coating to the overhead transmission or distribution line. The robotic device comprises a plurality of wheels driven to move the robotic device along the power line.

[0102] Preferably, the robotic device comprises a plurality of wheels that travel along the electric wire to attach the device to the electric wire when in use. The wheels are configured to travel on one or more conductors in one or more sets of conductors of the electric wire to attach the device to the electric wire when in use.

[0103] Having wheels that run on power lines, that is, on one or more individual conductors of a power line, makes it possible to pass over certain types of obstacles by rolling over them. Therefore, the wheels can be configured to roll over the obstacle they encounter. This can be particularly useful when crossing mid-span obstacles such as splice connections, spacers, compression joints, and dampers such as spacer dampers and vibration dampers. Thus, by driving the robotic device forward while moving the wheels over the obstacle, it is possible to pass over the obstacle. An obstacle avoidance module may have one or more of its wheels configured to roll over obstacles such as splice connections, dampers, spacers, or compression joints when it encounters such obstacles. In this case, the obstacle avoidance module operates more broadly to pass through (or go over) obstacles.

[0104] Therefore, the device may comprise a plurality of wheels configured to engage with one or more conductors in one or more sets of conductors of the wire during use and to travel along those conductors, and the wheels may roll over obstacles encountered. Examples of such obstacles include mid-span obstacles, such as splice connections, dampers, spacers, or compression joints.

[0105] The wheels travel over each conductor in one or more sets of conductors in the electric wire. If the set of conductors in the electric wire comprises multiple conductors, for example, a bundle of conductors, then multiple wheels may engage with the same conductor and travel over that conductor, or a wheel may engage with multiple conductors and travel over those conductors. Preferably, at least two wheels travel over the same conductor. This allows at least one wheel to remain engaged with the conductor during use, as in certain preferred embodiments discussed herein, when another wheel disengages from and retracts from the conductor. This can maintain the stability of the device. Even if one of the wheels does not retract from the conductor, if the first and second wheels are in contact with the same conductor, stability can be maintained when one wheel crosses an obstacle, for example, when traveling over an obstacle, and as a result, that wheel may be temporarily disengaged from its conductor.

[0106] As an example and not an limitation, each wheel may have a diameter of at least 35 cm and / or no more than 50 cm. Each wheel may have a diameter in the range of 35 cm to 50 cm.

[0107] In some embodiments, each wheel may selectively retract from the respective conductor of the wire wheel (i.e., the conductor on which the wheel engages and on which the wheel travels) to pass an obstacle. Thus, the wheel retracts from the conductor, disengages from it, and passes the obstacle. The device may be configured such that, when a wheel retracts from the conductor on which it travels to pass (i.e., through) an obstacle, at least one other wheel remains engaged with the conductor on which that wheel travels, providing stable support to the robotic device. The obstacle avoidance module may be configured such that, when at least one wheel is allowed to retract from the conductor on which it travels to pass (i.e., through) an obstacle, or such that, when at least one wheel is allowed to retract from the conductor on which it travels to pass (i.e., through) an obstacle, at least one other wheel remains engaged with the conductor on which that wheel travels, providing stable support to the robotic device. The ability to selectively retract the wheels may allow the device to pass through a wider range of obstacles, including, for example, suspension insulators or suspension towers that can form T-junctions with conductors. This may enable the device to continuously and automatically traverse longer distances of power lines without the need to manually remove and reattach obstacles.

[0108] This can be achieved by selectively retracting the applicator along with the power line when in use.

[0109] The obstacle avoidance module may include a wheel retraction system that can operate to selectively retract any existing wheels or each wheel from the respective conductors of the wires on which the wheels are running in order to pass through an obstacle. The wheel retraction system may include, for example, a retraction mechanism for each wheel, or a particular retraction mechanism may be operable to retract multiple wheels, for example, a pair of wheels.

[0110] A wheel retraction system can be actively operated to retract the wheels, for example, under the control of an obstacle avoidance module. In other cases, wheel retraction is achieved by using a passive retraction mechanism, which can be operated, for example, by interaction with an obstacle. When wheel retraction from power line conductors is used, the retraction can be performed by or under the control of an obstacle avoidance module.

[0111] Each wheel may be able to retract from the conductor on which it runs in order to pass through an obstacle. The obstacle avoidance module may be operable in such a way that, when in use, each existing wheel can be made to be able to retract in this way (or that each existing wheel can be made to be able to retract in this way). This makes it possible to separate the wheels from at least a portion of the wire, for example, each conductor of the wire, in order to pass through an obstacle.

[0112] Obstacle avoidance modules (for example, a retraction system for wheels) may be operable in use so that individual wheels can retract independently and selectively from the conductors of the power lines as needed to pass through obstacles.

[0113] "Selectively and independently" means that each wheel can retract independently as needed, without requiring the corresponding retraction of any other wheel. Thus, one wheel can retract while another wheel remains engaged with its conductor, stably connecting the device to the wire.

[0114] The device (for example, its wheel retraction system) is configured such that each wheel re-engages with its conductor after passing through (i.e., going past) an obstacle. This may be done automatically, for example, when a passive retraction mechanism is used, or it may involve a reliable action to re-engage the wheels with its conductor. The obstacle avoidance module may be further configured to re-engage the wheels or each wheel with the conductor after passing through an obstacle. This may be achieved by the wheel retraction system of the obstacle avoidance module. In some embodiments, the obstacle avoidance mechanism may operate the wheel retraction system to re-engage the wheels with the conductor.

[0115] The wheels can be retracted using any suitable wheel retraction mechanism. In some embodiments, the ability to retract the wheels is achieved by a suitable coupling of the wheels to the housing of the robotic device. The coupling may allow the wheels to move relative to the housing of the device for retraction. Such couplings are sometimes called dynamic couplings. The coupling may include parts that are movable relative to each other when in use to enable wheel retraction. The movable parts of the coupling may be configured to slide or rotate relative to each other. For example, the coupling may include a rotary joint, a swing arm, a linear joint, a four-bar linkage mechanism, or a robotic arm, such as a serial manipulator or a multi-axis robotic arm. The robotic arm may be any of the types discussed with respect to applicator retraction and may have at least four, or preferably at least six, for example, six axes. Depending on the range and / or type of movement to be brought to the wheels, couplings of varying complexity and including varying numbers of components and / or joints may be used. As described above, the wheel retraction mechanism of the obstacle avoidance module can be operated actively or passively, for example, under the control of the obstacle avoidance module. For example, in the latter case, a spring-loaded joint may allow the wheels to retract to avoid an obstacle when an obstacle is encountered. Wheel retraction can be performed in the same way as the applicator retraction discussed above.

[0116] Therefore, each wheel may be coupled to the housing of the robotic device by a coupling that allows the wheel to retract from the conductor when in use, for example, a coupling that allows the wheel to move relative to the housing of the device to retract from the conductor when in use. Each wheel may be coupled to the housing of the robotic device by a coupling that has components that are movable relative to each other when in use to allow the wheel to retract, and / or each wheel may be coupled to the housing of the robotic device by a coupling that has a spring joint, rotary joint, swing arm, linear joint, robot arm, lever screw mechanism, or four-bar linkage mechanism.

[0117] In some further embodiments, wheel fixing joints to the housing of a robotic device may be used, and the portion of the housing itself may be movable to retract the wheel. Examples of such configurations are described herein, in which the housing comprises portions connected to one or more central joints, each central joint defined between pairs of arms of the housing, and the wheels are mounted on the arms of the central joints, for example, and fixed so that when each central joint is released, the arm to which the wheel is mounted moves, causing the wheel to retract ("split housing" configuration). The arm may rotate from a (horizontal) plane (for example, containing a conductor or parallel to a plane containing a conductor) to retract the wheel.

[0118] Accordingly, in the embodiment, the housing of the robot device comprises portions connected to one or more central joints, each central joint defined between a pair of arms movable relative to each other to transition the central joint between a closed configuration in which the arms connect the housing portions and an open configuration for passing through obstacles, and at least one wheel is fixedly mounted, for example, to one of the housing arms, so that the wheel retracts when the arm moves when each central joint is open. The housing portion is a longitudinal portion. The housing portion may also be a housing half.

[0119] Wheel retraction involves movement having at least a transverse component of the device that moves the applicator to the side of the conductor. Retraction may also include a component in the height direction. Thus, the wheel retracted position is located on the side of the wheel and, optionally, above the wheel's non-retracted position for engaging with its conductor. Wheel retraction may occur in the direction of the axis around which the wheel rotates as the wheel moves along the conductor during use, or may include a component in the direction of the axis. When a wheel is retracted, it may move from the vertical plane in which it is located when non-retracted for engaging with its conductor. Retraction involves linear or rotational motion of the wheel. If one or more sets of conductors are a bundle of multiple conductors, retraction is typically away from the longitudinal centerline of the bundle.

[0120] Wheel retraction according to any aspect or embodiment of the present invention described herein is performed autonomously, regardless of how it is performed. Wheel retraction (or return of the wheel to a position where it engages its conductor) is performed autonomously. These functions are performed automatically, whether involving passive or active motion of the wheel, and are performed automatically, for example, under the control of a robotic device, without user intervention.

[0121] Preferably, the obstacle avoidance module comprises one or more of the following for retracting the wheels: (i) a screw mechanism with a lever, (ii) a single rotary joint mechanism, (iii) a rotary joint mechanism with a central joint, or (iv) a rotary joint with a spring. The same type or different types of retraction mechanisms may be associated with different wheels, each with its own.

[0122] The obstacle navigation module may include an obstacle detection system for detecting when the device is approaching an obstacle, and a wheel retraction system (according to any of the embodiments described herein) that, when in use, is capable of selectively retracting the wheels from each conductor of a wire to pass through the detected obstacle. This may, for example, enable proactive avoidance of obstacles using active wheel retraction. However, as mentioned above, passive wheel retraction may be used as an alternative to pass through obstacles through interaction between the wheels and the obstacle.

[0123] An obstacle avoidance module may be configured to allow the wheels to pass over obstacles by rolling over them or moving away from power lines to avoid them. The obstacle avoidance module may also be configured to detect specific obstacles and, depending on the detected obstacle, to cause the wheels to roll over them or to move away from them. This may depend, for example, on the type or size of the obstacle.

[0124] Alternatively, or in addition, obstacle avoidance modules may generally be configured to allow one or more of the wheels (or engagement mechanisms) to roll over obstacles such as dampers, spacers, or compression joints, and / or to allow the robotic device to overcome suspension towers or clamps encountered along power lines.

[0125] According to any aspect or embodiment of the present invention, the wheel makes direct contact with each conductor when engaged with one or more conductors in a set of conductors of a wire, whether or not it is retractable.

[0126] The wheels can engage with each of their conductors in any preferred manner.

[0127] The wheels may include straight wheels and / or pulley wheels and / or conical wheels. Advantageously, the wheel is a pulley wheel. A pulley wheel has grooves defined on the conductor engagement surface of the pulley wheel for arranging the conductor.

[0128] The wheels may form part of a wheel system connected to the device's casing.

[0129] Advantageously, the device includes only wheels configured to run on the conductors of the wire during use, and does not include wheels that run below the conductors of the wire.

[0130] Any suitable number of wheels may be present. In the exemplary embodiment, there are two or four wheels, but other configurations may be used.

[0131] Using wheels that travel only on the conductor is advantageous in facilitating passage through obstacles. The conductor engagement surface of the wheel engages with the top surface of the conductor when in use. Wheels positioned below the conductor can be an obstacle when attempting to pass through obstacles.

[0132] Therefore, the multiple wheels preferably include only wheels configured to engage with the top conductor of one or more conductors of the wire, and arranged one-to-one and one-to-one along the length of the conductor, and do not include opposite wheels configured to engage with the bottom conductor. No opposite wheels are provided below any wheel of the device. By not placing wheels below the conductors of the wire, obstacle navigation is facilitated, allowing the wheels to travel over obstacles and / or move out of the way to more easily avoid them.

[0133] A wheel running on a conductor according to the present invention may, for example, have a portion extending above at least a portion of the side surface of the conductor that the wheel engages with to position the conductor. For example, a pulley wheel may define a conductor receiving groove, the rim on each side of this groove extending radially. Even if the wheel extends above the side surface of the conductor, obstacles, such as spacers, can still be driven over. In some embodiments, the wheels may be configured, in use, to contact within the upper 180° of the conductor on which each wheel runs. This can facilitate driving over obstacles. Nevertheless, driving over obstacles can also be achieved even if contact extends over a larger portion of the circumference of the conductor. If the wheel is a pulley wheel, the depth of the conductor receiving groove may, for example, be less than or equal to the radius of the conductor engaged by the wheel. The groove depth is measured between the lowest point of the conductor contact surface and the highest point of the rim on each side of the groove. The present invention extends to systems in which the wheel engages with its respective conductor.

[0134] Preferably, the wheels of the device are exposed. The wheels are not housed within any of the device's housings. For similar reasons, this allows the wheels to pass over obstacles more easily by simply traveling over them and / or retracting to avoid them. The absence of a housing to enclose the wheels increases the degree of freedom of the wheels' ability to move to retract and avoid obstacles.

[0135] At least some, and optionally all, of the existing wheels may be drive wheels. The wheels may be coupled along wires to motors for a robotic device, such as for traversing its platform. An actuator may be coupled to each wheel. An actuator housing associated with each wheel may be provided.

[0136] Next, we will describe some exemplary configurations of the arrangement of various components of a robotic device.

[0137] In some embodiments, the device comprises a coating application module, the coating application module comprising an applicator positioned at the rear end of the housing on the trailing side of the last wheel. This arrangement can prevent the wheels from running over the applied coating. Alternatively, or additionally, the device may comprise a pre-treatment module, the pre-treatment module comprising an applicator positioned at the front of the housing on the leading side of the leading wheel (e.g., the first wheel) and / or an applicator positioned at the rear end of the housing on the trailing side of the last wheel (e.g., the second wheel).

[0138] According to any aspect or embodiment of the robotic device, the robotic device preferably further comprises one or more fluid tanks for holding fluids used in the pretreatment and / or coating of electric wires. Whether fluid tanks are required for pretreatment depends on the characteristics of the pretreatment being performed. Preferably, the device comprises a coating application module and is provided with one or more fluid tanks for holding fluids used for coating electric wires. One or more fluid tanks are preferably located below the wheels, and preferably the entire fluid tank is located below the wheels. The tanks are located below each of the wheels present. One or more fluid tanks may be suspended below the wheels by the housing of the device.

[0139] In some embodiments, the robotic device comprises a body suspended below the wheels by the device's housing. Optionally, the body is positioned at a distance of at least 15 cm below the wheels. For example, this provides a suitable clearance for passing through dampers. The clearance between the wheels and the body provides the ability to pass obstacles more easily. When the robotic device comprises a body suspended below the wheels by the device's housing, one or more tanks may be housed within the body. In such a configuration, the center of mass of the device is located in a plane considerably below the plane in which the bottom of the wheels is located.

[0140] Regardless of where the tanks are located, the device may further comprise a fluid delivery system for supplying fluid from one or more tanks to one or more applicators of a pretreatment module and / or a coating module. The fluid delivery system may supply fluid to at least one or more applicators of a coating module, if one is present, and may supply fluid to any applicators of a pretreatment module that require fluid in the pretreatment operation of the pretreatment module. The fluid delivery system may comprise a set of one or more pumps and a set of one or more fluid passages, e.g., conduits, for supplying fluid to the applicators. In embodiments in which the device comprises a body suspended below the wheels by the housing of the device, one or more pumps may be located within the body of the device. One or more fluid conduits may reach one or more applicators by passing through the hollow interior of the portion of the housing that suspends the body of the device below the wheels.

[0141] Preferably, the wheels comprise first and second wheels configured to run on a first conductor in a set of one or more conductors of a wire, and these wheels are spaced apart from each other and arranged front to back along the longitudinal direction of the robotic device. The wheels are continuous along the longitudinal direction. The longitudinal direction of the device corresponds to the direction of the wire on which the device runs when in use. The first and second wheels are configured to make tangential contact with the conductor at first and second points, respectively, and the first and second points are connected by a wire corresponding to the path of the conductor.

[0142] In some embodiments, the device's wheels consist of first and second wheels, meaning there are no additional wheels for engaging with the wires. Therefore, the device may include only two wheels for engaging with the wires. In other embodiments described later, additional wheels may be positioned alongside the first and second wheels.

[0143] The first and second wheels may be spaced at a distance of at least 20 cm, or at least 25 cm, along the length of the device (and therefore the conductor). Alternatively, or additionally, the first and second wheels may be spaced at a distance of less than 250 cm, or less than 200 cm. For example, the wheels may be spaced at a distance in the range of 25 cm to 200 cm. The spacing of the wheels is taken along the wires extending along the length of the device and between the axles of each wheel.

[0144] Regardless of the wheel spacing, preferably the device housing comprises a longitudinally extending support on which the first and second wheels are mounted. Thus, the first and second wheels are mounted on a common support. The support extends in the direction of the wires. The wheels can be coupled to the support in any preferred manner. Preferably, the wheels are coupled to the support such that the support is positioned laterally outward of the wheels. This can help in obtaining space below the wheels to support the passage of obstacles. In some embodiments, the wheels are fixedly coupled to the support. In such configurations, the wheels are not retractable.

[0145] The support may be a tubular support. The tubular support defines an internal cavity. One or more fluid conduits of a fluid supply system may pass through the hollow interior of the support to reach one or more applicators for supplying fluid. In some embodiments, the body of the device is suspended by a housing below the support and first and second wheels. In some embodiments described later, the support is formed by a top bar of a T-connector, the T-connector having a stem that suspends the housing below the wheels and support.

[0146] The first and second wheels may be located at the front and rear ends of the device, respectively. In some embodiments, the device includes a coating module, the coating module comprising an applicator located at the rear end of the housing behind the second wheel. This configuration can prevent the wheels from running over the coated coating. Alternatively, or additionally, the device may include a pre-treatment module, the pre-treatment module comprising an applicator located at the front end of the housing behind the first wheel and / or an applicator located at the rear end of the housing behind the second wheel.

[0147] Preferably, the housing includes a T-shaped connector, the T-shaped connector defining a stem and a top bar defining arms on each side of the stem, the first and second wheels being mounted on the respective arms on the T-shaped connector, and the body of the device being mounted at the bottom of the stem of the T-shaped connector. Thus, the top bar of the T-shaped connector can provide common longitudinal support for the aforementioned wheels. Thus, the top bar is advantageously tubular. The wheels are advantageously coupled to the arms such that the top bar is positioned laterally outward of the wheels.

[0148] The stem of the T-shaped connector may be at least 15 cm long. This can help form a space between the wheel and the device body / housing, which allows obstacles, such as dampers, to pass through more easily.

[0149] The device body can be attached to the bottom of the stem at the longitudinal edge of the body. The body and stem of the T-shaped connector may define an "L-shape" in the vertical cross-section where the stem is joined to the body.

[0150] Preferably, one or more fluid tanks are housed within the body of a housing suspended below the wheels by a T-connector. Such a configuration may allow the tanks to be positioned below the wheels at desired intervals. The wheels are mounted on the arms of the T-connector in any preferred manner, for example, depending on whether the wheels are retractable. In some embodiments, fixed fittings are used.

[0151] The main body of the enclosure can house other components of the device, such as an onboard computer, power supply, electronic equipment, positioning system, etc.

[0152] The device includes a fluid supply system for supplying fluids from one or more tanks to a pretreatment module and / or a coating module. The fluid supply system may include a set of one or more pumps and a set of one or more fluid passages, such as conduits, for supplying fluids to the applicators of the pretreatment module and / or the coating module.

[0153] In the embodiment, the T-shaped connector defines an internal cavity through which one or more fluid conduits pass to supply fluid from one or more tanks to one or more applicators of the pretreatment module and / or coating module. The fluid supply system may supply fluid to at least one or more applicators of the coating module, if present, and may supply fluid to any applicator of the pretreatment module that requires fluid in the pretreatment operation of the pretreatment module. The internal cavity extends through the stem and top bar of the connector. One or more pumps are provided in the body of the housing for delivering fluid from one or more tanks to one or more applicators through one or more sets of fluid conduits when in use.

[0154] The housing body may comprise a (conceptual) front section, a middle section, and a trailing section along its longitudinal direction. Each may occupy one-third of the length of the body. The base of the stem of the T-connector may be connected to the middle section, preferably adjacent to the longitudinal edge of the body. In embodiments, the first and second fluid tanks are located within the front section and the trailing section, respectively. This may result in a more stable configuration during use. The middle section may house one or more pumps of the fluid supply system. The middle section may also house other components of the device, such as an onboard computer, power supply, electronics, positioning system, etc.

[0155] In other exemplary embodiments, the wheels include first and second wheels configured to run on a first conductor in a set of one or more conductors of a wire, the first and second wheels spaced apart from each other and positioned front to back along the longitudinal direction of the robot device, and third and fourth wheels configured to run on a second conductor in a set of one or more conductors of a wire, the third and fourth wheels spaced apart from each other and positioned front to back along the longitudinal direction of the robot device. The first and second conductors are parallel to each other. Thus, the first and second wheels are configured to run along a wire parallel to the wire on which the third and fourth wheels run.

[0156] The first and third wheels, and the second and fourth wheels, define the first and second pairs of wheels, which are positioned and spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction of the device. The wheels in each pair are arranged side by side. The wheels in each pair are sometimes referred to as opposing wheels. The wheels in each pair can rotate around the same axis and are spaced laterally along the axis. The wheels in each pair are spaced laterally, i.e., in the transverse direction of the robotic device. The most appropriate lateral spacing between the wheels in each pair of wheels depends on the spacing of the conductors of the wires on which the wheels run.

[0157] The first and second wheels are spaced at a distance of at least 20 cm or at least 25 cm along the length of the device, and / or less than 250 cm or less than 200 cm, and optionally, they may be spaced at a distance in the range of 25 cm to 200 cm. The third and fourth wheels are spaced at a distance of at least 20 cm or at least 25 cm along the length of the device, and / or less than 250 cm or less than 200 cm, and optionally, they may be spaced at a distance in the range of 25 cm to 200 cm.

[0158] The first and third wheels may be located at the front of the device, and the second and fourth wheels may be located at the rear of the device.

[0159] The first, second, third, and fourth wheels may be only those wheels present on the device.

[0160] The first and third wheels and the second and fourth wheels may be mirror images of each other with respect to the longitudinal centerline extending in the direction of the electric wire between the first set of wheels and the second set of wheels.

[0161] The first and second wheels, and the third and fourth wheels, can each be associated with the respective halves of the housing of the robotic device.

[0162] The device may comprise a housing having first and second halves, with first and second wheels mounted on the first half of the housing and third and fourth wheels mounted on the second half of the housing. The housing half is a longitudinal half. The half extends along the direction of the wires during use. The first and second housing halves may form a left housing half and a right housing half during use.

[0163] The housing may include first and second central joints connecting two halves of the housing at their first and second ends, respectively, and each central joint is selectively and independently deformable between a closed configuration in which the central joint connects the two halves of the housing and an open configuration in which the two halves of the housing are separated at the joint. The first and second central joints are located at the front and rear ends of the device.

[0164] A first central joint may be defined between a first rotatable arm and a second rotatable arm of the housing, and a second central joint may be defined between a third rotatable arm and a fourth rotatable arm of the housing. Rotating either or both of the arms of each central joint deforms the joint between its open and closed configurations. The first and second wheels may be mounted on the first and second rotatable arms, respectively, and the third and fourth wheels may be mounted on the third and fourth rotatable arms, respectively. In this way, rotating any one of the first, second, third, and fourth arms opens the central joint, which is partially formed by the arm, disengaging the wheel mounted on the arm from its conductor, and the wheel moves to a retracted position for passing an obstacle. The first, second, third, and fourth wheels may be fixedly coupled to their respective arms.

[0165] The first and second central joints preferably form the only connection between the housing halves. Therefore, no other transversely extending connections are formed. This allows for passage of obstacles by selectively opening the joints. Preferably, the first and second central joints are the only central joints present.

[0166] The device may be configured such that both the first and second (or third and fourth) arms rotate to open the first and second central couplings, respectively. However, the first, second, third, and fourth arms are preferably rotatable selectively and independently to deform their respective couplings between a closed and an open configuration. This improves flexibility when passing through obstacles, while maintaining the stability of the device on the wire during use. For example, if an obstacle is present on only one of the first and second conductors, only one of the arms associated with the coupling needs to be opened on the relevant side of the device. Each arm may rotate around a longitudinally extending axis, the longitudinal direction in which the wire extends. Each arm may also be rotatable around an axis parallel to the conductors of the wire during use. This is also true for the wires connecting the conductor engagement surfaces of the first and second wheels. The arms may rotate from a horizontal plane containing the conductors or a plane parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0167] The first and second central joints can be selectively deformed from a closed configuration to an open configuration to pass through obstacles under the control of the obstacle avoidance module. The obstacle avoidance module can be selectively configured to deform only one of the first and second central joints at a time to an open configuration for passing through obstacles, while leaving the other of the first and second central joints in its closed, coupled configuration to maintain a stable connection between the housing halves during use.

[0168] Advantageously, the device comprises one or more applicators for performing pre-treatment and / or coating operations, and at least one of the one or more applicators (or optionally each of the one or more applicators) is mounted on one of the first, second, third, and fourth arms. Each applicator is mounted on one of the arms. If multiple applicators are provided, each applicator may be mounted on any one of the arms. In this way, the applicator moves with the wheels to a retracted position when the arms rotate and one of the central couplings is released. Depending on their position, each applicator may be mounted on a different arm. Each applicator may be mounted on one of the different arms. An applicator may be permanently mounted on its respective arm. A central coupling at a given end of the device may be located between the wheels and associated with that end of the device when any applicator is in a closed, coupled configuration.

[0169] Preferably, one or more applicators are provided on each half of the housing. This may allow simultaneous processing of both the first and second conductors. Each applicator may be configured to engage around the same conductor that is engaged by a wheel on the applicator side of the housing.

[0170] The applicator may be in any of the configurations described above, namely, it may be configured to transition between a closed configuration and an open configuration (or, in other cases, between an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration) to disengage from the conductor. The obstacle avoidance module may be configured to transition the applicator to its open (or disengaged) configuration to disengage from the applicator's conductor before the arm of the central coupling to which the applicator is mounted begins to rotate and move the applicator to its retracted position.

[0171] As the arm rotates, the wheel (and any applicator) attached to the arm retracts, thereby positioning the wheel next to the conductor from which it has disengaged. Thus, the retraction moves the wheel (and any applicator) to a position radially outward from the wheel's position when it engages with the conductor. Therefore, providing a central joint in a split housing allows for the wheel or applicator to retract again without the need for a dynamic joint of the wheel or applicator to the housing, because a part of the housing itself can move to retract the wheel or applicator.

[0172] After passing an obstacle, the arms of the central joint or each arm may rotate back to their original positions to re-close their respective joints and re-engage the wheels associated with the joints with their conductors. When the arms are rotated back to their original positions, the applicator returns to its installation position, and from the installation position, the applicator may be returned to its closed configuration and re-engaged around the conductor to apply pre-treatment or coating to the conductor.

[0173] The arm can rotate over any suitable angle to properly retract the wheel. For example, the rotation may be over an angle of at least 45° or at least 60°. Alternatively, or additionally, the rotation may be over an angle up to 90°.

[0174] A first tubular support extending longitudinally from the first half of the housing may extend between the first wheel and the second wheel or connect the first wheel and the second wheel. A second tubular support extending longitudinally from the second half of the housing may extend between the third wheel and the fourth wheel or connect the third wheel and the fourth wheel. The first and third arms may be rotatably mounted to the respective ends of the first support, and the second and fourth arms may be rotatably mounted to the respective ends of the second support. Each support may be positioned laterally outward from each wheel of the support when the central joint is in its closed configuration.

[0175] In this further segmented housing embodiment, one or more fluid tanks may be provided for holding fluids used in the pretreatment and / or coating of electric wires.

[0176] One or more fluid tanks are preferably located below the wheels, and preferably the entire fluid tank is located below the wheels.

[0177] A first housing half may comprise a first tank, and a second housing half may comprise a second tank. The tanks may be suspended below the respective longitudinal supports of the housing half. Preferably, the housing comprises a first housing suspended below the first tubular support and comprising a first fluid tank, and a second housing suspended below the second tubular support and comprising a second fluid tank.

[0178] The first and second wheels may be provided at both ends of the first longitudinal support, and the third and fourth wheels may be provided at both ends of the second longitudinal support. The first and third arms of the first and second central joints may be mounted on the respective ends of the first longitudinal support so as to be rotatable around the axis of the support in order to retract the wheels (and applicators, as appropriate). The second and fourth arms of the first and second central joints may be mounted on the respective ends of the second longitudinal support so as to be rotatable around the axis of the support in order to retract the wheels (and applicators, as appropriate).

[0179] The first and second wheels may be separated from each other along the length of the device by the first housing, and the third and fourth wheels may be separated from each other along the length of the device by the second housing.

[0180] A fluid supply system may be provided for supplying fluid from one or more tanks to one or more applicators of a pretreatment module and / or a coating module. The fluid supply system may supply fluid to at least one or more applicators of a coating module, if one is present, and may supply fluid to any applicator of a pretreatment module that requires fluid in the pretreatment operation of the pretreatment module. The fluid supply system may comprise one or more sets of pumps and one or more sets of fluid conduits for supplying fluid to the applicators of the device. First and second sets of one or more pumps and one or more fluid conduits may be provided within each housing half and may supply fluid to one or more applicators associated with that housing half. The first and second sets of pumps may be housed within first and second housings, respectively. The first and second housings may include other components necessary for the operation of the device, such as communication interfaces, controllers, processors, etc.

[0181] One or more fluid conduits may pass through the hollow interiors of the first and second supports to supply fluid from the first and second tanks to one or more applicators of the device. Fluid conduits associated with each half of the housing supply fluid to any applicator associated with that half.

[0182] In a segmented enclosure configuration, the center of mass of the device may be located in a plane considerably below the plane in which the bottom of the wheel is situated.

[0183] In some exemplary embodiments, the robotic device, regardless of its configuration and whether or not it includes a segmented housing, defines a space extending at least 15 cm below the lowest conductor contact point of each wheel. It is desirable that there are no components of the device for a substantial distance below each conductor and therefore below the wheel. Thus, a space may be provided extending at least 15 cm vertically below the wires connecting the lowest conductor contact surfaces of the first and second wheels. This can help enable passage through obstacles. For example, this creates a suitable gap for passing through dampers.

[0184] It is inherently advantageous to enable passage through obstacles by using a segmented housing configuration with a central joint. Generally, a robotic device may have a housing having first and second halves connected to each other at its front and rear ends by first and second central joints, the first and second central joints being selectively and independently operable to retract one or more wheels and / or one or more applicators of the device by disengaging them from their respective conductors in order to pass through an obstacle.

[0185] Each of the first and second central joints may be selectively and independently deformable between a closed configuration in which the central joint connects two halves of the housing and an open configuration in which the two halves of the housing are separated at the joint. The first central joint may be defined between a first rotatable arm and a second rotatable arm of the housing, and the second central joint may be defined between a third rotatable arm and a fourth rotatable arm of the housing. One or more wheels and / or one or more applicators are mounted on any of the first, second, third, and fourth rotatable arms, and the rotation of the arm to which the wheel or applicator is mounted moves the wheel or applicator to a retracted position when each central joint, which is partially formed by the wheel or applicator, is opened. The wheels and / or applicators may be fixedly connected to their respective arms.

[0186] The device may be configured so that only one of the first and second central joints opens at a time to pass through an obstacle, while the other central joint remains closed to maintain a stable connection between the housing halves. The first and second central joints may be the only connection between the housing halves. Only the first and second central joints may be present.

[0187] In any embodiment of the present invention having a divided housing, the housing halves (for example, the first and second housing halves) are separated from each other (in the transverse direction). The housing halves are separated from each other by the arms of the central joint (i.e., by the arms of the first and second central joints). The housing halves are separated from each other such that a longitudinal gap is defined between the housing halves between the central joints, i.e., between the first central joint and the second central joint. This makes it possible to traverse obstacles by sequentially opening the first and second central joints, without any components between the housing halves interfering with the passage of obstacles in the region between the first and second central joints.

[0188] In any aspect or embodiment of the present invention, the applicator may be associated with the same or different conductors of the wire to the wheel. In some embodiments, the device comprises one or more applicators for applying pretreatment and / or coating to one or more conductors over which the wheel runs. For example, the applicator may be positioned at the rear end of the robotic device to apply pretreatment and / or coating to that portion of the conductor after the wheel has moved over that portion of the conductor.

[0189] The device may include a detection system, which may include, for example, one or more cameras for detecting when the device is approaching an obstacle.

[0190] An obstacle avoidance module may be configured to selectively retract one or more applicators and / or one or more wheels of the device from each conductor of the set of wire conductors with which the applicators and / or wheels are engaged, in order to pass through an obstacle when an obstacle is detected. For example, an obstacle avoidance module may control a wheel retraction system and / or an applicator retraction system to retract one or more wheels and / or one or more applicators of the device. The detection system may include a camera, which is positioned in various locations and allows for the identification of approaching obstacles in relation to each of the different applicators and wheels present.

[0191] Generally, a device may comprise one or more sets of cameras, for example, a pair of cameras may be positioned to face forward at the front end of the device and optionally face backward at the rear end. The forward-facing cameras may enable the identification of obstacles and the evaluation of conductors before pretreatment or coating. The rear-facing cameras may evaluate conductors after pretreatment or coating. Additional cameras may be present, for example, looking into the interior of the device from either or both ends. The cameras may be mounted on the device housing in any preferred manner.

[0192] The robotic device may comprise a set of mechanisms, such as a set of wheels, each mechanism being selectively able to engage and disengage from a power line or distribution line, at least one mechanism in the set of mechanisms may be disengaged from the line, while at least one, optionally multiple, of the other mechanisms in the set of mechanisms may remain engaged with the line. In embodiments, three or more mechanisms may be present in the set of mechanisms. The set of mechanisms may be associated with the platform (or housing) of the robotic device. During use, at least one mechanism in the set of mechanisms may be disengaged from the line to pass through obstacles, while at least one, preferably multiple, of the other mechanisms may remain engaged with the line to stably support the platform. The platform may drive the disengaged mechanism over obstacles such as suspension clamps. After the disengaged mechanism has passed the obstacle, the mechanism may be re-engaged with the line. The set of mechanisms may comprise a subset of mechanisms arranged front to back along the line. The subset of mechanisms may be associated with the same conductor of the line. A disengaged mechanism, after re-engaging with the power line, can stably support the platform and allow the next subsequent mechanism, positioned behind it, to disengage from the power line and pass through an obstacle. The subsequent mechanism can then re-engage with the power line after passing through the obstacle. This process can be repeated until all mechanisms along the power line have crossed the obstacle. These mechanisms are sometimes referred to as “engaging mechanisms.” Configurations using mechanisms that selectively engage and disengage with the power line, as described above, can be useful in allowing passage through suspension tower clamps. Such mechanisms may also be wheels of the device. Alternatively, such mechanisms may be provided in addition to wheels and other engaging mechanisms described herein to allow passage through a full range of obstacles. For example, wheels may roll over several obstacles, while mechanisms that selectively engage and disengage with the power line may facilitate passage through suspension clamps.

[0193] The set of mechanisms can be configured to be modularly assembled onto the platform. A suitable number of mechanisms can then be added to the platform to allow passage through obstacles associated with the power lines, thereby maintaining the platform's stability, while allowing one or more mechanisms to disengage from the power lines and move over obstacles.

[0194] The mechanism can selectively engage and disengage with conductors of a wire if the wire has multiple conductors. A set of mechanisms may comprise at least one subset of mechanisms, arranged front to back and associated with the same conductor.

[0195] The obstacle avoidance module may comprise one or more of the following: (i) a screw mechanism with a lever, (ii) a single rotary joint mechanism, (iii) a rotary joint mechanism with a central joint, or (iv) a rotary joint with a spring.

[0196] In embodiments, a robotic device may comprise a pair of wheels associated with each link of a pair of links, the links being connected to each other at a central joint, and when the central joint is separated, the links can be rotated to move the wheels and avoid obstacles. Each wheel may be connected to each link of the wheel at a rotary joint. The links may be associated with each housing portion (e.g., half). When the links are connected at the central joint, a rigid connection is provided between the links and, therefore, between the housing portions. The device may comprise one or more (optionally, more) further such pairs of wheels and links connected at the central joint, and when the (first) pair of links is separated at the central joint to pass an obstacle, at least one further pair of wheels and links remains connected at their respective central joints, ensuring that a rigid connection between the housing portions is maintained.

[0197] A robotic device according to any aspect or embodiment described herein may include one or more of the following for supplying power to the robotic device: a power system, an actuation system, a sensing and perception system, a control system, and a wireless communication system. The device may include an onboard computer.

[0198] According to any aspect or embodiment of the present invention, the robotic device is configured to continue moving along the wire even when some of the applicators and / or wheels of the robotic device are disengaged from their respective conductors. Thus, the robotic device is configured to continue moving along the wire even when an obstacle is crossed. The robotic device forms a platform that crosses the wire. The wheels of the device are driven forward to drive the device along the wire. In embodiments in which at least one wheel is retracted from the wire, the engagement between at least one other wheel and the conductor of the wire is maintained, a stable connection between the device and the conductor is maintained, and the device is driven forward. Alternatively, or additionally, if the wheels are disengaged from the wire and roll over an obstacle, for example, the other wheels remain engaged with the conductor of the wire.

[0199] The present invention extends to robotic devices according to either an embodiment or configuration of an embodiment combined with overhead power transmission lines or distribution lines.

[0200] The present invention extends to robotic devices according to any of the above-described aspects or embodiments installed on overhead power transmission lines or distribution lines. Thus, applicators or each applicator and / or wheels or each wheel may, where applicable, engage with / around each conductor of the power line in any of the methods described herein.

[0201] In another embodiment, an overhead transmission line or distribution line system is provided, and the overhead transmission line or distribution line system is Overhead transmission lines or distribution lines, The present invention comprises a robotic device described herein with respect to any aspect or embodiment of the present invention.

[0202] The overhead transmission or distribution lines in any of these further embodiments or models may be of any of the types described. The line includes one or more sets of conductors as referenced herein with respect to the configuration of the robotic device. The robotic device may be installed on the line, i.e., mounted on the line. For example, as described herein, the wheels of the device may be mounted on one or more conductors of the line. In embodiments or models having one or more applicators for performing pre-treatment and / or coating operations, the applicators of the coating module and / or pre-treatment module of the device, or each applicator, may engage around each conductor of the line. If there are multiple applicators, at least some applicators may engage around the same conductor, and / or, if the set of conductors comprises multiple conductors, at least some applicators may engage around different conductors, respectively. In any embodiment or model in which the device comprises multiple wheels, the wheels may engage with the same conductor or different conductors of the set of conductors to the applicator. In any embodiment relating to the robotic device described herein, it will be understood that the robotic device may be installed on an overhead transmission or distribution line.

[0203] The system may comprise one or more overhead transmission or distribution lines and one or more robotic devices as described herein.

[0204] In these further embodiments, the present invention may include any and all of the features described in relation to other embodiments of the invention.

[0205] In another embodiment, an overhead transmission line or distribution line system is provided, and the overhead transmission line or distribution line system is One or more overhead transmission lines or distribution lines, It comprises one or more robotic devices as described above.

[0206] In these further embodiments, the present invention may include any and all of the features described in relation to other embodiments of the invention.

[0207] The present invention extends to methods for operating robotic devices according to any aspect or embodiment described herein.

[0208] In a further manner, The steps include installing a robotic device, as described herein according to any embodiment, on an overhead power transmission line or distribution line, A method is provided which includes the steps of having a robotic device traverse a wire, applying a coating and / or pretreatment to the wire, and passing through one or more obstacles.

[0209] This method may involve operating the applicator and / or wheels in any of the methods described for passing an obstacle, for example, by retracting the wheels and / or applicator from their respective conductors, or re-engaging them with their respective conductors, and / or transitioning the applicator between an open configuration and a closed configuration to disengage it from the conductors. According to a two-housing configuration, this method may include opening or closing the central coupling as needed. This method may include having an obstacle avoidance module perform any such steps.

[0210] In a further manner, The steps include positioning a robotic device, as described herein according to any embodiment, in close proximity to an overhead power transmission line or distribution line, A method is provided which includes the step of causing a robotic device to avoid one or more obstacles.

[0211] Alternatively, or additionally, this method includes the step of having a robotic device apply a coating and / or pretreatment to the wires.

[0212] In these further embodiments, the present invention may include any and all of the features described in relation to other embodiments of the invention.

[0213] According to one embodiment, a modification coating system is provided which is configured to coat an overhead transmission line or distribution line with a coating, and the system is A robotic device described herein according to any embodiment, The system comprises a coating material applied to an overhead transmission line or distribution line by a robotic device to form a coating on the overhead transmission line or distribution line. In this embodiment, the robotic device comprises a coating application module. The coating material may be located in a fluid tank of the device described herein.

[0214] Any embodiment of the present invention that includes a fluid tank for providing a fluid used in the pretreatment or coating of electric wires can be extended to a tank containing such a fluid. In the embodiment, the device comprises a coating application module, and the fluid is a coating material.

[0215] In these further embodiments, the present invention may include any and all of the features described in relation to other embodiments of the invention.

[0216] It will be understood that the obstacle avoidance module may enable the robotic device to have the ability to pass through midspan obstacles. In a further embodiment, a robotic device is provided configured to pre-treat and / or coat overhead transmission lines or distribution lines, the robotic device comprising a pre-treat module and / or coating application module, The robotic device is configured to pass through midspan obstacles. The robotic device may include any of the features described herein in relation to other embodiments, and may include any of the features described herein in relation to obstacle avoidance modules.

[0217] Midspan obstacles that can be traversed by robotic devices and / or that can be made traversable by obstacle avoidance modules, according to various embodiments described herein, may include (but are not limited to) spacers, spacer dampers, compression joints, suspension clamps, and vibration dampers. Midspan obstacles may be encountered when crossing power lines in the area between consecutive suspension towers.

[0218] Further embodiments described herein may include any and all features described in relation to the first embodiment, and the first embodiment may include any and all features described in relation to the further embodiment. This holds to the extent that these embodiments are not contradictory to one another. If a robotic device or obstacle avoidance module is provided, it will also be recognized that the robotic device or obstacle avoidance module may include any combination of the features discussed herein that enables it to traverse obstacles. This may facilitate the enabling of robotic devices to traverse different types of obstacles.

[0219] For the sake of brevity, this specification refers to overhead transmission lines and distribution lines. It will be understood that the principles described herein are applicable to overhead transmission lines and / or distribution lines.

[0220] As described above, overhead transmission lines or distribution lines may include one or more sets of conductors. Individual conductors of a line may also be called “sub-conductors.” Therefore, conductors or sub-conductors referred to herein may be conductors or sub-conductors of a bundle of conductors in a line. A phase (or each phase) of a transmission line or distribution line may take the form of one or more sets of conductors, for example, a bundle of conductors. Therefore, one or more sets of conductors, for example, a bundle, may be a phase of a transmission line or distribution line. The pre-treatment modules and / or coating modules described herein may treat or coat multiple conductors of a bundle of conductors in a single pass.

[0221] For example, the individual conductors of an electric wire may have a diameter in the range of 10 to 50 mm. The applicators of the embodiments described herein may be configured to engage with, for example, a conductor having a diameter in the above range, and to surround, for example, the entire circumference of the conductor.

[0222] Advantageously, the robotic devices of the various embodiments described herein comprise a pretreatment module and a coating application module. However, in embodiments, the device comprises a pretreatment module and / or a coating application module. Thus, unless contextually required, only one of the pretreatment module and the obstacle avoidance module may be present. Optionally, it may be desirable to separate the pretreatment process and the coating process, for example, to reduce the risk of coating contamination.

[0223] Terms such as "top," "bottom," "lowest," "horizontal," and "vertical" are defined in relation to the intended orientation of the device when it is placed on a power line and / or distribution line during use.

[0224] The ends of a device and the locations of its components may be referred to by the front and rear ends (or front and rear ends) of the device. This refers to the ends in the orientation of the device in use when it is installed on a power line or distribution line. This does not necessarily imply that the device must always travel in the same orientation. The orientation of the device may be reversed. The terms “front” and “rear” may be replaced with front and rear, or with first and second ends, as appropriate.

[0225] The device or its components are configured to function as described herein when in use. Accordingly, references to various configurations / functions applicable “when in use” may be introduced as appropriate unless explicitly stated. For example, in embodiments relating to a robotic device rather than a system including an overhead transmission or distribution line and the robotic device, the applicator and / or wheels are configured such that the robotic device, when in use, for example, when positioned on the line so that the wheels travel over the conductor, may interact with the conductor of the line as described, engage with the conductor, and / or retract from the conductor.

[0226] The obstacle avoidance modules described herein may be understood broadly as enabling passage through obstacles. For example, optionally, the wheels may come into contact with an obstacle when passing over it. Passing through an obstacle is referred to herein as passing through an obstacle. Therefore, any reference to passing through an obstacle may be understood as passing through an obstacle. Similarly, crossing an obstacle refers to the ability to pass through an obstacle.

[0227] The robotic device is configured to autonomously move along the power line when in use and apply pretreatment and / or coating to the power line on-site. The robotic device is configured to autonomously navigate obstacles. Therefore, any functions involving obstacle passage can be performed autonomously and while the device is positioned on the power line on-site.

[0228] "Selectively" means, for example, that a given applicator, wheel, or coupling can transition between different states as needed, such as open / closed, retracted / not retracted, and in either direction.

[0229] The robotic device of the present invention has a weight of at least 25 kg and / or may be 75 kg or less. The robotic device of the present invention may have a weight in the range of 25 to 75 kg.

[0230] Not limiting, but merely as an example, a robotic device according to any aspect or embodiment of the present invention has a length of at least 0.75 m in an exemplary embodiment. Alternatively, or additionally, a robotic device may have a length of 3 m or less. Alternatively, or additionally, a robotic device may have a width of at least 30 cm and / or less than 80 cm. Alternatively, or additionally, a robotic device may have a height of at least 35 cm and / or less than 70 cm. In an exemplary embodiment, a robotic device having a “split housing” configuration may have a length of at least 2 m and / or a width of at least 50 cm.

[0231] Next, various embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, along with other configurations given for illustrative purposes only. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0232] [Figure 1A] This is a diagram showing known conductor bundle configurations. [Figure 1B] This is a diagram showing known conductor bundle configurations. [Figure 1C] This is a diagram showing known conductor bundle configurations. [Figure 1D] This is a diagram showing known conductor bundle configurations. [Figure 1E] This is a diagram showing known conductor bundle configurations. [Figure 1F] This is a diagram showing known conductor bundle configurations. [Figure 2A] This figure shows a conductor spacer. [Figure 2B] This is a diagram showing a stockbridge vibration damper. [Figure 2C] This diagram shows a suspension insulator. [Figure 2D] This is a diagram showing a tension tower. [Figure 3A]The diagram shows a pair of wheels having a lever-equipped screw obstacle navigation mechanism according to an embodiment, and a diagram showing the lever-equipped screw obstacle navigation mechanism in a configuration for engaging the wheels with the conductors of an electric wire. [Figure 3B] The diagram shows a pair of wheels having a lever-equipped screw obstacle navigation mechanism according to an embodiment, illustrating the lever-equipped screw obstacle navigation mechanism in a configuration for disengaging the wheels from power lines to overcome obstacles. [Figure 4A] This diagram shows a wheel having a rotary joint mechanism according to an embodiment, and illustrates the rotary joint mechanism in a configuration for engaging the wheel with a conductor of an electric wire. [Figure 4B] This figure shows a pair of wheels having a rotating joint mechanism according to an embodiment, and the mechanism is rotated in a configuration that allows the wheels to disengage from power lines and pass over obstacles. [Figure 5A] The diagram shows a pair of wheels having a rotary joint mechanism connected by a central coupling according to an embodiment, and the rotary joint mechanism and central coupling in a closed configuration for engaging the wheels with the conductors of an electric wire. [Figure 5B] This figure shows a pair of wheels having a rotary joint mechanism connected by a central joint according to an embodiment, and the rotary joint mechanism is rotated to open the central joint and disengage the wheels from the power lines to overcome an obstacle. [Figure 6A] This figure shows a pair of wheels having passive (spring-biased) joints according to an embodiment, and illustrates each joint in a configuration for engaging the wheels with each conductor of an electric wire. [Figure 6B] This diagram shows the various joints in a configuration for disengaging the wheels from power lines to overcome obstacles. [Figure 7A] This figure shows an exemplary embodiment illustrating the interaction between the wheels of a robotic device and a multi-conductor power line or distribution line. [Figure 7B] This figure shows an exemplary embodiment illustrating the interaction between the wheels of a robotic device and a multi-conductor power line or distribution line. [Figure 7C]This figure shows an exemplary embodiment illustrating the interaction between the wheels of a robotic device and a multi-conductor power line or distribution line. [Figure 8] This figure shows a saddle housing having a tank offset from the mounting point according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] This figure shows a single housing according to an embodiment, having its center of mass below a conductor to which the single housing is mounted. [Figure 10] This figure shows a hoop enclosure having an offset tank according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] This figure shows a manipulator arm applicator mounted on an upper conductor according to an embodiment. [Figure 12A] This figure shows a retracted drop-down coating applicator in an open configuration. [Figure 12B] This figure shows a drop-down coating applicator installed in an open configuration. [Figure 13] This figure shows a detachable contact-based applicator type coating applicator. [Figure 14A] The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of a contact-based coating applicator, illustrating internal features including an inlet, an inner filling chamber, a contact interface structure, and an outlet to the conductor, with a representation of an ideal cylindrical conductor diameter according to the embodiment in the center. [Figure 14B] The diagram shows an enlarged view of a contact-based coating applicator, illustrating internal features including the inlet, the inner filling chamber, the contact interface structure, and the outlet to the conductor, with the center showing a representation of an ideal cylindrical conductor diameter according to the embodiment. [Figure 15A] This figure shows a coating applicator having an open four-bar mechanism assembly according to an embodiment. [Figure 15B] This figure shows a coating applicator having a closed four-bar mechanism assembly according to an embodiment. [Figure 16]It is a schematic fluid feed diagram showing a tank, a peristaltic pump, a flow sensor, a pressure sensor, and a coating applicator according to an embodiment. [Figure 17] It is a schematic diagram of an applicator of a mechanical polishing system module assembled on an ideal conductive cylinder according to an embodiment. [Figure 18] It is a diagram showing wheels of a mechanical polishing system applicator assembled together with bristles, a coupling flange, and a brushless motor according to an embodiment. [Figure 19A] It is an enlarged view of one assembled mechanical polishing housing according to an embodiment. [Figure 19B] It is an enlarged view of one assembled mechanical polishing housing according to an embodiment. [Figure 20A] It is a diagram showing a four-bar linkage mechanism for CAM and PTM according to an embodiment. [Figure 20B] It is a diagram showing an opened four-bar linkage mechanism and a pretreatment module assembly according to an embodiment. [Figure 20C] It is a diagram showing a closed four-bar linkage mechanism and a pretreatment module assembly according to an embodiment. [Figure 21] It is a perspective view of a robotic device according to an embodiment, viewed from one side (toward the left side or the rear end). [Figure 22] It is a view of the robotic device of Fig. 21, viewed from one side (toward the left side or the rear end of Fig. 21). [Figure 23] It is a top view of the robotic device of Fig. 21. [Figure 24] It is a view of the robotic device of Fig. 21, viewed from the side (the same side as Fig. 21). [Figure 25] It is a perspective view of a robotic device similar to the robotic device of Figs. 21 to 24, viewed from one end and one side, viewed from the opposite side to Fig. 21. [Figure 26] It is a view of the device of Fig. 25, viewed from one side. [Figure 27]It is similar to FIG. 26, but is a view seen from the opposite side of the device, and shows a cross-section from the opposite side of the main body 450. [Figure 28] It is a top view of the device of FIG. 25 showing a portion of the main body housing cut away to show the interior of the device. [Figure 29] It is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through the stem of the T-shaped connector of the device of FIGS. 26 to 28. [Figure 30] It is a view showing a device according to another embodiment having a "split housing", as seen from the rear end. [Figure 31] It is a perspective view of the device seen from above and from one side. [Figure 32] It is a view showing a device similar to the device of FIGS. 30 and 31, showing a central joint at the distal end opened for crossing an obstacle. [Figure 33] It is a side view seen from the side of the second housing half 612 of FIG. 32, showing the position of the distal wheel 603 when rotated as the central joint is opened, disengaged from the electric wire and retracted. [Figure 34] It is a view of the device of FIG. 32 seen from above, further showing the opening of the joint at the distal end. [Figure 35] It is a view showing steps in opening the central joint 616 at the rear end of the device of FIG. 32 in a scenario where there is a suspension insulator associated only with the left conductor. [Figure 36] It is a view showing steps in opening the central joint 616 at the rear end of the device of FIG. 32 in a scenario where there is a suspension insulator associated only with the left conductor. [Figure 37] It is a view showing the configuration of FIG. 36, seen from above. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0233] According to various embodiments, robotic devices (sometimes simply referred to as "robots") capable of pre-treating (i.e., cleaning / surface treatment) and / or coating overhead transmission lines and / or distribution lines are disclosed. The robotic devices are preferably capable of pre-treating and / or coating multiple conductors in a conductor bundle and over midspan obstacles.

[0234] According to various embodiments, the robotic device may comprise one or more subsystems from among (i) a movement and obstacle-passing mechanism, (ii) a housing, (iii) an instrument deployment mechanism, (iv) a coating application module, (v) a pretreatment module, and (v) an electromechanical subsystem.

[0235] Movement and obstacle navigation Generally, robotic devices according to various embodiments include a mechanical platform (or housing) designed to act on a single-bundle conductor or multiple-bundle conductors (e.g., two-bundle, three-bundle, four-bundle, and six-bundle conductors), and can overcome obstacles (a first set of obstacles) such as splice connections, spacers, spacer dampers, and vibration dampers, as well as pass through suspension tower clamps.

[0236] Examples of multi-conductor configurations are shown in Figures 1A to 1F, which illustrate two-bundle configurations (Figures 1A and 1D), three-bundle configurations (Figures 1B and 1E), and four-bundle configurations (Figures 1C and 1F). Figures 1A to 1C show such bundled connectors including spacers, while Figures 1D to 1F are corresponding schematic representations of each bundle type.

[0237] Examples of obstacles that may be encountered are shown in Figures 2A to 2D, which show a conductor spacer (Figure 2A), a stockbridge vibration damper (Figure 2B), a suspension insulator (Figure 2C), and a tension tower (Figure 2D).

[0238] The first set of obstacles (splice connectors, spacers, spacer dampers, and vibration dampers) can be rolled upwards, for example, using wheels of appropriate design and diameter. In embodiments, the presented platform mechanism may also allow passage of suspension clamps.

[0239] Pretreatment and / or coating functions may be provided using a suitable applicator (end effector). Therefore, a robotic device may comprise a set of one or more end effectors for performing pretreatment and / or coating operations. The end effectors form part of the coating module and / or pretreatment module. If both a coating module and a pretreatment module are provided, one or more end effectors may be associated with both the coating module and the pretreatment module, i.e., the coating and pretreatment modules can be used to perform coating and pretreatment operations; or, different sets of one or more end effectors may be provided for each of the coating and pretreatment modules, i.e., each of the coating module and the pretreatment module may be configured to perform only one of the coating and pretreatment operations.

[0240] Each end effector is positioned to engage with and disengage from the wire, allowing it to pass through obstacles (for example, the types of obstacles exemplified in “First Set of Obstacles” above).

[0241] The presented mechanism is intended to be modular. Several (e.g., three or more) mechanisms can be integrated as a platform for passing through a clamp. In embodiments, the mechanisms can engage and disengage from the wire, with at least one mechanism disengaging while at least one (and in embodiments, several) mechanisms remain engaged with the wire, thereby allowing the platform to maintain stable support for the wire. An example of such a mechanism includes the wheels of a robotic device. The robotic device may comprise one or more pairs of wheels, optionally at least two pairs of wheels. At least one wheel, or optionally a pair of wheels, can disengage from the wire, while at least one wheel, or a pair of wheels, remains engaged with the wire.

[0242] In the embodiment, the mechanism may be configured such that the platform can stably drive a disengaged mechanism over a suspension clamp. After crossing the clamp, the mechanism can be re-engaged to the wire. The mechanism that has crossed the clamp supports the platform and allows the next mechanism to disengage from the wire. After the next mechanism has disengaged, the platform can stably drive that mechanism over the suspension clamp, and so on, until all mechanisms have crossed the clamp.

[0243] Robot devices according to various embodiments may include a wheel system, which, when in use, is directly connected to power lines and / or distribution lines and connected to the housing. (Hereinafter, the term "power lines and distribution lines" will be used for brevity, but this term should be understood to refer to power lines or distribution lines.) The wheels may preferably be coupled to motors that can traverse the robot platform of the robot device along the power lines.

[0244] Regarding movement, it can be easily shown that rolling on a conductor using wheels is the most efficient method. Different wheel types are disclosed with reference to Figures 3 to 6.

[0245] In particular, the pulley-type wheels shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B and FIGS. 5A and 5B are effective for maintaining the track by directly constraining the movement. This also applies to straight wheels (see FIGS. 3A and 3B). The linear contact patch has an advantage over the pulley wheel in that any point on the contact patch is substantially stationary relative to any other point. However, pulley wheels have an advantage in terms of grip.

[0246] The conical wheel shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B is in the form of a train wheel, which travels linearly along the electric wire due to stable force balance (for example, on a horizontally arranged set of two conductors), but cannot be installed on a single conductor.

[0247] The wheel system may be composed of straight wheels and / or pulley wheels and / or conical wheels.

[0248] Obstacle navigation may be achieved as discussed below.

[0249] Top arrangement According to various embodiments, the wheel system may be arranged to be positioned on a single conductor or a bundle of conductors (more than four bundles such as two bundles, three bundles, four bundles, or six bundles), which enables the ability to roll over dampers, spacers, and compression joints.

[0250] FIGS. 3 to 6 show respectively different types of obstacle navigation mechanisms that can be associated with a wheel system. These figures illustrate the mechanism by reference to a pair of wheels, or a single wheel, for ease of illustration. Each wheel or pair of wheels that is present may optionally be provided with a suitable obstacle navigation mechanism, regardless of whether they are of the same type or respectively different types.

[0251] Screw mechanism with lever Figures 3A and 3B show pairs of wheels 1, each wheel 1 having an obstacle navigation mechanism 3 in the form of a lever-driven screw obstacle navigation mechanism according to an embodiment, where Figure 3A shows a wheel engaged with a wire conductor, and Figure 3B shows a wheel retracted using the lever-driven screw obstacle navigation mechanism, disengaged from contact with the wire to traverse an obstacle.

[0252] Figures 3A and 3B show an embodiment that includes a lever mechanism that moves the wheels in an arc, away from the centerline of the bundle, when approaching obstacles such as suspension insulators. In this example, the operating part may include a linear screw, which has the mechanical advantage of being unable to be driven backward, and a force multiplier.

[0253] This mechanism can be installed so that the wheel remains upright when it is moved. When using a large-diameter wheel relative to the pivot arm length, maintaining the upright orientation prevents the bottom of the wheel from approaching an obstacle, such as an insulator.

[0254] Single rotary joint mechanism Figures 4A and 4B show a wheel 1' having an obstacle navigation mechanism 3' in the form of a rotary joint mechanism according to an embodiment, where Figure 4A shows a rotary joint mechanism closed in a first position to allow the wheel to engage with the conductor of a wire, and Figure 4B shows a rotary joint mechanism rotated in a second position to allow the wheel to disengage from the wire and pass over an obstacle, according to an embodiment. When the rotary joint mechanism rotates, the wheel rotates 90°.

[0255] Figures 4A and 4B show embodiments in which the wheel system rotates to move the wheels away from the conductor shaft and obstacles, such as suspension insulators. The rotational actuation system can be controlled independently.

[0256] Rotary joint mechanism with central joint Figures 5A and 5B show pairs of wheels 1" in an embodiment in which each wheel 1" has an obstacle navigation mechanism 3" including a rotary joint mechanism, similar to Figures 4A and 4B, but the rotary joint mechanisms associated with each wheel are connected at a central joint 5. Figure 5A shows the central joint in a closed configuration, such as when the wheels engage with the conductors of a wire, and Figure 5B shows the rotary joint mechanisms associated with each wheel after each wheel has been rotated to a second position, opening the central joint and disengaging the wheels from the wire to traverse an obstacle.

[0257] Figures 5A and 5B show embodiments similar to those shown in Figures 4A and 4B, but with a rotary joint mechanism having couplings at the ends of each extended axle (or more generally, at the ends of each “link” of the robotic device). When driven normally, the couplings firmly connect both axles (or links) and thus firmly join the two housing halves (see Figure 5A). When an obstacle is encountered, the shafts are separated, allowing the wheels to pivot upward and detach as described above (see Figure 5B). Another set of firmly coupled wheels and axles (or links) along the housing ensures a continuous, rigid connection between the housing halves, while one set is separated.

[0258] Spring-loaded joint suspension set Figures 6A and 6B show pairs of wheels 1''', each having an obstacle navigation mechanism 3''' in the form of a passive (spring-biased) joint. Figure 6A shows a passive spring-biased joint in a position for engaging the wheel with a wire conductor according to an embodiment, while Figure 6B shows a passive spring-biased joint in a configuration for disengaging the wheel from the wire to cross an obstacle according to an embodiment.

[0259] Figures 6A and 6B show wheel angles and combinations with a spring-loaded joint suspension set that allows the wheel to be pushed aside when it comes into contact with an obstacle such as a suspension clamp. The wheel may be positioned to move upward when it comes into contact with an obstacle when pushed aside, and the wheel may also be able to exert a force that counteracts gravity, thereby helping to prevent it from detaching from the power line.

[0260] Figures 7A–7C illustrate various exemplary embodiments in which multiple pairs of wheels are provided along the length of a wire, the wheels being able to selectively engage or disengage from the wire as needed to traverse obstacles, while supporting a platform (or housing). For example, the leading set of wheels may be able to disengage from the wire (i.e., its conductor) to move over an obstacle, while the following set remains engaged with the wire, holding the platform in a stable position as the platform of the robotic device moves along the wire. The leading set of wheels then re-engages with the wire after passing the obstacle, the next set disengages from the wire, and so on, until all sets of wheels have passed the obstacle.

[0261] Figure 7A shows a robotic device 12, which has a set of wheels 10 of the same type as those shown in Figures 5A and 5B, and uses a rotary joint mechanism with a central coupling 16. The wheels in each set are associated with their respective platform (or housing) halves. The wheels are arranged in pairs, with one wheel of each pair associated with their respective housing halves, and the wheels of each housing half travel over their respective conductors 14 of the wire. Figure 7A may also show tanks 18 and applicators 20 (of the pre-treatment module and / or coating application module) associated with the housing halves. The applicator 20 associated with the right housing half is shown in an open configuration and is retracted from the conductor, thereby not arranged around the longitudinal axis of the conductor, while the applicator 20 associated with the left half is in a closed configuration and extends 360° around the conductor. In this embodiment, the housing halves are symmetrical with respect to a plane passing through the central coupling 16.

[0262] Figure 7B shows a robotic device 32 using wheels 30 configured as described by reference to Figures 6A and 6B. In this case as well, the wheels are arranged in pairs and move along the conductors 34 of the electric wire. An applicator 40 for applying a coating or pretreatment to the conductor can be seen in an open-retracted configuration. A tank 38 of the coating or pretreatment material is shown. The wheel system is connected to the tank 38 by its respective housing arm 46.

[0263] Figure 7C uses a wheel arrangement 50 similar to the wheel arrangement in Figures 4A and 4B. It is shown that the leading wheels are rotated to a position where they are disengaged and retracted from each conductor 54 of the wire to cross an obstacle, while the remaining wheels remain engaged with the conductors 54. The wheel system is connected to the tank 58 by housing arms 56.

[0264] Figures 7A to 7C show examples of how multiple sets of wheels can be modularly assembled as needed to stably support the robot platform / enclosure while traversing obstacles.

[0265] cabinet A housing may be provided to mechanically connect the subsystems and enable useful operation, primarily of the applicator mechanism. Depending on the various embodiments, three different types of housings may be used.

[0266] Saddle enclosure Figure 8 shows an embodiment of a housing concept that distributes the mass of the coating to each side of a rigid saddle-type layout moving along a conductor bundle. The tank 60 is connected to a wheeled rod 62 by a rigid housing arm 64. This is similar to the housing configuration used in the embodiment of Figure 7A. The advantage of having the tanks laterally to the bundle is that the tanks can be positioned closer to the wheel axis, thereby reducing load fluctuations when traversing gradients. This layout relies on rigid joints at or near the centerline within the obstacle-passing mechanism.

[0267] Single enclosure Figure 9 shows a housing concept according to an embodiment in which the center of mass is directly beneath the conductor to which the housing is attached. The tank 70 is attached to the connecting rod 72 by housing arms 74 (to which wheels are attached when in use). This can form the type of configuration shown in Figure 7C. This is advantageous for easy installation and removal and is stable on a single conductor. However, twisting may occur in the bundled conductors due to the mass of the coating and the platform being offset from the vertical central plane of the bundle. The solution to this is to have the platform move along each side of the bundle to act as a force equilibrium.

[0268] Hoop cabinet Figure 10 shows a hoop housing having a housing arm 84 with an offset tank 80 according to an embodiment. This encloses the conductor bundle to increase stability, but is necessarily large to allow passage through the damper on the lowest conductor of the bundle. However, the advantages of this layout are that loading is stable, the top of the bundle does not need to be completely sealed, and each conductor of the bundle is easily accessible.

[0269] Instrument deployment mechanism Next, the coating application module and the pretreatment module will be described in more detail below. To address various issues, the applicators of these modules may be configured to disconnect from the power lines and retract when they encounter obstacles. Mechanisms for installing and removing the pretreatment and coating equipment can be bolted to the housing.

[0270] Two different instrument deployment mechanisms are disclosed in more detail below.

[0271] End effectors on serial manipulators Figure 11 shows an embodiment in which the end effector 90 (in this case forming an applicator for a coating module or pretreatment module) is mounted on a multi-axis arm of a serial manipulator robot and can reach multiple conductors rather than being constrained to a single conductor.

[0272] Single rotary joint retraction mechanism Various embodiments of the single rotary joint retraction mechanism are shown in Figures 12A and 12B. As shown in Figures 12A and 12B, an applicator 90 of a coating application module and / or pretreatment module may be provided on the end of a retraction mechanism that can utilize a single rotary joint. Figure 12A shows the applicator in an open configuration adjacent to a conductor and retracted from the conductor, while Figure 12B shows the applicator moved to a position around the conductor for installation, while still in an open configuration and ready to close the conductor and engage with it. The single rotary joint allows the applicator to move between a retracted position where it is disengaged from the conductor and an installation position where it is positioned around the conductor for performing coating and / or pretreatment of the wire and ready to engage with the conductor. The applicator in this specification is a shell-type configuration and can move between a closed configuration for engaging with the wire and an open configuration where it can be retracted from the wire. According to embodiments, a four-bar linkage mechanism can be used to maintain the alignment of the device and the conductor. According to another embodiment, linear joints may be provided, but rotary joints and swing arms that allow compliance (when compliance is required) can be more easily incorporated.

[0273] Coating application module - Contact-based annular applicator with fluid-optimized internal geometry According to various embodiments, a coating application module may be provided, comprising a contact-based applicator having an annular design and an internal geometry structure optimized for fluid delivery. The coating application module may comprise an operating system, a fluid delivery system, a coating storage container, a coating applicator, and a diameter tolerance compensation system.

[0274] Applicator Housing The applicator module is a key component of the modification coating system disclosed herein and may be designed to apply a uniform coating to the non-flat (cylindrical) surface of overhead wire conductors. The coating applicator may be provided as an end effector of a robotic device.

[0275] The applicator of the coating application module may comprise a detachable annular housing, various contact interface structures, and various fluid interfaces. The applicator module may utilize a shell-like conceptual design that allows the module itself to firmly engage with a conductor. An example of such an applicator 100 is shown in Figure 13. The mechanical housing shape of the applicator is cylindrical according to various embodiments, with overall dimensions of a diameter of 50 to 90 mm and a minimum length of 90 mm. This allows for a wide selection of the diameter of the conductor to be engaged, which may range from 10 to 50 mm, and further allows for the integration of individual or multiple injection fluid sources. These dimensions are examples only and not limitations, and the applicator may be configured to work with conductors of given dimensions as appropriate. As shown in Figure 13, these dimensions may be carefully selected to accommodate the different components required for the assembly and operation of the applicator.

[0276] The internal features of the applicator ensure that the coating material is applied effectively and efficiently. Specific internal features of the applicator may vary depending on the specific conductor diameter being coated. These features include contact interface structures, fluid outlets, and internal annular channel chambers.

[0277] The contact interface structure plays a crucial role in the operation of the applicator. The primary function of the contact interface structure is to center the conductor so that there is a uniform gap between the conductor surface and the contact applicator, while simultaneously reducing the contact area between the conductor and the applicator. Reducing the contact area reduces friction between components, decreases wear, and extends the module's lifespan. The contact interface structure within the applicator module helps to partition annular outlets, allowing for the even discharge of the coating composition through several outlets formed by such features.

[0278] The fluid interface is another important internal feature of the applicator. The number of fluid outlets 102 varies depending on the desired wet coating thickness to be positioned on the conductor surface. The fluid outlets may be positioned along the circumference of the applicator to ensure uniform dispersion of the coating material. The size of the fluid outlets determines the flow rate and thickness of the coating material. An internal annular channel tank chamber may be designed to store the coating material and supply it to the fluid outlets. The size of the tank chamber determines the amount of coating material that can be stored and supplied to the fluid outlets.

[0279] Figure 14A shows a cross-section of a contact-based coating applicator 110 according to an embodiment, and Figure 14B is an enlarged view of an embodiment showing internal features including an inlet 112, an inner filling chamber 114, a contact interface structure 116, and an outlet 118 to the conductor 120, with the diameter of an ideal cylindrical conductor 120 represented in the center.

[0280] Engagement Actuation System The engagement mechanism is another important component of the coating application system, enabling the opening and closing of the applicator for connection to and disconnection from the conductor. This mechanism can be actuated and controlled by a base robot platform, which is connected to the applicator via an articulated arm.

[0281] There are two different types of actuation mechanisms that can be used in engagement mechanisms: (i) active components such as motors, or (ii) passive compliant structures. An example of an active four-bar mechanism assembly 140 is shown in Figures 15A and 15B, where Figure 15A shows the applicator in an open configuration, and Figure 15B shows the applicator 130 in a closed configuration for engaging with a conductor. Examples of actuation mechanisms include DC motors, stepping motors, servo motors, linear actuators, pneumatic actuators, or hydraulic actuators. Both passive and active mechanisms can perform the required function, but passive compliant mechanisms are sometimes preferred because they consume less power and have simpler structural components.

[0282] The compliant mechanism may be designed to have a specific feature that allows the coating applicator to be centered on the conductor simply by moving and approaching a multi-joint arm when the coating applicator is closed. This design ensures a firm and precise connection between the applicator and the conductor, thereby enabling uniform application of the coating material.

[0283] Fluid supply system Referring to Figure 16, a fluid supply system 170 may be provided to ensure uniform coating application by controlling the supply of coating material from the storage container 172 to the coating applicator 174.

[0284] The fluid supply system may comprise various elements such as one or more pumps 176, one or more sensors, fluid pathways, and inlets to the coating applicator 174. One or more pumps are involved in supplying the coating material from the storage container to the applicator. One or more pumps may include centrifugal pumps, positive displacement pumps, diaphragm pumps, peristaltic pumps, gear pumps, or vane pumps, or any combination thereof.

[0285] In addition to the pump, the fluid supply system also includes several sensors used to monitor and control the coating application process. Flow meter 178 is one of these sensors, measuring the flow rate of the coating material as it is supplied to the applicator module. This ensures that the system maintains a constant flow rate and that the coating material is supplied in the correct amount.

[0286] Another important sensor in the fluid delivery system is the pressure sensor 180. This sensor monitors the pressure of the coating material as it is delivered to the applicator. This is important because pressure can affect the flow rate and thickness of the coating being applied. By monitoring the pressure, the system can adjust the flow rate to ensure that the coating is applied uniformly and consistently. The fluid path is another important component of the fluid delivery system. The fluid path is involved in ensuring that the coating material is delivered controlledly from the storage container to the applicator. The fluid path includes tubing and connectors designed to minimize turbulence or bubbles in the coating material, which can affect the coating application process. The path is also designed to minimize any dead space, where coating material can accumulate, resulting in inconsistent coating application.

[0287] Finally, the inlet of the coating applicator is the point where the coating material is fed into the applicator. The inlet may be designed to ensure that the coating material is fed in a controlled manner and dispersed uniformly across the entire surface of the applicator. This is important to ensure that the coating material is applied uniformly to the conductor surface.

[0288] Diameter change compensation system According to various systems, a diameter change compensation system may be provided that allows the diameter of the applicator sealing the conductor to be changed in response to strand breakage or changes in manufacturing tolerances. One way to achieve this is for the contact interface structure to be compliant and therefore retract or extend in response to changes in the conductor diameter. A second way to achieve this is to use a flexible or compliant material in the mechanical housing of the applicator. This material can be slightly deformed to adapt to the diameter of the conductor, allowing for a more uniform application of the coating.

[0289] An iris mechanism may be used for diameter compensation in a coating application process. This mechanism may comprise a series of overlapping plates that form a circular opening, which can be expanded or contracted by moving the plates relative to each other. The mechanism can be adjusted to change the diameter of the opening as needed to accommodate different conductor diameters. To maintain the same discharge gap between the conductor surface and the distance set by the contact interface structure height, the iris mechanism may be designed to move the coating applicator with the plates as the plates adjust the opening diameter. In this way, the distance between the applicator and the conductor surface can be kept constant while the iris mechanism adapts to the changing diameter.

[0290] By replacing the current fixed-diameter cylinder with an iris mechanism, the iris mechanism can be incorporated into existing shell-type designs. The closure of the shell-type design must be designed to ensure that the iris mechanism is properly and securely closed to prevent leakage in the fluid path.

[0291] The coating application device may utilize dip coating, slot die coating, mechanical doctor blade method, spray coating, or inkjet.

[0292] Fluid storage system To accommodate coating conductors with lengths of, for example, 1 km, integrating the fluid tank and robot base platform is a crucial consideration. Fluid storage systems in various embodiments can be designed, for example, as a modular solution within a mechanical housing of 150 mm × 200 mm × 1000 mm. This configuration allows the coating robot to store approximately 30 liters of coating composition. A series of independent cartridges may be arranged within the mechanical housing. Each cartridge may have different properties. The modular design promotes versatility by providing a shell in which the system can house easily replaceable coating fluid sources. Preferably, the cartridges may be flexible polymer cartridges containing the coating composition. These flexible cartridges can readily interact with the fluid supply system, be easily replaced with newly filled cartridges, and operate effectively as a cartridge-based system.

[0293] The modularity of the fluid storage system offers several advantages. Firstly, modularity simplifies the replenishment process and allows for quick and efficient cartridge replacement. This enables uninterrupted operation and minimizes downtime during the coating process. Secondly, the use of cartridges ensures a sealed and controlled environment for the coating composition, preventing contamination and maintaining the integrity of the coating composition over time. Furthermore, cleaning becomes quick and easy, reducing the required work time.

[0294] In designing fluid storage systems, the dimensions of the robot base platform and available space are considered for integration. The selected box dimensions provide an optimal balance between storage capacity and the overall size of the system, ensuring that space is utilized efficiently while meeting the desired coating volume requirements.

[0295] Preprocessing module The pre-treatment module is involved in ensuring that the conductor surface is thoroughly cleaned and properly prepared for coating. This involves removing grease, oil, contaminants, or any external contaminants from any source of contamination on the conductor surface that could adversely affect the coating finish. Pre-treatment may be applied to the conductor by a suitable applicator configured to perform mechanical polishing and / or chemical pre-treatment of the conductor, as described below. The pre-treatment applicator may be provided by a suitable end effector.

[0296] According to various embodiments, the pretreatment module may comprise a mechanical housing / structure, an operating system, a mechanical polishing system, and / or a chemical cleaning system.

[0297] Mechanical polishing system Referring to Figures 17 and 18, an embodiment of a mechanical polishing applicator comprising a pair of grooved wheels 202 positioned above and below a conductor during use is disclosed. Grooves 210 on the wheels extend parallel to the conductor and can be fitted with custom polishing brushes 212 containing bristle of varying hardness. Hard bristles such as stainless steel, brass, aluminum, and carbon fiber, as well as softer bristles such as nylon, polyester, polypropylene, Tynex, and animal hair, may be used. Not limited to, but only as an example, the wheels may be configured to clean conductors in the diameter range of 10 to 50 mm. In this system, the conductor comes into contact with the circumferential grooves having the bristle, thereby providing effective mechanical polishing and improving coating adhesion.

[0298] The circumferential brushes may be configured to circulate along the conductor on an axis perpendicular to the conductor. The circumferential grooves ensure that the conductor is covered 360°. Figure 18 shows a wheel 202 with a motor 214 mounted on it. Each U-groove brush wheel is fitted to a flange coupling by screws, which is coupled to a 5mm diameter shaft of a brushless DC motor. The motors rotate in the same direction and generate equal forces on the conductor in opposite directions, which do not significantly affect the overall movement of the robot. The other side of the wheel has a hollow hole of a different diameter that passes through the wheel and fits into a bearing and dowel pin, maintaining the alignment of the wheel while it rotates at high speed. This helps to reduce wheel vibration while the wheel is rotating.

[0299] According to one embodiment, the diameter of the bearing hole may be 19.3 mm (the exact diameter may vary depending on the tolerance of the selected manufacturing process), and the length of the hole may be 5 mm when measured from the side of the wheel, allowing a bearing outer ring with a diameter of 19 mm and a length of 5 mm to be fitted snugly. A step may be provided after the hole, with a length of 2 mm, an outer diameter of 19.3 mm, and an inner diameter of 16 mm, which prevents the inner ring of the bearing from contacting the wheel while the wheel is rotating (this reduces contact friction between the bearing and the wheel). A dowel pin with a diameter of 10 mm and a length of 28 mm may be fitted to the inner ring of the bearing (10 mm in diameter). Thus, a hole with a diameter of 13 mm (larger than the diameter of the dowel pin to avoid additional friction caused by contact between the hole and the dowel pin during rotation) is made from the preceding step, and the hole may have a depth of 20.5 mm inside the wheel. In addition, an 8mm spacer can be added between the cover wall and the inner ring of the bearing attached to the wheel to avoid contact between the cover and the wheel. The above dimensions are examples only and not limiting. The most appropriate dimensions will depend on the specific configuration involved, and for example, the dimensions of the conductors.

[0300] Mechanical housing The mechanical housing for the grooved wheel may consist of (i) one or more sealing hoods and / or (ii) one or more connecting platforms.

[0301] Referring to Figures 19A and 19B, a sealing hood 202 is disclosed, which comprises shielded semicircular components that seal one or more circumferential wheels. Each shielded component has a dowel pin at its end to maintain the alignment of the U-shaped channel wheels. In one exemplary embodiment, these shielded components may have a circular shape with a diameter of 136 mm and cut off only 35 mm from the bottom, and may have a hollow semicircle with a length of 100 mm. However, these dimensions are given only as examples, and other dimensions and configurations may be used.

[0302] A connecting platform may be provided with two L-shaped components. The L-shaped components are attached from the top end to the second end of the shielded component by three bolts and screws. The L-shaped components may be designed to hold a motor of a pre-processing module, the motor may have rectangular dimensions of, for example, 40 mm × 70 mm. In exemplary embodiments, all these components may be 5 mm thick. In exemplary embodiments, the L-shaped component may have a hole with a diameter of 17 mm in the center of its side, surrounded by six holes with a diameter of 4 mm at a pitch of 22 m in a virtual circle, thereby allowing the motor to be assembled to the L-shaped component. In exemplary embodiments, the central hole may be provided for the motor shaft to pass through, and screws may be attached between the L-shaped holder and the threaded holes on the surface of the motor using six smaller holes. This rectangular platform of the L-shaped component may be attached to the base robot platform equipment deployment mechanism schematically described above. In this case as well, the dimensions and specific configurations described above for various features of the mechanical housing, including, for example, the dimensions and specific configurations disclosed with respect to the connection platform, are given only as examples and not as limitations. Other dimensions and configurations may be used as appropriate.

[0303] Operating system An operating system may be provided that allows the opening and closing of the applicator of the pre-processing system (e.g., the end effector of the pre-processing system) to enable the connection and disconnection of conductors. This may include a robotic gripper consisting of a pair of four-bar mechanisms, as shown in Figure 20A.

[0304] The crank links in each of the four-bar mechanisms (1 and 2) may have a gear shape. These two gears can mesh with each other. A servo motor may be attached to a third gear, which can mesh with a gear in mechanism 1 to actuate the robot gripper. When the actuated gear rotates, the meshed gear in mechanism 1 rotates, which in turn rotates the meshed gear in mechanism 2. As the two gears (crank lines) rotate, the other links in the four-bar mechanism move, allowing the pre-processing applicator, such as an end effector, to open and close, as shown in Figures 20B and 20C. Figure 20B shows the applicator in the open configuration, and Figure 20C shows the applicator in the closed configuration. Integration of the four-bar mechanisms can be based on the commonalities between the ends of the robot gripper and the L-shaped components.

[0305] Chemical cleaning system A mechanical polishing system may be further supported by a chemical cleaning system, which includes (i) cleaning fluid tanks, which may hold a cleaning fluid used to clean a portion of a surface, and the cleaning fluid is typically a mixture of water, a cleaning agent, a solvent, and other additives; (ii) one or more pumps, which may be used to transfer the cleaning fluid from the tanks to the cleaning equipment, which may be either electric or pneumatic, and whose capacity may depend on the size of the system; and (iii) discharge nozzles, which may include a spray nozzle, which may apply the cleaning fluid to the conductor surface using a brush, on a robotic arm or The system may comprise one or more of the following: a discharge nozzle which can be mounted on a fixed structure; (iv) a rinse tank which can be used to rinse the conductor surface after the conductor surface has been cleaned and which can reuse the rinse water or discharge it to a processing system; (v) a wiping device which can remove water from the part or surface using a drying device after the part or surface has been rinsed; (vi) a control system which monitors and controls the cleaning process, including the flow rate of the cleaning fluid, the temperature of the cleaning fluid, and the duration of the cleaning cycle, and the control system may also include sensors which monitor the quality of the cleaning fluid and detect any problems or malfunctions in the system; and (vii) a safety system which can be used to protect the operator and the environment from any potential hazards associated with the cleaning agent, and which may include a ventilation system, an emergency stop system, and alarms for detecting leaks or spills.

[0306] The cleaning solution may be formulated to remove contaminants but not substantially alter or substantially affect the underlying metal of the conductor (aluminum, steel, galvanized steel, and conductar glaze). Examples of such cleaning solutions include the cleaning solution disclosed in Patent Document 44, or other commercially available products such as CleanWirx 207 from Corrosion Exchange LLC.

[0307] Electromechanical subsystem The unit also comprises several important electromechanical subsystems. For example, a power system may be provided, which is involved in providing power to the robotic device, typically in the form of a battery or power supply. The robotic device may be powered by a battery or by electromagnetic induction via a live wire.

[0308] An operating system may be provided, comprising a motor, gears, sensors, actuator couplings, a housing, a shaft, and other components that enable the robot to move and perform its tasks. Examples of these include DC motors, stepping motors, servo motors, linear actuators, and pneumatic or hydraulic actuators.

[0309] A sensing and perception system may be provided, and this subsystem may include sensors that enable the robot to sense its environment. These may include cameras, LiDAR, ultrasonic sensors, inertial measurement devices, force / torque sensors, sonar sensors, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, or magnetic sensors. The sensing and perception system may also include other sensors that provide feedback on other parameters such as the position, orientation, or coating filling level of the robotic device.

[0310] A control system may be provided to manage the operation of the robotic device, including controlling the operating system and interpreting sensor data. The control system may include a switching control device, a wired communication bus, a servo motor drive, an applicator drive, a surface pretreatment drive, and a sensor interface, each of which may have a communication chip, a microcontroller chip, local regulation, and local sensors.

[0311] Furthermore, ROV-based computing and ground station computing, ROV-->ground station communication modules, situational awareness sensors (e.g., tactile switches, Hall sensors, cameras, etc.), and human interface devices (e.g., joysticks, touchscreens) enable remote control.

[0312] A wireless communication system may be provided that enables the robotic device to communicate with other devices, such as a remote control system or a central computer system. These may include a transmitter, a receiver, an antenna, and other network hardware. Furthermore, this may include a speech recognition system, a natural language processing system, or a gesture recognition system.

[0313] The robotic device preferably includes a navigation system that enables the robotic device to move autonomously through its environment. This may include a localization subsystem, a mapping subsystem, and a path planning subsystem. This may include GPS (Global Positioning System), Inertial Navigation System (INS), LiDAR, Visual Odometry, Beacons / Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), Magnetic Sensors, or RFID.

[0314] Generally, robotic devices may include an onboard computer.

[0315] A safety system may be provided that includes sensors and other components that ensure the robot operates safely, such as limit switches, emergency stop buttons, and collision avoidance sensors.

[0316] Next, exemplary embodiments of the robotic device according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 21 to 24.

[0317] Figure 21 is a perspective view of the robot device seen from one side (towards the left side or rear end). Figure 22 is a diagram of the robot device seen from one side (towards the left side or rear end of Figure 21), Figure 23 is a top view of the robot device of Figure 21, and Figure 24 is a diagram of the robot device of Figure 21 seen from the side (the same side as Figure 21).

[0318] The robotic device 300 is in the form of a platform that is mounted on an overhead transmission or distribution line containing one or more sets of conductors when in use. The set of conductors may be a single conductor or a bundle, for example, a two-conductor bundle, a three-conductor bundle, or a four-conductor bundle, and typically contains multiple conductors. The device 300 is configured to pre-treat and / or coat one or more conductors of a bundle when in use. The device includes a pair of wheels 302, 304. The wheels are positioned on the conductors of the electric wire (not shown) and mount the device to the conductors. The wheels are positioned to engage with the same conductors of the electric wire and are positioned front to back along the direction of the electric wire. In the illustrated embodiment, the wheels are pulley wheels.

[0319] The device defines a longitudinal direction (indicated as XX in Figure 23) along which the transmission or distribution line extends (and which corresponds to the direction of travel of the device / platform along the line) when in use, and a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (indicated as YY in Figure 23). The transverse direction refers to the direction that is generally horizontal when in use. The device has a length in the longitudinal direction and a width in the transverse direction. The device further defines a height direction (indicated as ZZ in Figure 24) perpendicular to the longitudinal and transverse directions. The height direction refers to the direction that is generally vertical when in use.

[0320] For the sake of illustration, wheel 302 is referred to as the leading wheel and wheel 304 as the trailing wheel. This refers to the direction of travel of the device when it is installed for use, which in this example is to the right, as shown in Figure 21. The leading wheel and trailing wheel form the front and rear wheels of the device. This does not necessarily imply that the device can only travel in one direction. In some cases, the same device may travel in both forward and reverse directions, and in other cases, the device may be configured to travel in a single specific direction. This depends, for example, on the position of the applicator for applying a particular pretreatment and / or coating. The ability to travel the device in each direction also allows the device to be used with conductors on the left or right side of a bundle of multiple conductors, or with conductors in a left or right bundle of a multi-bundle wire. However, at the option of choice, a dedicated device may be provided for use with conductors positioned on the left or right side, which are mirror images of each other.

[0321] Wheels 302 and 304 rotate around axes X1 and X2, respectively. These axes extend transversely. Wheels 302 and 304 are mounted by couplings 306 and 308 to the first and second ends (i.e., front and rear ends) of the top bar 312 of the T-shaped connector 316 of the device housing. Actuator housings 325 and 329 are provided at the distal ends of each coupling 306 and 308 adjacent to each wheel, and the actuator housings 325 and 329 house actuators for driving each wheel.

[0322] The joints 306 and 308 may be fixed joints. In such a configuration, the wheels are mounted on top, i.e., travel along the wire (i.e., its conductor), so the wheels can still travel over mid-span obstacles such as splice connections, dampers, spacers, or compression joints. In other embodiments, the joints 306 and 308 may be dynamic joints, allowing one of the wheels to be selectively disengaged from the wire (i.e., its conductor) and retracted during use to avoid obstacles, while the other wheel remains engaged with the conductor to stably support the robotic device, i.e., the platform. This may allow passage over a wider range of obstacles, including T-shaped obstacles such as suspension towers, over which the wheels cannot travel. For example, any of the configurations shown in Figures 3A to 6B may be used. In this case, for example, a rotary joint may be included.

[0323] Generally, a dynamic coupling refers to a non-fixed coupling that allows movement of a wheel relative to a top bar 312 other than rotation around the wheel's axle. The coupling is configured to allow the wheel to move relative to the top bar 312 to which it is mounted. For example, the coupling may be configured to rotate around the axis of the top bar 312 to retract the wheel. Thus, the coupling may comprise a rotary joint. In some embodiments, the coupling may comprise first and second parts connected to each other at a joint, where the wheel can be retracted as the second part moves relative to the first part. The first and second parts may be connected to the bar and the wheel, respectively, at one end and connected to each other at the other end. However, the parts are not necessarily directly connected to each other. There may be one or more intermediate joints. Regardless of the form of the coupling, it can be actively actuated to retract the wheel. Therefore, actuators may be provided to retract each wheel independently and selectively. With such actuators, the wheels can be actively retracted before encountering obstacles. In other embodiments, a passive retraction mechanism may be used. In such cases, the wheel may automatically retract upon contact with an obstacle. For example, the passive configuration may include a spring-loaded rotary joint.

[0324] When wheel retraction is necessary, retraction is initiated proactively when the robotic device determines that retraction is necessary to pass an approaching obstacle. This can be determined in any preferred manner, for example, based on a detection system, such as the results of one or more cameras or other sensors, positioning information, and / or information obtained by the device's communication interface.

[0325] After the obstacle has passed, the wheel may return from its retracted position to its original position where it engages with the conductor. This can be achieved, for example, actively under the control of an actuator, or passively, for example, by the action of a spring when the wheel is no longer in contact with the obstacle, for example, by the wheel automatically returning.

[0326] The devices shown in Figures 21 to 24 include applicators (sometimes called end effectors) 318, 323 at their front and rear ends. Each applicator includes together first and second curved components 320, 322 (or 324, 326), which are connected to each other by a hinge 327 (or 328). In the illustrated embodiment, the first and second components define the upper and lower parts of the applicator, respectively. The hinged connection between the first and second components allows the applicator to transition between a closed configuration, as shown in Figure 21, in which the first and second components of each applicator engage with the respective conductors of a wire to apply pretreatment or coating to the conductors, and an open configuration in which the first and second components of the applicator are disengaged from the wire.

[0327] In the closed configuration, the first and second parts surround the conductor over its entire circumference (i.e., extend along the entire circumference of the conductor). The first and second parts define an annular shape having a closed central bore for receiving the conductor. When in the closed configuration, the applicator can extend over its entire circumference around the axis of the bore, and therefore around the axis of the conductor when the conductor is placed in the bore. In the open configuration, the first and second parts rotate away from each other around the hinge and no longer engage, i.e., no longer contact the conductor. In the open configuration, the first and second parts do not surround the conductor over its entire circumference. Therefore, in the open configuration, the first and second parts do not define a closed central bore. The first and second parts of each applicator each define a first edge and a second edge, and the first edges are joined together along the hinge. The opposing second edges of the parts are in contact with each other in a closed configuration, but are separated from each other in an open configuration. The opposing second edges define the free edges of the first and second parts. This configuration is sometimes called a "shell" configuration.

[0328] In Figures 21 to 24, the applicator is shown in a closed configuration. For example, Figure 7A shows exemplary open and closed configurations using a similar applicator, with the applicator on the left in a closed configuration and the applicator on the right in an open configuration.

[0329] Applicators 318 and 323 are each coupled to the device housing by their respective dynamic couplings 330 and 332. The couplings 330 and 332 associated with the applicators are most clearly shown in Figure 23. The dynamic coupling may be any of the aforementioned types and may result in an open configuration of the applicator, i.e., allowing the applicator, disengaged from the wire, i.e., from its conductor, to retract away from the conductor (and wire). In the retracted position, the applicator is positioned along the conductor of the wire and is no longer concentric with respect to the axis positioned laterally to the conductor. By retracting the applicator from the wire in this way, it is possible to pass through obstacles including midspan obstacles such as dampers, splice connections, spacers, or compression couplings, and also including suspension towers or other T-shaped obstacles.

[0330] A dynamic coupling may be of the type shown with respect to Figures 12A and 12B, which allows the applicator to retract to a more limited angle from the conductor so that it no longer extends around the conductor, i.e., to move laterally to the conductor, or of the type shown in Figure 11, which includes a multi-axis robotic arm that allows for a larger range of motion of the applicator. This improves flexibility in crossing a range of obstacles. A dynamic coupling is exemplified, which allows for easier traversal of a wider range of obstacles, but in some cases, a fixed coupling combined with the applicator's ability to transition to an open configuration may be sufficient for crossing some obstacles. As described with respect to wheels, a dynamic coupling refers to a movable coupling. Typically, the coupling is actively actuated, for example, using its respective actuator.

[0331] If it is determined that the applicator needs to be retracted in order to pass through an obstacle, the applicator first transitions to an open configuration in which it is disengaged from the conductor, and then the coupling is actuated to retract the applicator from the conductor. This can be done as described with respect to the wheels when an obstacle is detected and it is determined that retraction is necessary. Once it is determined that the obstacle has been passed, the coupling may be actuated to return the applicator to its position around the conductor (while still in the open, disengaged configuration), and then the applicator may be transitioned once again to a closed configuration in which it is engaged around the conductor. The applicator can be retracted selectively and independently from its conductor.

[0332] The wheels and / or applicator are retracted while the robotic device continues to move along the power line.

[0333] The applicators shown in the embodiments of Figures 21 to 24 are configured such that both engage with the same conductor of the wire during use, and this conductor corresponds to the conductor over which the wheels 302, 304 travel. Thus, the illustrated device 300 pre-treats and / or coats a single conductor of a bundle of wires. However, in other embodiments, the applicators may be configured to engage with each other around different conductors (e.g., of a bundle) and / or engage with the conductor over which the wheels travel. This can be achieved using a specific type of coupling between the applicator and the housing, for example, a multi-axis robotic arm, which allows for greater degrees of freedom when moving the applicator, for example, as shown in Figure 11. The configuration in which the applicators engage with different conductors of each wire also allows for processing multiple conductors in the same path, for example, by providing multiple applicators, each associated with a different conductor. This can be most easily achieved using a multi-axis robotic arm type coupling between the applicator and the housing.

[0334] As described above, the applicator may be configured to apply pretreatment and / or coating to the conductors of the wire. The application of pretreatment may involve applying a material to the wire, for example, chemical pretreatment, or, without applying a material, applying a treatment such as polishing to the wire. The applicator may be, for example, any of the types described above. When in a closed configuration, the applicator contacts its respective conductor. In embodiments, each applicator is configured to contact a conductor with which the applicator engages over 360° of the conductor's circumferential surface. This allows for more complete pretreatment or coating of the conductor. Figures 21-24 show an annular type including two parts attached to each other by a hinge, but other shapes of applicators may be used, preferably, nevertheless, each applicator may completely cover the conductor with which the applicator cooperates in the circumferential direction. Applicators of the type shown in Figures 21–24 (and also in Figures 12A and 12B) are particularly useful, for example, for applying coatings to conductors as part of a coating process. Examples of applicators useful for applying pretreatment in the form of polishing to wire conductors are shown in Figures 17, 18, 19A, 19B, 20B, and 20C.

[0335] In the embodiments illustrated in Figures 21 to 24, there are two applicators, one at the front and one at the rear of the robotic device. The number and location of the applicators may vary depending on whether pre-treatment and / or coating is performed, the number of conductors in the bundle to be coated, and the intended direction of travel of the device. For example, if coating is performed, the applicator for coating is preferably located at the rear end of the conductor, i.e., beyond the trailing wheels, for example, at the location of applicator 323 shown. This prevents the wheels from disturbing the coating after it has been applied. If an applicator for pre-treatment is also present on the same device, this applicator may then be located at the front, such as in front of the leading wheels, for example, at the location of applicator 318. If the device is used only for pre-treatment, for example, a single applicator may be provided at the rear end of the device. Multiple applicators may be provided for pre-treatment and / or for coating the wires.

[0336] A pair of cameras 344, 346 are provided at the rear end of the device, facing rearward from the applicator 323 along the position of the conductor, and a pair of cameras 340, 342 are provided at the front end, facing forward from the applicator 318 along the position of the conductor. The forward-facing cameras 340, 342 form part of an obstacle detection system, while the rearward-facing cameras may be used to inspect the applied coating / pretreatment. Additional cameras may be provided, for example, facing inward from the device along the conductor either forward or backward (such as on the trailing side of the applicator 318 or the leading side of the applicator 323). This allows inspection of the coating / pretreatment applied by the leading applicator and / or inspection of the conductor before coating / pretreatment is applied by the trailing applicator. The position and / or number of cameras may differ from those shown. In general, any preferred arrangement of cameras may be used as needed to assist in obstacle detection and / or inspection of the wire before and / or after pretreatment or coating is applied to the wire.

[0337] The housing includes a top bar 312 to which wheels are mounted (and which extends longitudinally), and a T-shaped connector 316 which includes a stem 314 connecting the top bar 312 to the main body 350 of the housing. The stem 314 divides the top bar 312 into two arms extending to each side, to which the leading and trailing wheels are attached. The stem 314 extends downward from the top bar 312. The stem extends perpendicular to the direction in which the top bar extends. In use, the stem extends vertically, while the top bar extends horizontally. The stem 314 bisects the top bar 312.

[0338] In this way, the T-shaped connector suspends the body of the device from the wires when in use, thereby suspending the body from the wires. This is advantageous in that it provides a considerable amount of space below the intended path of the conductor to be processed / coated, facilitating obstacle navigation. For example, the stem 314 of the connector may be at least 15 cm in length. Since the body is suspended below the wheels and applicators in this way, the wheels and applicators are located outside the main housing of the device. In fact, the wheels and applicators are not located inside any housing and are exposed. The center of mass of the device is located below the height of the conductors. For example, the center of mass of the device may be located at the same height as a point in the lower half of the length of the stem of the T-shaped connector, which is shown as A in Figure 22. This position is illustrative only.

[0339] The body 350 has opposing first and second edges 351, 353 that extend longitudinally, i.e., in the direction of the wire, when in use, and the stem of the T-connector is attached to the central portion 352 of the body 350 of the housing and offset toward the first edge 351 of the housing. This can help to securely attach the device to the wire even when the wheels are selectively retracted to cross an obstacle. In the illustrated embodiment, the stem of the T-connector is attached to the body at the longitudinal edge 351 of the body. Viewed in a vertical section similar to that in Figure 22, the stem of the T-connector and the body of the housing may define an L-shape. The central portion 352 refers to the central part of the body along the longitudinal direction. Conceptually, along the length of the central portion, i.e., in the direction of the wire, the body 350 is divided into first and second outer portions, and a central portion between the first and second outer portions. Each portion may be 1 / 3 of the length of the body.

[0340] As described above, the applicator, preferably in a closed configuration, extends around the entire circumference of the conductor when engaging with it to apply a coating / pretreatment, and in an open configuration, retracted from the conductor, no longer extends around the conductor. When the wheels are positioned at the top of the conductor, i.e., mounted on the conductor, and there are no wheels positioned below the conductor, and a T-connector is used, this condition can help pass through obstacles, as there is a considerable amount of space below the conductor. It can be understood that there are no other components of the robotic device in the area below the wheels or applicator.

[0341] The structure of the applicator housing, body, and fluid supply system will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 25 to 29. Figures 25 to 29 show robotic devices similar to those shown in Figures 21 to 24, except that the applicator and camera are not included for clarity. Similar components are indicated by reference numbers that are incremented by 100 from the same reference numbers as the devices in Figures 21 to 24. Device 400 in Figures 21 to 24 is shown from a different side than device 300 in Figures 21 to 24.

[0342] Figure 25 is a perspective view of the device from one end and side, seen from the opposite side of Figure 21, and has a leading wheel 402 and a trailing wheel 404 assuming a left-to-right travel direction in Figure 25, and shows a cross-section of the T-connector and main housing. Figure 26 is a view of the device 400 from one end of the body, showing the side where the T-connector is located, again showing the T-connector, and a cross-sectional view of the body showing the interior. Figure 27 is similar to the figure in Figure 26, but is a view of the device 400 from the opposite side, showing a cross-section of the other side of the body 450. Figure 28 is a top view of the device 400 showing a portion of the body housing cut out to show the interior. Figure 29 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the stem of the T-connector of the device 400.

[0343] As shown in Figure 27, the distance L1 (measured between the axes around which the wheels rotate), i.e., the wheel spacing, is in the range of 25 cm to 200 cm. This may also apply to the two housing embodiments described later. In both cases, each wheel may have a diameter in the range of 35 cm to 50 cm, for example.

[0344] All the features described for the examples in Figures 25-29 are also present in the examples in Figures 21-24. As can be best understood by looking at Figure 25, the inside of the T-shaped connector is hollow. Thus, the connector defines an internal cavity through which a fluid tube can be routed to supply fluid from the fluid tank of device 400 to the applicator of device 400 as needed.

[0345] The main bodies 350 and 450 form housings for various components of the devices 300 and 400. As most clearly shown in Figures 25 to 29, the main body 450 includes a central portion 452, with first and second outer portions 454 and 456 on each side. The central portion is located in the area where the T-shaped connector is mounted (mounted along one of the longitudinal edges of the main body). The central portion and each of the first and second outer portions extend across the entire width of the device body. The first and second outer portions are located at the front and rear ends of the device, below the front and rear wheels of the device. Each of the outer portions 454 and 456 houses its respective fluid tank. By providing the fluid tanks on each side of the base of the T-shaped connector and below the wheels of the device in this manner, a stable arrangement can be achieved. (The corresponding parts of the main body 350 in the examples in Figures 21 to 24 are shown as 350, 354, and 356, respectively.)

[0346] The central sections 352, 452 of the main bodies 350, 450 of devices 300, 400 house various components of the devices necessary for the operation of the central sections 352, 452, including a controller, for example, a computer system, a power supply, a communication system, and a pump for delivering fluid from the tank to the applicator as needed. The locations of the pump 460 and controller 462 are schematically shown and are most easily understood by looking at Figure 28. Although not shown in Figures 25-29, suitable tubing is provided for delivering fluid from the tank to the applicator through a T-connector, disclosed in regions 456, 454.

[0347] As described above, in the illustrated embodiments of Figures 21-24 and 25-29, the wheels are pulley wheels. The shape of the wheels can be most clearly understood by looking at Figure 29. A pulley wheel has grooves extending circumferentially on the conductor contact surface of the pulley wheel for positioning the conductors when in use. The groove of the trailing wheel 304 is shown as 331 in Figure 21. Figure 29 shows the groove 431 associated with the trailing wheel 404. However, as described above, other types of wheels may be used. Although two wheels are shown, it is conceivable that more wheels may be used.

[0348] Each wheel (regardless of its type), in some examples, may extend (only) up to 180° of the circumferential surface of the conductor on which it runs when in use. Thus, the wheel may extend only above the top of the conductor's surface. This facilitates passing over obstacles and allows the wheel to easily travel over obstacles. In the case of the pulley-type wheel shown in Figure 29, this may mean that the height h of the wheel rim 433 on each side of the groove 431 is less than or equal to the radius of the conductor. However, this is merely an example, and it is conceivable that the wheel may extend above a larger proportion of the conductor's circumferential surface without affecting obstacle navigation.

[0349] Further embodiments of the device 500 according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 30 to 37.

[0350] Figure 30 shows the device 500 viewed from the rear end, and Figure 31 is a perspective view of the device 500 from above and from one side.

[0351] The device's wheels, applicator, and camera are similar to those of the device's wheels, applicator, and camera described in relation to the aforementioned embodiments in Figures 21-24 and 25-29. In this case, there are pairs of front wheels and pairs of rear wheels, rather than a single front wheel and a single rear wheel. The housing includes first and second halves 510, 512 joined to each other at a front (first) central joint 514 and a rear (second) central joint 516. Each housing half extends longitudinally, i.e., along the length of the wire, and the joints 514, 516 connect the two halves and extend transversely between the two halves. Housing half 510 includes a first wheel 502 at the front and a second wheel 504 at the rear. Housing half 512 includes a third wheel 503 at the front and a fourth wheel 505 at the rear. The leading and trailing wheels of the housing half define each pair of opposing wheels (i.e., the first and third wheels 502, 503 and the second and fourth wheels 504, 505), and each pair is spaced apart along the length of the device.

[0352] Each housing half 510, 512 includes tubular connectors 518, 520 (first and second connectors) extending between the leading and trailing wheels of the housing half. Each housing 522, 524 (first and second housings) is suspended downward, i.e., suspended from each of the respective connectors 518, 520. Each housing 522, 524 includes fluid tanks (first and second fluid tanks) disposed within the housing 522, 524.

[0353] As described with respect to Figures 21 to 29, fluid can be supplied from a given housing half to an associated applicator using a pipe of a suitable configuration. Other components of the device described with respect to the body of the above embodiments, such as a pump, control system, etc., may also be provided in the housing of the two housing halves as appropriate.

[0354] In this embodiment, the wheels 502 and 504 of the first housing half 510 travel along a first conductor of the electric wire, for example, a bundle of electric wires, while the wheels 503 and 505 of the second housing half 512 travel along a second different conductor of the electric wire, for example, a bundle parallel to the first conductor. In the illustrated example, applicators 523 and 525 are provided at the respective rear ends of the first and second housing halves (behind the trailing wheels), and further applicators 517 and 519 are provided at the respective front ends of the first and second housing halves, i.e., on the leading side of the leading wheels. The pairs of applicators at each end of the housing are offset from each other longitudinally, so as to be the case, they do not interfere with each other when the central joint at each end of the housing is opened. Pairs of cameras are provided associated with each applicator, as in the embodiments of Figures 21 to 24 and Figures 25 to 29. The cameras associated with applicator 523 are indicated as 544 and 546, respectively, and the cameras associated with applicator 525 are indicated as 548 and 550, respectively. The applicators are configured as described in relation to the embodiments in Figures 21-24 and 25-29. The type of applicator, the number and position of the cameras, and the position of the applicators (for example, whether they are located at the front or rear end) may differ from the illustrated configurations described in relation to Figures 21-24 and 25-29.

[0355] Similar to the embodiments described above in Figures 21-24 and 25-29, the wheels are shown as pulley wheels. In this case as well, the wheels run over each conductor of the wire. The wheels associated with each housing half run over the same conductor, which is the same conductor around which the applicator associated with that housing half engages. As described with respect to the embodiments in Figures 21-25 and 26-29, in an alternative configuration, the applicator may be able to handle conductors other than the conductor over which the wheels roll (and additional applicators may be provided to enable handling of multiple conductors in a single pass).

[0356] To drive each wheel, an actuator is provided in the respective actuator housing associated with each wheel, similar to the embodiments described above in Figures 21 to 29.

[0357] In the embodiments shown in Figures 30 and 31, the applicator is fixedly coupled to each arm of the center joint at each end of the housing. The front center joint 514 includes a first arm 550 and a second arm 552, respectively, associated with a first housing half 510 and a second housing half 512. The rear center joint 516, most clearly shown in Figure 30, includes a third arm 530 and a fourth arm 532, respectively, associated with the first housing half 510 and the second housing half 512. Each of the first and second (and third and fourth) arms is movably coupled to the housing and has, for example, a proximal end rotatably coupled to the housing and a distal end coupled to the other of the first and second (or third and fourth) arms in the center joint 514 (or 516). The center joint 541 connects the first arm 550 and the second arm 552. The central joint 516 connects the third arm 530 and the fourth arm 532.

[0358] Applicators 523 and 525 (and associated cameras) are fixedly connected to arms 530 and 532 via connectors 560 and 562, respectively. A similar configuration is provided at the front, where a front central coupling 514 connects arms 550 and 552 associated with the first housing half 510 and the second housing half 512. Wheels 504 and 505 are fixedly coupled to arms 530 and 532 at the rear end via connectors 570 and 571, and a similar configuration at the front connects wheels 502 and 503 to arms 550 and 552 via connectors 573 and 574.

[0359] Each arm 530, 532 (and corresponding 550, 552) is rotatably mounted at its proximal end to the ends of the connectors 518, 520 on the applicable side of the housing, and can rotate around the axis of the connector. Each arm rotates around a longitudinally extending axis. Each arm at a particular end of the device is selectively and independently rotatable when the associated central coupling is released. Rotating a given arm allows the applicator and wheel mounted on that arm to retract from the wires and pass through obstacles, as described below. When one of the central couplings is released, one or both of the arms of the central coupling rotate, allowing the associated wheel and applicator to retract, while the other central coupling at the other end of the housing remains closed, ensuring that half of the housing remains securely connected and the device can continue to traverse the wires.

[0360] Each central joint is shown in a closed-connection configuration in Figures 30 and 31, forming a rigid connection between the housing halves. Each of the central joints 514, 516 is configured to be independently and selectively movable between this closed-connection configuration and an open-disconnection configuration during use, allowing the wheels and applicator to move around obstacles. This is achieved by opening the central joints and rotating one or both of the arms, for example, 530, 532. In the illustrated embodiment, both the wheels and applicator move around the wires by opening one of the central joints and the resulting rotation of the arms away from each other. In other embodiments, it is conceivable that some form of dynamic joint could be used to connect the applicator to its housing half, improving the degree of freedom of movement when the applicator moves away from obstacles and engages with a given conductor. For example, the type of joint described with respect to any of Figures 21 to 29 may be used. However, since the housing is configured to be divided to traverse obstacles in the embodiments of Figures 30 and 31, retraction of the applicator from the power line can still be achieved even when the applicator is fixedly coupled to the arm of the joint.

[0361] In this case as well, the center of mass of the device is located in a plane positioned below the plane in which the conductor and the bottom of the wheel are located. In Figure 30, the center of mass is indicated by point B below member 548 and between the applicators.

[0362] Figure 32 shows a device similar to those in Figures 30 and 31, where the corresponding parts have the same reference number incremented by 100. Note that the device shown in Figure 32 differs from the devices in Figures 30 and 31 in some details, for example, the applicator at the front is omitted, the camera is not shown, and instead, actuators 702 and 704 used to transition the applicator at the rear end between open and closed configurations are shown. The operation of devices 500 and 600 is the same.

[0363] Figure 32 shows the central joint 614 at the open end, with arms 650, 652 fitted with wheels 602, 603 rotated to disengage from the wires, allowing passage through a T-shaped obstacle 700 (here a suspension insulator). Here, such an obstacle is present on either conductor, requiring both arms 650, 652 to rotate around the axes of connectors 618, 620. The device can traverse midspan obstacles simply by the wheels rolling over the obstacle, as described, for example, in the embodiments of Figures 21-24 or 25-29. However, the segmented housing configuration of this further embodiment allows traversing other types of obstacles, such as suspension towers or dampers. The central joint at the front of the housing is open to allow it to traverse the obstacle, while the joint at the rear end remains closed, keeping the housing halves firmly fixed to each other, allowing the device 600 to continue traversing the wires, and the applicators 623, 624 apply treatment or coating to each conductor of the wire.

[0364] Figure 33 is a side view of the second housing half 612 of Figure 32, showing the position of the leading wheel 603 when it is rotated after the central joint 614 is opened and disengaged from and retracted from the power lines. Figure 34 is a top view of the device, further showing the opening of the joint at the front.

[0365] The opening of the central joint 614 between arms 650 and 652 is performed, as in the embodiments described above, under the control of a suitable obstacle avoidance system of the device, for example, based on obstacle detection and other inputs.

[0366] After the coupling 614 at the front is released, the device, i.e., the platform, can be stably driven forward over the suspension insulator 700. After the front wheels pass the obstacle, the arm rotates back to its original position, the front central coupling is closed again, and the wheels engage with its conductor. The front of the housing is then firmly connected, providing stability as the rear central coupling 616 is released and passes over the insulator 700. Thus, the front and rear central couplings can be selectively and independently opened.

[0367] Figures 35 and 36 illustrate the steps for opening the central coupling 616 at the rear end of the device in a scenario where there is a suspension insulator 703 associated with only the left conductor. Here, the applicators 623 and 624 are initially engaged around their respective conductors. In the first step, the left applicator 623 transitions from a closed configuration to an open configuration so as to disengage from its conductor. Figure 35 shows the left applicator 623 in the open configuration, in which case the right applicator 624 remains in the closed configuration. This is achieved as described with respect to Figures 21–24 or Figures 25–29 and is controlled by the actuator 702 associated with the applicator. Once applicator 623 is in its open configuration, the central coupling 616 can be opened, allowing the arm 630 to rotate to the position shown in Figure 36, thereby allowing the wheel 604 and applicator 623 to move around conductors and obstacles. The right-side applicator 624 and wheel 605 can engage with their respective conductors and remain in place, as there are no obstacles on their respective conductors in this example. The front-end center joint also remains closed, thereby stably connecting the housing half and allowing the robotic device / platform to continue traversing the wires (and applying coating / pretreatment to at least the right-side conductor). Figure 37 shows the configuration of Figure 36 from above.

[0368] When the obstacle is crossed, i.e., when the left wheel and applicator pass over the obstacle 703, arm 630 may rotate back to the position shown in Figure 35, and the central coupling closes again. Applicator 623 returns to its closed configuration, engaged around the conductor of applicator 623, and resumes pre-treatment / coating of the conductor. If the obstacle is associated with both conductors, at the tip, as in the examples of Figures 33 and 34, both arms of the trailing central coupling open to retract the wheel / applicator associated with the conductor.

[0369] Therefore, it will be understood that the segmented enclosure configurations shown in Figures 30 to 36 provide high flexibility in passing through a wide range of obstacles associated with either or both conductors.

[0370] It will be understood that a module, for example, an obstacle avoidance module, a pretreatment module, or a coating application module, may include any preferred set of components, including both electronic and mechanical components, for providing the functions described above. This function may be performed at least partially using software. Various embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the above description, but such illustrations and descriptions should be considered illustrative and not limiting. It will be understood that various modifications in form and detail can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

[0371] List of embodiments A: (The dependency of an embodiment in List A is a dependency of a specified embodiment within List A.) 1. A robotic device configured to pre-treat and / or coat overhead transmission lines or distribution lines, wherein the robotic device comprises a pre-treatment module and / or a coating application module, The robotic device is further equipped with an obstacle avoidance module.

[0372] 2. The robotic device according to Embodiment 1, wherein the pre-treatment module is configured to clean at least a portion of an overhead transmission line or distribution line, optionally the pre-treatment module is configured to clean one or more conductors of the overhead transmission line or distribution line in a single pass, and optionally the line comprises multiple conductors, and the coating application module is configured to clean multiple conductors of the line in a single pass.

[0373] 3. The robotic device according to Embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the pre-processing module is configured to prepare the surface of at least a portion of an overhead transmission line or distribution line.

[0374] 4. The pretreatment module comprises a mechanical polishing system and / or a chemical treatment system, as described in Embodiment 1, 2, or 3 of the robotic device.

[0375] 5. The robotic device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the coating application module is configured to coat one or more conductors of a wire in a single pass, and optionally the wire comprises multiple conductors, and the coating application module is configured to coat multiple conductors of the wire in a single pass.

[0376] 6. The robotic device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the obstacle avoidance module is configured to disconnect and / or move the pre-processing module and / or coating application module away from overhead power lines or distribution lines when they encounter one or more obstacles.

[0377] 7. The obstacle avoidance module is configured to roll over obstacles such as dampers, spacers, and compression joints on one or more wheels or engagement mechanisms, and / or to allow the device to pass through suspension towers or clamps encountered along power lines, according to any one of embodiments 1 to 6 of the robotic device.

[0378] 8. The obstacle avoidance module comprises one or more of the following: (i) a screw mechanism with a lever, (ii) a single rotary joint mechanism, (iii) a rotary joint mechanism having a central joint, or (iv) a rotary joint with a spring, according to any embodiment 1 to 7 of the robotic device.

[0379] 9. The robotic device comprises a set of mechanisms associated with the platform of the device, each mechanism being selectively able to engage and disengage with a power line or distribution line, at least one mechanism in the set of engaging mechanisms being able to disengage from the wire and pass through an obstacle, and optionally, several of the other mechanisms in the set of mechanisms remaining engaged with the wire to stably support the platform, as described in any embodiment 1 to 8.

[0380] 10. The robotic device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 9, comprising a pair of wheels associated with each link of a pair of links, the links being joined together at a central joint, and when the central joint is separated, the links rotate, allowing the wheels to move and avoid obstacles.

[0381] 11. An overhead transmission line or distribution line system, One or more overhead transmission lines or distribution lines, A system comprising one or more robotic devices as described in any of Embodiments 1 to 10.

[0382] 12. The steps include: positioning the robot device described in any of Embodiments 1 to 10 in close proximity to an overhead power transmission line or power distribution line; A step of having the robot device avoid one or more obstacles, Methods that include...

[0383] 13. A modification coating system configured to apply a coating to overhead transmission lines or distribution lines, A robotic device disclosed in any of Embodiments 1 to 10, A coating material applied to an overhead transmission line or distribution line by a robotic device to form a coating on the overhead transmission line or distribution line, A system equipped with these features.

[0384] List of embodiments B: (The dependency of an embodiment in List B is a dependency of a specified embodiment within List B.) 1. A robotic device configured to pre-process and / or coat overhead transmission lines or distribution lines, wherein the lines comprise one or more sets of conductors, The robotic device comprises a pre-treatment module and / or a coating module. The robotic device is further equipped with an obstacle avoidance module.

[0385] 2. The robotic device includes one or more applicators, such as end effectors, for performing pre-processing and / or coating operations. The robotic device according to Embodiment 1, wherein each applicator is configured to engage with one conductor in a set of one or more conductors of an electric wire and apply a pretreatment or coating to that conductor.

[0386] 3. The robotic device of Embodiment 2 comprises a pre-treatment module, and one or more applicators comprising a set of one or more applicators configured to apply pre-treatment in one or more forms of surface treatment, cleaning, mechanical polishing, and chemical treatment to one or more conductors in one or more sets of conductors of an electric wire.

[0387] 4. At least one of one or more applicators, and optionally each applicator, is configured to pre-treat or coat conductors by applying a fluid to each conductor of the applicator by a contact-based method, optionally, the method being selected from brushing, rolling, dip coating, fluid jet, flow coating, fluid deposition and processing, electrostatic painting, slot die coating, annular die coating, extrusion, and combinations thereof. The robotic device according to Embodiment 2 or 3, comprising a coating application module and a set of one or more applicators configured to apply a coating, each applicator for applying a coating being configured to coat a conductor by applying a fluid to each conductor of the applicator by a contact-based method selected from, for example, brushing, rolling, dip coating, fluid jet, flow coating, fluid deposition and processing, electrostatic painting, slot die coating, annular die coating, extrusion, and a combination thereof.

[0388] 5. A robotic device according to any one of embodiments 2 to 4, comprising a set of applicators for performing pretreatment and / or a set of applicators for performing a coating operation, wherein when the wire comprises a set of conductors, a different applicator in each set of applicators engages with each different conductor in the set of conductors, enabling pretreatment and / or coating of multiple conductors of the set of conductors in a single pass.

[0389] 6. A robotic device according to any one of embodiments 2 to 5, comprising at least one applicator in one or more applicators, and optionally each applicator configured to surround a conductor circumferentially when engaged around the conductor to apply a coating and / or pretreatment to the conductor.

[0390] 7. A robotic device according to any one of embodiments 2 to 6, comprising at least one applicator in one or more applicators, and optionally each applicator defining an annular shape when configured to engage around a conductor to apply a coating or pretreatment to the conductor, defining a central bore for receiving the conductor, and optionally the device comprising a coating application module and a set of one or more applicators configured to apply a coating, wherein each applicator in the set of one or more applicators for applying a coating is configured in this manner.

[0391] 8. A robotic device according to any one of embodiments 2 to 7, comprising at least one applicator from one or more applicators, and optionally each applicator being configured to transition between a closed configuration for engaging around a conductor of a wire to apply a pretreatment or coating to the conductor of a wire and an open configuration for disengaging from the conductor to pass an obstacle, and optionally the device comprising a coating application module and a set of one or more applicators configured to apply a coating, each of the one or more applicators for applying a coating being configured in this manner.

[0392] 9. The robotic device according to Embodiment 8, wherein at least one of the one or more applicators comprises first and second parts connected to each other at a hinge, the first and second parts being rotatable relative to each other around the hinge, and the applicator transitions between an open configuration and a closed configuration, for example, the applicator defines a shell-shaped structure.

[0393] 10. The robotic device according to Embodiment 8 or 9, wherein at least one of the one or more applicators is configured to transition, for example, under the control of an obstacle avoidance module, from a closed configuration to an open configuration for disengaging from the applicator's conductor to pass an obstacle.

[0394] 11. The robotic device according to any one of embodiments 8 to 10, comprising a plurality of applicators configured to transition between an open configuration and a closed configuration, each applicator being selectively and independently transitionable between an open configuration and a closed configuration as needed to pass an obstacle, for example, under the control of an obstacle avoidance module.

[0395] 12. A robotic device according to any one of embodiments 8 to 11, comprising an actuator associated with each applicator, wherein the actuator is configured to transition between an open configuration and a closed configuration in order to transition each applicator between its open configuration and a closed configuration.

[0396] 13. A robotic device according to any one of embodiments 2 to 12, wherein each of the one or more applicators is selectively retractable from the conductor to pass through an obstacle when in use.

[0397] 14. At least one applicator in one or more applicators, and optionally each applicator is coupled to the housing of a robotic device by a coupling that allows the applicator to retract from the conductor during use, for example each applicator is coupled to the housing of a robotic device by a coupling that allows the applicator to move relative to the housing of the device to retract from the conductor during use, for example the coupling comprises components that are movable relative to each other to allow the applicators to retract during use, and optionally the coupling comprises a rotary joint, a linear joint, or a four-bar linkage mechanism, The robotic device according to Embodiment 13, wherein the housing of the robotic device comprises portions connected to one or more central joints, each central joint defined between a pair of housing arms movable relative to one another to transition the central joints from a closed configuration in which the arms connect the housing portions to each other to an open configuration for passing through obstacles, and at least one applicator is mounted on one of the housing arms so that the applicator retracts when the arm moves when each central joint is opened.

[0398] 15. The robotic device according to embodiment 13 or 14, comprising at least one applicator from one or more applicators, and optionally each applicator being coupled to the housing of the robotic device by, for example, a robotic arm having at least six axes, preferably a multi-axis robotic arm.

[0399] 16. A robotic device according to any one of embodiments 13 to 15, wherein each applicator is selectively retractable from a conductor with which the applicator engages under the control of an obstacle avoidance module.

[0400] 17. The robotic device according to any one of embodiments 13 to 16, wherein at least one applicator, or optionally each applicator, is configured to transition from a closed configuration for engaging around the conductor of a wire to apply a pretreatment or coating to the conductor of a wire to an open configuration for disengaging from the conductor, and in the open configuration the applicator is positioned in an installation position and is configured to be retractable from the installation position to a retraction position where the applicator is positioned away from the conductor to pass through an obstacle.

[0401] 18. The robotic device according to any one of embodiments 13 to 17, comprising a plurality of applicators, each applicator being able to retract independently and selectively from each conductor of the wire as needed to pass through an obstacle.

[0402] 19. The robotic device according to any one of embodiments 13 to 18, wherein the obstacle avoidance module is operable to re-engage the applicator or each applicator with the respective conductor of the applicator or each applicator after passing an obstacle.

[0403] 20. A robotic device according to any one of embodiments 2 to 19, comprising a plurality of applicators, at least some of which are configured to engage with the same conductor of one or more sets of conductors to apply pretreatment and / or coating to that conductor, and / or at least some of which are configured to engage with a different conductor of each of the multiple conductors when the set of one or more conductors of a wire comprises multiple conductors to apply pretreatment and / or coating to each different conductor.

[0404] twenty one. A robotic device according to any one of embodiments 2 to 20, wherein at least some of one or more applicators can engage with each of the multiple conductors, if the set of one or more conductors of a wire comprises multiple conductors, to apply, for example, pretreatment and / or coating to each of the different conductors, and these applicators are mounted in the housing of the device by a robotic arm, such as a multi-axis robotic arm.

[0405] twenty two. One or more sets of conductors is a set relating to the phases of an overhead transmission line or distribution line, and one or more sets of conductors is a single conductor or a bundle of multiple conductors such as two, three, four or more conductors, and / or a pre-treatment module is configured to pre-treat a conductor to be pre-treated over its entire circumferential direction, and / or a coating module is configured to coat a conductor to be coated over its entire circumferential direction, and / or a device comprising one or more sets of applicators for performing pre-treatment and / or one or more sets of applicators for performing a coating operation, preferably a robotic device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 21, comprising both a pre-treatment module and a coating module, and comprising one or more sets of applicators for performing pre-treatment and one or more sets of applicators for performing a coating operation.

[0406] twenty three. The robotic device according to any embodiment 1 to 22, wherein the device comprises a plurality of wheels configured to engage with one or more conductors of one or more sets of conductors of a wire and run along the conductors in order to attach the device to the wire when in use, and optionally the device comprises actuators for each wheel to drive each wheel.

[0407] twenty four. The robotic device according to Embodiment 23, wherein the wheels are configured to roll over any obstacles encountered, such as midspan obstacles, including splice connections, dampers, spacers, or compression joints.

[0408] twenty five. The robotic device according to any one of embodiments 23 or 24, wherein each wheel is capable of selectively retracting from each conductor of one or more sets of conductors of the electric wire under which it is traveling in order to pass an obstacle.

[0409] 26. The robotic device according to Embodiment 25, wherein the device is configured such that when the wheels move away from the conductor of the power line they are traveling on in order to pass an obstacle during use, at least one of the wheels remains engaged with the conductor of the power line they are traveling on, thereby stably supporting the robotic device.

[0410] 27. The obstacle avoidance module is a robotic device according to embodiment 25 or 26, comprising a wheel retraction system that, when in use, allows the wheels to selectively retract from each conductor of the power line they are traveling over in order to pass an obstacle.

[0411] 28. The obstacle avoidance module is a robotic device according to any one of embodiments 25 to 27, wherein, when in use, the individual wheels are operable to retract independently and selectively from different conductors on each wire as necessary to pass an obstacle.

[0412] 29. The robotic device according to any one of embodiments 25 to 28, wherein the device is configured such that the wheels re-engage with its conductor after passing through an obstacle.

[0413] 30. The obstacle avoidance module includes one or more of the following to retract the wheels: (i) a screw mechanism with a lever, (ii) a single rotary joint mechanism, (iii) a rotary joint mechanism with a central joint, or (iv) a rotary joint with a spring. and / or the device comprises a housing having first and second parts connected to each other at the front and rear ends of the housing by first and second central joints, the first and second central joints being selectively operable to move one or more wheels and, optionally, one or more applicators of the device out of engagement with their respective conductors and into retraction in order to pass through obstacles. and / or the housing of the robotic device comprises portions connected to one or more central joints, each central joint defined between a pair of housing arms movable relative to one another to transition the central joint from a closed configuration connecting housing portions to one another to an open configuration for passing through obstacles, and at least one wheel and / or applicator is mounted on one of the housing arms so that when the arm moves when each central joint is open, the wheel and / or applicator retracts, and / or each wheel is coupled to the housing of the robot device by a coupling that allows the wheel to be retracted from the conductor during use, for example, a coupling that allows the wheel to move relative to the housing of the device in order to be retracted from the conductor during use, for example, the coupling comprises components that are movable relative to each other to allow the wheel to be retracted during use, and optionally the coupling comprises a rotary joint, a swing arm, a linear joint, a robot arm, a screw mechanism with a lever, or a four-bar linkage mechanism, as described in any one of embodiments 23 to 29.

[0414] 31. The device according to any one of embodiments 23 to 30, wherein the wheel is a pulley wheel.

[0415] 32. The robotic device comprises a body suspended below the wheels by the device housing, and optionally, the body is positioned at a distance of at least 15 cm below the wheels, as described in any of embodiments 23 to 31.

[0416] 33. The device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 32, further comprising one or more fluid tanks for holding fluids used in the pretreatment and / or coating of electric wires.

[0417] 34. The device according to embodiment 33, which is dependent on any of embodiments 23 to 32, wherein one or more fluid tanks are located below the wheels, preferably the entire fluid tank is located below the wheels.

[0418] 35. The device according to embodiment 34, which is dependent on embodiment 32, wherein one or more fluid tanks of the device are housed within the body of the device.

[0419] 36. The device according to embodiment 33, 34, or 35, further comprising a fluid supply system for supplying fluid from one or more tanks to one or more applicators of a pretreatment module and / or a coating application module.

[0420] 37. The fluid supply system is the device according to embodiment 36, comprising one or more sets of pumps and one or more sets of fluid conduits for supplying fluid to an applicator.

[0421] 38. The device according to Embodiment 37, which is directly or indirectly dependent on Embodiment 35, wherein one or more pumps are located within the body of the device, and one or more fluid conduits pass through the hollow interior of a housing portion that suspends the body of the device below the wheels to reach one or more applicators.

[0422] 39. The device according to any one of embodiments 23 to 38, wherein the plurality of wheels include first and second wheels configured to run on a first conductor of a set of one or more conductors of an electric wire, and the wheels are spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the robotic device and arranged front to back.

[0423] 40. The device according to Embodiment 39, wherein the first and second wheels are spaced at a distance of at least 20 cm or at least 25 cm along the length of the device, and / or less than 250 cm or less than 200 cm, and optionally the wheels are spaced at a distance in the range of 25 cm to 200 cm, and / or each wheel has a diameter in the range of 35 cm to 50 cm.

[0424] 41. The device according to embodiment 39 or 40, wherein the device housing comprises a longitudinally extending tubular support on which first and second wheels are mounted, and preferably the wheels are coupled to the tubular support such that the tubular support is positioned laterally outward of the wheels.

[0425] 42. The device according to Embodiment 41, which is directly or indirectly dependent on Embodiment 36, wherein one or more fluid conduits of the fluid supply system pass through the hollow interior of a tubular support to reach one or more applicators.

[0426] 43. The device according to any one of embodiments 39 to 42, wherein the first and second wheels are disposed at the front and rear ends of the device, respectively.

[0427] 44. The device according to Embodiment 43, wherein the device comprises a coating application module, the coating application module comprising an applicator disposed at the rear end of the housing toward the trailing side of the second wheel, and / or the device comprises a pre-treatment module, the pre-treatment module comprising an applicator disposed at the front end of the housing toward the leading side of the first wheel and / or an applicator at the rear end of the housing toward the trailing side of the second wheel.

[0428] 45. The device according to any one of embodiments 39 to 44, wherein the housing comprises a T-shaped connector defining a stem and a top bar, the top bar defining arms on each side of the stem, first and second wheels mounted on each of the arms, and the body of the device mounted on the bottom of the stem of the T-shaped connector.

[0429] 46. The device according to embodiment 45, wherein one or more fluid tanks for holding fluids used in the pretreatment and / or coating of electric wires are housed in the body of a housing suspended below the wheels by a T-connector.

[0430] 47. The device according to Embodiment 46, comprising a fluid supply system for supplying fluid from one or more tanks to a pretreatment module and / or coating module, wherein a T-shaped connector defines an internal cavity, and a set of one or more fluid conduits passes through the internal cavity to supply fluid from one or more tanks to one or more applicators of the pretreatment module and / or coating module.

[0431] 48. The device according to embodiment 47, wherein one or more pumps for delivering fluid from one or more tanks to one or more applicators through one or more sets of fluid conduits during use are provided within the body of the housing.

[0432] 49. The device according to any one of embodiments 45 to 48, wherein the housing body comprises a conceptual leading portion, a middle portion, and a trailing portion along its longitudinal direction, and the base of the stem of a T-connector is connected to the middle portion of the body, and / or the base of the stem of a T-connector is connected to the body at a longitudinally extending edge of the base.

[0433] 50. The device according to Embodiment 49, dependent on Embodiment 48, wherein first and second fluid tanks for holding fluids used in the pretreatment and / or coating of electric wires are provided in the front and rear portions of the main body, respectively, and optionally the central portion houses one or more pumps of a fluid supply system.

[0434] 51. The plurality of wheels include first and second wheels configured to run on a first conductor in a set of one or more conductors of a wire, the first and second wheels spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the robot device and arranged front to back, and third and fourth wheels configured to run on a second conductor in a set of one or more conductors of a wire, the third and fourth wheels spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the robot device and arranged front to back, with the first and third wheels and the second and fourth wheels each defining first and second pairs of spaced-apart wheels arranged front to back along the longitudinal direction of the device. The device according to any one of embodiments 23 to 28, optionally comprising one or more fluid tanks for holding fluids used in the pretreatment and / or coating of electric wires, wherein one or more fluid tanks are located below the wheels, for example, the entire fluid tank is located below the wheels, and / or the device further comprises a fluid supply system for supplying fluid from one or more tanks to one or more applicators of the pretreatment module and / or coating application module, for example, the fluid supply system comprising one or more sets of pumps and one or more sets of fluid conduits for supplying fluid to the applicators.

[0435] 52. The device comprises a housing having first and second halves, with first and second wheels mounted on the first half of the housing, and third and fourth wheels mounted on the second half of the housing, the housing comprising first and second central joints connecting the housing halves at the first and second ends of the housing halves, each central joint being selectively and independently deformable from a closed configuration in which the central joint connects the housing halves to each other to an open configuration in which the housing halves are separated at the joint, the first central joint comprising a first rotatable arm and a second rotatable arm of the housing A second central joint is defined between the third and fourth rotatable arms of the housing, the first and third wheels are mounted on the first and second rotatable arms, respectively, and the second and fourth wheels are mounted on the third and fourth rotatable arms, respectively, and when any one of the first, second, third, and fourth arms rotates and releases the central joint, which is partially formed by the arm, the wheels mounted on the arm are disengaged from their conductors, and the wheels move to a retracted position to pass through obstacles, The device according to Embodiment 51, wherein optionally, the first and second wheels and the third and fourth wheels are separated by a distance of at least 20 cm or at least 25 cm and / or less than 250 cm or less than 200 cm along the length of the device, and optionally, the first and second wheels and the third and fourth wheels are separated by a distance in the range of 25 cm to 200 cm, respectively.

[0436] 53. The device according to embodiment 52, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth arms are selectively and independently rotatable to deform their respective joints between a closed configuration and an open configuration.

[0437] 54. The obstacle avoidance module is configured to selectively deform only one of the central joints into an open configuration for passing through an obstacle, while leaving the other central joint in its closed configuration, thereby maintaining a stable connection between the housing halves, as described in Embodiment 52 or 53 of the device.

[0438] 55. The device according to any one of embodiments 52 to 54, comprising one or more applicators for performing pretreatment and / or coating operations, at least one applicator mounted on a first, second, third, and fourth arm, the applicator moving with the wheel to a retracted position to open one of the central joints when the arm rotates.

[0439] 56. The device according to any one of embodiments 52 to 55, wherein the first and second wheels are connected to each other by a first tubular support extending longitudinally through the first half of the housing, the third and fourth wheels are connected to each other by a second tubular support extending longitudinally through the second half of the housing, and optionally, the first and third arms are rotatably mounted on the ends of the first tubular support, and the second and fourth arms are rotatably mounted on the ends of the second tubular support.

[0440] 57. The device according to embodiment 56, wherein the housing comprises a first housing suspended below a first tubular support and comprising a first fluid tank, and a second housing suspended below a second tubular support and comprising a second fluid tank.

[0441] 58. The device according to embodiment 57, wherein one or more fluid conduits pass through the hollow interiors of the first and second supports to supply fluid from the tanks of the first and second tanks to one or more applicators of the device.

[0442] 59. The robotic device is the device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 58, which defines a space extending at a distance of at least 15 cm downward from the lowest conductive contact point of each wheel of the device.

[0443] 60. The device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 59, comprising only wheels configured to travel on the conductors of the electric wire during use, and not including wheels that travel below the conductors of the electric wire.

[0444] 61. The device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 60, wherein the device's wheels are exposed and not housed within any housing.

[0445] 62. The device is a device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 61, comprising an obstacle detection system, for example, one or more cameras, for detecting when the device is approaching an obstacle.

[0446] 63. The obstacle avoidance module is configured to retract one or more applicators and / or one or more wheels of the device from the power line to pass through the obstacle when an obstacle is detected, according to any embodiment 1 to 62 of the device.

[0447] 64. The robotic device is a device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 63, comprising a power system for providing power to the robotic device, an actuation system, a sensing and perception system, a control system, and / or a wireless communication system.

[0448] 65. The robotic device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 64, wherein the pre-treatment module is configured to clean at least a portion of an overhead transmission line or distribution line, optionally the pre-treatment module is configured to clean one or more conductors of the overhead transmission line or distribution line in a single pass, and optionally the line comprises multiple conductors, and the coating module is configured to clean multiple conductors of the line in a single pass.

[0449] 66. The robotic device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 65, wherein the pre-processing module is configured to prepare the surface of at least a portion of an overhead transmission line or distribution line.

[0450] 67. The pretreatment module comprises a mechanical polishing system and / or a chemical treatment system, as described in any embodiment 1 to 66 of the robotic device.

[0451] 68. A robotic device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 67, wherein the coating application module is configured to coat one or more conductors of a wire in a single pass, and optionally the wire comprises multiple conductors, and the coating application module is configured to coat multiple conductors of the wire in a single pass.

[0452] 69. The robotic device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 68, wherein the obstacle avoidance module is configured to disconnect and / or retract the pre-processing module and / or coating application module from overhead power lines or distribution lines when encountering one or more obstacles.

[0453] 70. The obstacle avoidance module comprises one or more of the following: (i) a screw mechanism with a lever, (ii) a single rotary joint mechanism, (iii) a rotary joint mechanism having a central joint, or (iv) a rotary joint with a spring, according to any embodiment 1 to 69.

[0454] 71. The robotic device comprises a set of mechanisms associated with the platform of the device, each mechanism being capable of selectively engaging and disengaging with a power line or distribution line, at least one mechanism of the set of engaging mechanisms being capable of disengaging from the line to pass through an obstacle, while at least one mechanism of the other mechanisms in the set of mechanisms, and optionally multiple mechanisms, remain engaged with the line to stably support the platform, as described in any embodiment 1 to 70.

[0455] 72. The robotic device comprises a pair of wheels associated with each link of a pair of links, the links being connected to each other at a central joint, and when the central joint is separated, the links rotate, allowing the wheels to move and avoid obstacles, as described in any embodiment 1 to 71.

[0456] 73. An overhead transmission line or distribution line system, An overhead transmission line or distribution line comprising one or more sets of conductors, A system comprising one or more robotic devices as described in any of Embodiments 1 to 72.

[0457] 74. The overhead transmission or distribution line system according to Embodiment 73, wherein one or more sets of conductors is a set relating to a given phase of an overhead transmission or distribution line, and one or more sets of conductors is a single conductor or a bundle of multiple conductors such as two, three, four or more conductors.

[0458] 75. The system according to embodiment 73 or 74, wherein at least two wheels of the device are configured to run on the same conductor if one or more sets of conductors of a wire comprises multiple conductors, and optionally one or more applicators are configured to engage around the same conductor.

[0459] 76. At least some of the one or more applicators can engage with a different conductor among the multiple conductors when the set of one or more conductors of the electric wire comprises multiple conductors, and apply pretreatment and / or coating to the conductors, for example, the system according to any one of embodiments 73 to 75, which is directly or indirectly dependent on Embodiment 2, wherein these applicators are mounted on the housing of the device by a multi-axis robotic arm.

[0460] 77. The system according to any one of embodiments 73 to 76, comprising a plurality of applicators, at least some of which are configured to engage with a conductor to apply pretreatment and / or coating to the same conductor of one or more sets of conductors, and / or which are configured to engage with a different conductor of each of the multiple conductors when the set of one or more conductors of a wire includes multiple conductors, to apply pretreatment and / or coating to the conductors.

[0461] 78. The steps include: positioning the robot device according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 72 in close proximity to an overhead power transmission line or distribution line; The steps include having a robotic device traverse a wire, while simultaneously applying a coating and / or pretreatment to the wire and passing through one or more obstacles, A method that includes this.

[0462] 79. A modification coating system configured to apply a coating to overhead transmission lines or distribution lines, A robotic device disclosed in any of Embodiments 1 to 72, A coating material applied to an overhead transmission line or distribution line by a robotic device to form a coating on the overhead transmission line or distribution line, A system equipped with these features.

[0463] 80. The steps include: positioning the robot device according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 72 in close proximity to an overhead power transmission line or distribution line; A step of having the robot device avoid one or more obstacles, A method that includes this.

[0464] 81. A modification coating system configured to apply a coating to overhead transmission lines or distribution lines, A robotic device disclosed in any of Embodiments 1 to 72, A coating material applied to an overhead transmission line or distribution line by a robotic device to form a coating on the overhead transmission line or distribution line, A system equipped with these features.

[0465] 82. The devices weigh between 25 and 75 kg. And / or the device has a length of at least 0.75m and / or 3m or less. And / or the device has a width of at least 30 cm and / or less than 80 cm. The device, system, or method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 81, wherein the device is at least 35 cm in height and / or less than 70 cm in height. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0466] 1, 1', 1", 1"', 10, 30, 50 wheels 3, 3', 3", 3"' Obstacle avoidance movement mechanism 12 Robotic Devices 14, 34, 54, 120 conductors 16. Central joint 18, 38, 58, 60, 70, 80 tanks 20, 40, 100, 110, 130, 174 Applicators 46, 56, 64, 74, 84 arms 62, 72 rods 90 End Effector 102 Fluid outlet 112 Inlet 114 Inner filling chamber 116 Contact Interface Structure 118 Outlet 140 Section 4 Mechanism Assembly 170 Fluid supply system 172 Storage containers 176 Pumps 178 Flow meter 180 Pressure Sensor 200 vs 202 wheels, sealed hood 210 Groove 212 Custom Polishing Brushes 214 Motor 300 robotic devices 302, 304 wheels 306, 308 fittings 312 Top bar 314 Stem 316 T-shaped connector 318, 323 Applicators Parts 320, 322, 324, 326 325, 329 Actuator Housing 327, 328 hinges 330, 332 fittings 340, 342, 344, 346 Cameras 350 Main Unit 351, 353 Edge 352 Central part 300, 400 devices 402 Leading wheel 404 Rear wheels 431 Groove 433 Rim 450 Main Unit 454, 456 outer part, area 460 pump 462 Controller 500 devices 502 The First Wheel 503 The Third Wheel 504 The Second Wheel 505 The Fourth Wheel 510, 512 Half of the enclosure 514, 516 Central joint 517, 519 Applicators 518, 520 Tubular connectors 522, 524 Housing 523, 525 Applicators 530, 532 Arm 544, 546, 548, 550 Camera 550, 552 Arm 560, 562, 570, 571, 573, 574 connectors 602, 603, 605 wheels 614, 616 Central joint 618, 620 connectors 623, 624 Applicators 630, 650, 652 Arms 700 T-shaped obstacle, suspension insulator Actuators 702 and 704 703 Suspension insulator

Claims

1. A robotic device configured to pre-treat and / or coat overhead transmission lines or distribution lines, wherein the lines comprise one or more sets of conductors, The robot device comprises a pre-treatment module and / or a coating module, The robot device further comprises an obstacle avoidance module. The robotic device comprises one or more applicators for performing pre-processing and / or coating operations. Each applicator is configured to engage with one of the conductors in the set of one or more conductors of the electric wire when in use, to apply a pretreatment or coating to the conductor. Each of the one or more applicators is selectively retractable from the conductor to pass through obstacles during use. The device comprises a plurality of wheels configured to engage with one or more conductors in the set of one or more conductors of the electric wire and travel along the conductors when in use, the wheels configured to roll over any obstacles encountered, such as midspan obstacles including splice connections, dampers, spacers, or pressure joints.

2. The robot device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more applicators is coupled to the housing of the robot device by a coupling that allows the applicator to be retracted from the conductor during use, the coupling allowing the applicator to move relative to the housing of the device to retract from the conductor during use, for example, the coupling comprises components that are movable relative to each other to allow the applicator to be retracted during use, and optionally the coupling comprises a rotary joint, a swing arm, a linear joint, or a four-bar linkage mechanism.

3. The robot device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the housing of the robot device comprises portions connected to each other by one or more central joints, each central joint defined between a pair of arms of the housing that are movable relative to each other, the arms transition the central joint from a closed configuration connecting the housing portions to an open configuration for passing through obstacles, at least one applicator is mounted on one of the housing arms, and the applicator retracts when the housing arm moves when each of the central joints is opened.

4. The robotic device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one of the one or more applicators, and optionally each applicator is coupled to the housing of the robotic device by, for example, a multi-axis robotic arm having at least six axes.

5. The robotic device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each applicator is selectively retractable from the conductor, and the applicators engage with the conductor under the control of the obstacle avoidance module.

6. The robotic device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the robotic device comprises a plurality of applicators, each applicator being able to retract independently and selectively from each conductor of the electric wire as necessary to pass through an obstacle.

7. The robotic device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the device comprises a pre-treatment module, and the one or more applicators comprises a set of one or more applicators configured to apply a pre-treatment to one or more conductors in the set of one or more conductors of the electric wire, in one or more forms of surface treatment, cleaning, mechanical polishing, and chemical treatment.

8. The robotic device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein at least one of the one or more applicators, and optionally each applicator, is configured to pre-treat or coat the conductor by applying a fluid to the respective conductor of the applicator by a contact-based method, for example, the method being selected from brushing, rolling, dip coating, fluid jet, flow coating, fluid deposition and processing, electrostatic painting, slot die coating, annular die coating, extrusion, and combinations thereof.

9. The robotic device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising a coating application module and a set of one or more applicators configured to apply the coating, each of the applicators for applying the coating being configured to coat the conductor by applying a fluid to each conductor of the applicator in a contact-based method, for example, the method being selected from brushing, rolling, dip coating, fluid jet, flow coating, fluid deposition and processing, electrostatic painting, slot die coating, annular die coating, extrusion, and a combination thereof.

10. A robotic device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a pre-treatment module is provided, the pre-treatment module is configured to apply the pre-treatment to the conductor to be pre-treated over the entire circumference, and / or a coating module is provided, the coating module is configured to apply the coating to the conductor to be coated over the entire circumference.

11. The robotic device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein at least one applicator in the one or more applicators, and optionally each applicator is configured to surround the conductor circumferentially when engaged around the conductor to apply the coating or pretreatment to the conductor.

12. At least one of the one or more applicators defines an annular shape when configured to engage around the conductor to apply the coating or pretreatment to the conductor, defining a central bore for receiving the conductor, and optionally the device comprises a coating application module and a set of one or more applicators configured to apply the coating, each of the one or more applicators for applying the coating being configured in this way, the robotic device according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The robotic device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, comprising at least one of the one or more applicators, and optionally each applicator configured to transition between a closed configuration for engaging with the conductor of the wire to apply a pretreatment or coating to the conductor of the wire and an open configuration for disengaging from the conductor to pass an obstacle, and optionally the device comprising a coating application module and a set of one or more applicators configured to apply the coating, each of the one or more applicators for applying the coating being configured in this way.

14. The robotic device according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the one or more applicators comprises first and second components connected to each other at a hinge, the first and second components being rotatable relative to each other around the hinge to transition the applicator between the open configuration and the closed configuration, for example, the applicator defining a shell-shaped structure.

15. The robotic device according to claim 13 or 14, wherein at least one of the one or more applicators is configured, for example, under the control of the obstacle avoidance module, to transition from the closed configuration to the open configuration for disengaging from the applicator's conductor to pass through an obstacle.

16. The robotic device according to any one of embodiments 13 to 15, comprising a plurality of applicators configured to transition between an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein each applicator can selectively and independently transition between the open configuration and the closed configuration as needed to pass an obstacle, for example, under the control of the obstacle avoidance module.

17. The robotic device according to any one of claims 13 to 16, comprising an actuator associated with each applicator, wherein the actuator is configured to transition between an open configuration and a closed configuration in order to transition each applicator between an open configuration and a closed configuration.

18. The robot device comprises one or more sets of applicators for performing pretreatment and / or one or more sets of applicators for performing a coating operation, preferably the robot device comprises both a pretreatment module and a coating application module, and comprises one or more sets of applicators for performing pretreatment and one or more sets of applicators for performing a coating operation, according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

19. The robotic device according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein each wheel is selectively retractable from each of the sets of one or more conductors of the electric wire on which the wheel travels in order to pass an obstacle.

20. The robotic device according to claim 19, wherein when the wheels move away from the conductor of the electric wire they are traveling on in order to pass an obstacle during use, at least one of the other wheels remains engaged with the conductor of the electric wire they are traveling on, thereby stably supporting the robotic device.

21. The robotic device according to claim 19 or 20, wherein each wheel can be retracted independently and selectively from each conductor of the electric wire as needed to pass an obstacle during use.

22. Each wheel is coupled to the housing of the robot device by a coupling that allows the wheel to move relative to the housing of the device in order to retract from the conductor during use, for example, the coupling comprises components that are movable relative to each other to allow the wheel to retract during use, and optionally the coupling comprises a spring joint, rotary joint, swing arm, linear joint, robot arm, lever-driven screw mechanism, or four-bar linkage mechanism, The robotic device according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the device comprises a housing having first and second longitudinally extending portions connected to each other at the front and rear ends of the housing by first and second central joints, the first and second central joints being selectively operable to disengage and retract one or more wheels and, optionally, one or more applicators of the device from their respective conductors in order to pass an obstacle.

23. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the wheel is a pulley wheel.

24. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 23, further comprising one or more fluid tanks for holding a fluid used in the pretreatment and / or coating of the electric wire.

25. The device according to claim 24, wherein the one or more fluid tanks are all located below the wheels.

26. The device according to claim 24 or 25, further comprising a fluid supply system for supplying fluid from one or more tanks to one or more of the applicators of the pretreatment module and / or coating module, wherein the fluid supply system comprises one or more sets of pumps and one or more sets of fluid conduits for supplying fluid to the applicators.

27. The robotic device according to any one of claims 1 to 26, comprising a body suspended below the wheels by the housing of the device, wherein optionally the body is positioned at a distance of at least 15 cm below the wheels.

28. The device according to claim 27, wherein the one or more fluid tanks of the device are housed within the main body of the device, directly or indirectly dependent on any one of claims 24 to 26.

29. The device according to claim 28, directly or indirectly dependent on claim 26, wherein the one or more pumps are located within the body of the device, and the one or more fluid conduits pass through the hollow interior of the housing portion that suspends the body of the device below the wheels to reach the one or more applicators.

30. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 29, wherein the plurality of wheels comprises first and second wheels configured to run on a first conductor of the set of one or more conductors of the electric wire, and the wheels are spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the robotic device and arranged front to back.

31. The device according to claim 30, wherein the first and second wheels are spaced at a distance of at least 20 cm or at least 25 cm and / or less than 250 cm or less than 200 cm along the length of the device, and optionally the wheels are spaced at a distance in the range of 25 cm to 200 cm and / or each wheel has a diameter in the range of 35 cm to 50 cm.

32. The device according to claim 30 or 31, wherein the housing of the device comprises a longitudinally extending tubular support on which the first and second wheels are mounted, and optionally the wheels are coupled to the tubular support such that the support is positioned laterally outward of the wheels.

33. The device according to claim 32, which is directly or indirectly dependent on claim 29, wherein one or more fluid conduits of the fluid supply system pass through the hollow interior of the tubular support to reach one or more applicators.

34. The device according to any one of claims 30 to 33, wherein the first and second wheels are disposed at the front and rear ends of the device, respectively.

35. The device according to claim 34, wherein the device comprises a coating module, the coating module comprises an applicator disposed at the rear end of the housing toward the trailing side of the second wheel, and / or the device comprises a pre-treatment module, the pre-treatment module comprises an applicator disposed at the front end of the housing toward the leading side of the first wheel and / or an applicator at the rear end of the housing toward the trailing side of the second wheel.

36. The device according to any one of claims 30 to 35, wherein the housing comprises a T-shaped connector defining a stem and a top bar, the top bar defining arms on each side of the stem, the first and second wheels being mounted on each of the arms, and the main body of the device being mounted on the bottom of the stem of the T-shaped connector.

37. The device according to claim 36, wherein one or more fluid tanks for holding fluids used in the pretreatment and / or coating of the electric wires are housed in the main body of the housing which is suspended below the wheels by the T-connector.

38. The device according to claim 37, comprising a fluid supply system for supplying fluid from one or more tanks to the pretreatment module and / or coating module, wherein the T-shaped connector defines an internal cavity, and a set of one or more fluid conduits passes through the internal cavity to supply fluid from one or more tanks to one or more applicators of the pretreatment module and / or coating module.

39. The device according to claim 38, wherein one or more pumps for delivering fluid from one or more tanks to one or more applicators through one or more sets of fluid conduits are provided within the main body of the housing.

40. The device according to any one of claims 36 to 38, wherein the body of the housing comprises a conceptual leading portion, a middle portion, and a trailing portion along the longitudinal direction, the base of the stem of the T-shaped connector is connected to the middle portion of the body, and / or the base of the stem of the T-shaped connector is connected to the body at a longitudinally extending edge of the base.

41. The device according to claim 40, wherein first and second fluid tanks for holding fluids used in the pretreatment and / or coating of electric wires are provided within the leading and trailing portions, respectively, and optionally the central portion houses one or more pumps of the fluid supply system.

42. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 29, wherein the plurality of wheels include first and second wheels configured to run on a first conductor in the set of one or more conductors of the electric wire, the first and second wheels spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the robot device and arranged front to back, and third and fourth wheels configured to run on a second conductor in the set of one or more conductors of the electric wire, the third and fourth wheels spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the robot device and arranged front to back, the first and third wheels and the second and fourth wheels each define a first and second pair of spaced-apart wheels arranged front to back along the longitudinal direction of the device.

43. The device comprises a housing having first and second halves, the first and second wheels mounted on the first half of the housing, the third and fourth wheels mounted on the second half of the housing, the housing comprises first and second central joints connecting the housing halves at the first and second ends of the housing halves, each central joint being selectively and independently deformable from a closed configuration in which the central joint connects the housing halves to each other to an open configuration in which the housing halves are separated at the joint, the first central joint being between a first rotatable arm and a second rotatable arm of the housing The device according to claim 42, wherein the second central joint is defined between a third rotatable arm and a fourth rotatable arm of the housing, the first and third wheels are mounted on the first and second rotatable arms, respectively, and the third and fourth wheels are mounted on the third and fourth rotatable arms, respectively, and when any one of the first, second, third, and fourth arms rotates to release the central joint, which is partially formed by the arm, the wheel mounted on the arm is disengaged from its conductor, and the wheel moves to a retracted position to pass through an obstacle.

44. The device according to claim 43, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth arms are selectively and independently rotatable to deform the respective joints of the arms between the closed configuration and the open configuration.

45. The device according to claim 43 or 44, wherein the obstacle avoidance module is configured to selectively deform only one of the central joints into an open configuration for passing through an obstacle, while leaving the other central joint in its closed configuration, thereby maintaining a stable connection between the housing halves.

46. The device according to any one of claims 43 to 45, wherein at least one of the one or more applicators is mounted on one of the first, second, third, and fourth arms, and the applicator moves to a retracted position together with the wheel when the arm rotates to open one of the central joints.

47. The device according to claim 46, wherein the first and second wheels are connected to each other by a first tubular support extending longitudinally in the first half of the housing, and the third and fourth wheels are connected to each other by a second tubular support extending longitudinally in the second half of the housing.

48. The device according to claim 47, wherein the housing comprises a first housing suspended below the first tubular support and comprising a first fluid tank, and a second housing suspended below the second tubular support and comprising a second fluid tank.

49. The device according to claim 48, wherein one or more fluid conduits pass through the hollow interior of each of the first and second supports to supply fluid from each of the first and second tanks to one or more of the applicators of the device.

50. The robot device according to any one of claims 1 to 49, wherein the robot device defines a space extending at least 15 cm downward from the lowest conductive contact point of each wheel of the device.

51. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 50, wherein the device comprises only wheels configured to run on the conductor of the electric wire when in use, and does not include wheels that run below the conductor of the electric wire.

52. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 51, wherein the wheels of the device are exposed and not housed within any housing.

53. A robotic device according to any one of claims 1 to 52, comprising a set of applicators for performing pretreatment and / or a set of applicators for performing a coating operation, wherein, when the wire comprises a set of conductors, a different applicator in each set of applicators engages with each different conductor in the set of conductors, enabling pretreatment and / or coating of a plurality of conductors in the set of conductors in a single pass.

54. The robotic device according to any one of claims 1 to 53, wherein the device has a weight in the range of 25 to 75 kg.

55. An overhead transmission line or distribution line system, An overhead transmission line or distribution line comprising one or more sets of conductors, One or more robotic devices according to any one of claims 1 to 54, A system equipped with these features.

56. The overhead transmission or distribution line system according to claim 55, wherein the set of one or more conductors is a set relating to a given phase of the overhead transmission or distribution line, and the set of one or more conductors is a single conductor or a bundle of multiple conductors such as two, three, four or more conductors.

57. The system according to claim 55 or 56, wherein at least two wheels of the device are configured to run on the same conductor if the set of one or more conductors of the electric wire comprises multiple conductors, and optionally one or more applicators are configured to engage around the same conductor.

58. The system according to any one of claims 55 to 57, wherein at least some of the one or more applicators can engage with a different conductor among the multiple conductors, if the set of one or more conductors of the electric wire comprises multiple conductors, and these applicators are mounted on the housing of the device by a multi-axis robotic arm.

59. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 58, comprising a plurality of applicators, at least some of the applicators configured to engage with a conductor to apply the pretreatment and / or coating to the same conductor of the set of one or more conductors, and / or at least some of the applicators configured to engage with a different conductor of each of the plurality of conductors when the set of one or more conductors of the wire includes a plurality of conductors, to apply the pretreatment and / or coating to the conductor.

60. The steps of installing the robotic device according to any one of claims 1 to 54 on an overhead power transmission line or distribution line, A method comprising the steps of having the robotic device cross the electric wire, while applying a coating and / or pretreatment to the electric wire, and passing through one or more obstacles.

61. A modification coating system configured to apply a coating to overhead transmission lines or distribution lines, A robotic device disclosed in any one of claims 1 to 54, A coating material applied to an overhead power transmission line or distribution line by the robotic device to form a coating on the overhead power transmission line or distribution line, A system equipped with these features.

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