Floating mobile body and probe mechanism

Abstract

To bring a floating movable body into contact with an object by proper pressure.SOLUTION: A floating movable body comprises a base material 11 to which one end of a spring 13 is connected, and a shaft 12 to which the other end of the spring 13 is connected, that is, the shaft 12 that is relatively moved in the direction of the central axis of the shaft 12 with respect to the base material 11 when it is brought into contact with an object. The spring 13 is arranged so that the central axis of the spring 13 can make an angle with the central axis of the shaft.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a floating mobile body and a probe mechanism.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, unmanned aerial vehicles have been used for various purposes and their development has been actively carried out. As unmanned aerial vehicles, radio-controlled unmanned helicopters and so-called drones are used. Here, a technique of attaching an arm to an unmanned aerial vehicle to perform various operations is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, it is described that the change in the center of gravity when a fruit is held by an arm is offset by the movement of a battery or a motor to stabilize the aircraft.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] One possibility is to use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to inspect structures. For example, a probe on a wind turbine could be inspected. In this case, a probe attached to the drone would be brought into contact with the wind turbine's receptor to check for conductivity. However, when a probe attached to a drone is brought into contact with the receptor, the reaction force from the receptor may destabilize the drone's attitude. The impact of contact and the sudden disappearance of the reaction force when the drone separates from the contact point are particularly significant. Furthermore, if the probe is fixed to the drone body, the reaction force when attempting to move forward beyond the contact point will cause the drone to rotate, while even a slight backward movement will immediately cause the drone to separate from the contact point, making it difficult to maintain a suitable contact state. To address this, for example, by installing a compression spring, the reaction force can be gradually changed as the probe moves forward or backward within the range of the compression spring's stroke while in contact with the receptor. This can mitigate the impact of contact and the sudden disappearance of the reaction force when separating. At the same time, as long as the aircraft's position changes within the stroke range, contact can be maintained without generating excessive reaction force.

[0005] However, using a compression spring increases the overall length of the probe, which may increase the mass of the unmanned aerial vehicle. Also, for example, a compression spring requires space to accommodate the spring in its most compressed state, and this space increases the overall length of the probe. Furthermore, the reaction force generated by the compression spring on the probe is proportional to the displacement of the spring. Considering shock absorption and stabilization of drone control, it is preferable that the reaction force of the spring immediately after the probe contacts the receptor be small. The same applies to the decrease in reaction force when the aircraft moves away from the contact state. In other words, when the probe contacts the receptor, if the reaction force increases rapidly, it may become difficult to control the aircraft and its attitude may become unstable. Therefore, it is preferable that the change in reaction force be gradual. On the other hand, if the aircraft gets too close to the wind turbine, there is a risk of the aircraft and the wind turbine coming into contact, so it is preferable to push the aircraft back strongly. However, if the spring constant of the compression spring is set so that the spring reaction force immediately after the probe contacts the receptor is small, it may become difficult to generate a strong reaction force to push the aircraft back, even when the aircraft gets too close to the wind turbine.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the various circumstances described above, and its purpose is to bring a floating moving body into contact with an object at an appropriate pressure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is, A base material to which one end of the spring is connected, A shaft to which the other end of the spring is connected, the shaft moving relative to the base material in the direction of the central axis of the shaft when it comes into contact with the object, Equipped with, The spring is positioned such that its central axis is at an angle to the central axis of the shaft. It is a floating, moving object.

[0008] Furthermore, one aspect of the present invention is, A base material to which one end of a tension spring is connected, A shaft to which the other end of the tension spring is connected, the shaft moving relative to the base material in the direction of the central axis of the shaft when it comes into contact with the object, Equipped with, The substrate is provided with a guide that supports the shaft so as to be movable in the central axis direction, The other end of the tension spring is connected to the side of the guide that moves relative to the base material when the shaft contacts the object. The aforementioned tension spring, Before the shaft comes into contact with the object, the central axis of the tension spring is perpendicular to the central axis of the shaft. After the shaft comes into contact with the object, the angle between the central axis of the tension spring and the central axis of the shaft decreases as the base material approaches the object. to be placed It is a probe mechanism. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, a floating moving body can be brought into contact with an object at an appropriate pressure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of a schematic configuration of a drone for inspecting a wind turbine according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of a schematic configuration of a drone equipped with a probe mechanism according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of a schematic configuration of the probe mechanism according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a view from above of the probe mechanism according to the embodiment, immediately after it has come into contact with the object. [Figure 5] This is a view from above of the state when the drone is moving forward after the probe mechanism according to the embodiment has made contact with the target object. [Figure 6] This is a view from above of the state immediately after the drone has moved backward from the state shown in Figure 5 according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a view from above of the state in which the drone according to the embodiment is retreating. [Figure 8] It is a diagram comparing a probe using a conventional compression spring and a probe mechanism according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the amount of movement and the reaction force of the shaft according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a diagram summarizing whether the reaction forces generated in each of the lines L1, L2, L3, and L4 according to the embodiment satisfy the requirements. [Figure 11] It is a diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of the probe mechanism according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] It is a view from above of the probe mechanism according to the second embodiment, showing the state before the shaft and the conducting wire contact the object. [Figure 13] It is a view from above of the probe mechanism according to the second embodiment, showing the state after the shaft or the conducting wire contacts the object. [Figure 14] It is a diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of the probe mechanism according to the third embodiment.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] The floating moving body according to the present invention includes a base material to which one end of a spring is connected, and a shaft to which the other end of the spring is connected, the shaft being configured to move relative to the base material in the central axis direction of the shaft when contacting an object. And the spring is arranged such that the central axis of the spring has an angle with respect to the central axis of the shaft.

[0012] The shaft, when its tip contacts an object, can move relative to the base material in the direction of its central axis. A component for inspecting the object can be attached to the tip of this shaft. A spring is connected to the shaft. Note that the spring does not necessarily need to be directly connected to the shaft; it may be connected via a component fixed to the shaft. One end of the spring is connected to the base material, and it stretches as the shaft moves relative to the base material. Because the stretched spring generates elastic force, it generates an elastic force that returns the shaft, which has moved in contact with the object, to its original position.

[0013] The spring is positioned such that its central axis is at an angle to the central axis of the shaft. That is, the spring is positioned so that its central axis and the central axis of the shaft are not parallel. Since the other end of the spring is connected to the shaft, the position of the other end of the spring changes as the shaft moves, and therefore the angle between the central axis of the shaft and the central axis of the spring changes. As the spring stretches, the elastic force generated in the direction of the central axis of the spring increases, and furthermore, as the spring stretches, the angle between the central axis of the shaft and the central axis of the spring decreases. Therefore, as the spring stretches, the component of the elastic force in the direction of the central axis of the shaft increases. Consequently, the force pushing the shaft back increases nonlinearly as the shaft moves, and the reaction force that the shaft receives from the object also increases nonlinearly.

[0014] Immediately after the shaft contacts the object, the increase in reaction force relative to the increase in the shaft's movement (hereinafter also referred to as the rate of increase in reaction force) is small, thus suppressing a rapid increase in reaction force. This makes it easier to control the moving body and prevents the body's posture from becoming unstable. On the other hand, as the shaft's movement increases, the rate of increase in reaction force increases, causing the reaction force to increase rapidly. This generates a large force that pushes the moving body back before any other parts of the moving body besides the shaft come into contact with the object, allowing the moving body to be strongly pushed back. Therefore, contact between parts other than the shaft and the object can be suppressed.

[0015] Furthermore, the spring is a tension spring, and after the shaft has come into contact with the object, the spring may be positioned such that the angle between the central axis of the spring and the central axis of the shaft decreases as the base material approaches the object. As the base material approaches the object, the angle between the central axis of the spring and the central axis of the shaft decreases, allowing a greater force to be applied to the shaft, thus obtaining a greater reaction force. Therefore, contact between the moving body and the object can be suppressed. Also, immediately after the shaft comes into contact with the object, the angle between the central axis of the spring and the central axis of the shaft is large, resulting in a small reaction force, and the rate of increase in the reaction force due to the movement of the shaft is also small, making it easier to control the moving body.

[0016] Furthermore, the base material is provided with a guide that supports the shaft so as to be movable in the central axis direction, The other end of the spring may be connected to the side of the guide that is in the direction in which the shaft moves relative to the base material when it comes into contact with the object. The base material, with the guide, allows the shaft to move relative to the base material in the direction of the shaft's central axis. Furthermore, because the other end of the spring is connected to the side of the guide that is in the direction of the shaft's movement, the spring can extend as the shaft moves. For example, a linear bush can be used as the guide.

[0017] Furthermore, before the shaft contacts the object, the spring may be positioned such that its central axis is perpendicular to the central axis of the shaft. When the central axis of the spring is perpendicular to the central axis of the shaft, even if an elastic force is generated in the spring, no force is generated in the direction that moves the shaft. Therefore, the elastic force immediately after contact with the object can be reduced. On the other hand, when the shaft contacts the object and is pushed, the shaft moves relative to the base material. As a result, the angle between the central axis of the spring and the central axis of the shaft becomes less than 90 degrees. This generates an elastic force in the direction that brings the shaft into contact with the object. Also, the more the shaft moves, the greater the elastic force can be made.

[0018] Furthermore, after the shaft has come into contact with the object, the spring may be positioned such that when the amount of movement of the shaft is less than the target amount of movement, the ratio of the increase in the reaction force to the increase in the amount of movement of the shaft is less than a predetermined value, and when the amount of movement of the shaft is greater than the target amount of movement, the ratio of the increase in the reaction force to the increase in the amount of movement of the shaft is greater than a predetermined value. As described above, as the shaft moves after coming into contact with the object, the angle between the shaft and the spring decreases and the spring stretches, causing the reaction force to increase nonlinearly. Here, when the amount of movement of the shaft is less than the target amount of movement, a relatively small ratio of the increase in the reaction force to the increase in the amount of movement of the shaft (hereinafter also referred to as the rate of increase of the reaction force) makes it easier to control the moving body. In this case, by positioning the spring so that the rate of increase of the reaction force is less than a predetermined value, it becomes easier to control the moving body. On the other hand, when the amount of movement of the shaft is greater than the target amount of movement, a relatively large rate of increase of the reaction force can suppress the moving body from coming into contact with the object. In this case, by arranging the springs so that the rate of increase of the reaction force is greater than a predetermined value, contact between the moving body and the object can be suppressed. Here, the rate of increase of the reaction force can vary depending on, for example, the spring constant and the length of the spring before the shaft contacts the object. Therefore, by determining the spring constant and the length of the spring before the shaft contacts the object, etc., so as to satisfy the above conditions, and arranging the springs, it is possible to reduce the rate of increase of the reaction force when the amount of shaft movement is less than the target amount of movement, and to increase the rate of increase of the reaction force when the amount of shaft movement is greater than the target amount of movement. The predetermined value mentioned above is the rate of increase of the reaction force when the amount of shaft movement is the target amount of movement, and is the rate of increase that marks the boundary between the rate of increase that stabilizes the posture of the moving body and the rate of increase that strongly pushes back the moving body.

[0019] Furthermore, the probe mechanism according to the present invention comprises a base material to which one end of a tension spring is connected, and a shaft to which the other end of the tension spring is connected, the shaft moving relative to the base material in the direction of the central axis of the shaft when it comes into contact with an object, the base material is provided with a guide that supports the shaft so as to be movable in the direction of the central axis, the other end of the tension spring is connected to the side of the guide that is in the direction in which the shaft moves relative to the base material when it comes into contact with the object, and the tension spring is positioned such that, before the shaft comes into contact with the object, the central axis of the tension spring is perpendicular to the central axis of the shaft, and after the shaft comes into contact with the object, the angle between the central axis of the tension spring and the central axis of the shaft becomes smaller as the base material approaches the object.

[0020] A probe is a tool used to examine an object by contacting it, and its shape is needle-like. It is not limited to that. Furthermore, while the probe mechanism can be attached to a floating mobile body, it is not limited to floating mobile bodies.

[0021] The embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, unless otherwise specified, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described in this embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of this invention to those specific components. Furthermore, the following embodiments can be combined as much as possible.

[0022] <First Embodiment> In the first embodiment, a drone 1 for inspecting a wind turbine 20 will be used as an example. Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of the drone 1 for inspecting the wind turbine 20 according to the embodiment. The wind turbine 20 comprises a tower 21 that stands upright on the ground and blades 22 that are mounted on the top of the tower 21 and rotate when they receive wind. The drone 1 is an example of a floating mobile body.

[0023] Drone 1 is a drone used to inspect, for example, a receptor 23 attached to the blade 22 of a wind turbine 20. In the wind turbine 20, the receptor 23 is sometimes installed to mitigate damage from lightning strikes. The receptor 23 is connected to the ground electrode via a wire or the like, so that the lightning current flows from the receptor 23 to the ground electrode.

[0024] Drone 1 checks whether the wire from the receptor 23 to the ground electrode is conductive. For example, Drone 1 may detect the current value when a voltage is applied to the receptor 23. Therefore, since Drone 1 also needs to be connected to the ground electrode via a wire, Drone 1 is connected to a wire 30 that leads to the ground electrode. This wire 30 may include a wire for controlling Drone 1 or a wire for supplying power to Drone 1. The wire 30 is connected to an inspection device 31 for inspecting the receptor 23. The inspection device 31 is a device for checking the continuity of the wire from the receptor 23 to the ground electrode. In addition, another drone or a robot moving on the tower 21 may be placed on the wire 30 for purposes such as supporting the weight of the wire 30.

[0025] The drone 1 has a probe mechanism 10. The probe mechanism 10 is a mechanism for checking conductivity by making contact with the receptor 23, and is composed of, for example, electrodes. The wire 30 described above is connected to the electrodes of the probe mechanism 10.

[0026] Figure 2 shows an example of a schematic configuration of a drone 1 equipped with a probe mechanism 10 according to the first embodiment. The drone 1 is composed of a main body 110. The main body 110 has a plurality of propulsion units 111. In the example shown in Figure 1, four propulsion units 111 are mounted on the main body 110, but the number of propulsion units 111 is not limited to four, as long as the main body 110 is able to fly. Each propulsion unit 111 has a propeller 112, which is a rotating wing, and an actuator 113 for rotating it. All the propulsion units 111 mounted on the main body 110 are of the same type, but the actuator 113 in each propulsion unit 111 can be controlled independently. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately control the thrust obtained by each propulsion unit 111, thereby making it possible to appropriately control the flight attitude and flight speed of the main body 110 and the drone 1.

[0027] In the following, the direction of the thrust force of the propulsion unit 111 when the drone 1 is stationary in the air, i.e., the direction toward the top of Figure 2, will be defined as the upward direction in the vertical direction, and the direction opposite to the thrust force, i.e., the direction toward the bottom of Figure 2, will be defined as the downward direction in the vertical direction. The downward direction is the same as the direction of gravity. The upward direction is toward the tip of the tower 21 in the direction of the central axis in Figure 1. The downward direction is the ground side in the direction of the central axis of the tower 21 in Figure 1. The direction perpendicular to the central axis of the tower 21 is defined as the horizontal direction.

[0028] In the main body 110, the body 114 is located roughly in the center, and the propulsion units 111 are provided at the ends of the body via bridges 115 that radiate outwards from it. The four propulsion units 111 are arranged at equal intervals around the circumference of the body 114.

[0029] Furthermore, four legs 120 are connected to the bridge 115 to support the main body 110 when landing. The four legs 120 are arranged at equal intervals around the circumference of the body 114 and extend downward from the bridge 115. In this embodiment, there are four legs 120, but the number of legs 120 is not limited to this; three or more are acceptable.

[0030] Furthermore, the body 114 is equipped with a battery for supplying drive power to the actuators 113 of each propulsion unit 111, and a control device 60 for controlling the power supply from the battery to the actuators 113, etc.

[0031] The control unit 60 consists of a computer equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), and EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), as well as a flight controller that controls the attitude and movement of the drone 1. The EPROM stores various programs, tables, etc. The CPU loads the programs stored in the EPROM into the RAM's working area and executes them. Through the execution of these programs, instructions such as movement or ascent are sent to the flight controller, which then controls the actuators 113, etc., based on these instructions. In this way, the CPU realizes functions that match the predetermined purpose.

[0032] Furthermore, the control device 60 may be equipped with a communication unit that communicates with the outside by wire or wireless, and may receive control commands via the communication unit and switch the content of its operation according to those control commands. In this case, the control device 60 may be controlled by an operator manually operating the controller, as in a normal drone, or the flight controller may control the propulsion unit 111 according to a flight plan stored in the flight controller in advance. In addition, the control device 60 performs control to bring the probe mechanism 10 into contact with the receptor 23 based on signals from the laser sensor 151 and camera 152, which will be described later.

[0033] The upper part of the body 114 is provided with a support portion 141 that supports a rod 140 to which the probe mechanism 10 is attached. The probe mechanism 10 is positioned above the horizontal plane including the four propellers 112. The rod 140 is cylindrical and positioned horizontally. In the following description, when the drone 1 is stationary in the air, the direction of the central axis of the rod 140 is defined as the forward direction from the support portion 141 toward the probe mechanism 10, and the direction toward the side from the support portion 141 toward the side to which the probe mechanism 10 is not attached is defined as the rear direction.

[0034] The probe mechanism 10 is attached to the front end of the rod 140. The probe mechanism 10 is also equipped with a laser sensor 151 for measuring the distance to the target object (i.e., the receptor 23) and a camera 152 for determining the position of the receptor 23.

[0035] Figure 3 shows an example of the schematic configuration of a probe mechanism 10 according to the first embodiment. The probe mechanism 10 comprises an arm 11, a shaft 12, and two springs 13. The arm 11 is fixed to the tip of the rod 140 via a shaft fixing member 142. The materials for the arm 11 and the shaft 12 can be resin or metal, etc. as appropriate. The arm 11 is a plate-shaped member that extends horizontally from the tip of the rod 140. In the following, the direction perpendicular to the vertical and horizontal directions will be defined as the left-right direction. Looking at Drone 1 from the front, the right side will be defined as the right direction, and the left side as the left direction. Arm 11 is an example of a base material.

[0036] At each of the left and right ends of the arm 11, there are protrusions 11B that project backward from the central part 11A of the arm 11. Both protrusions 11B have holes 11C formed in them for attaching a spring 13 to the arm 11. When attaching the spring 13 to the arm 11, a pin or bolt may be passed through the hole 11C and the spring 13 may be hooked onto this pin or bolt, or the end of the spring 13 may be directly hooked onto the hole 11C. In addition, one or more bent portions 11D are formed so that the protrusions 11B are located above the central part 11A of the arm 11. At the bent portion 11D, for example, the arm 11 is bent parallel to the central axis of the shaft 12. Alternatively, instead of bending the arm 11, a support column or the like may be placed on the arm 11 to position the protrusions 11B and holes 11C above the central part 11A.

[0037] The shaft 12 is a cylindrical member that moves relative to the arm 11 in the front-rear direction. However, its shape is not limited to a cylinder; it may also have rolling grooves that hold balls that roll between it and the guide 16, such as a ball spline or LM guide, and prevent rotation in the roll direction. The shaft 12 is positioned so that its central axis is parallel to the central axis of the rod 140, and moves back and forth parallel to the central axis of the rod 140. A spring connection portion 14 is provided at the rear end of the shaft 12 to which a spring 13 is connected. Two holes 14A are formed in the spring connection portion 14 for attaching the spring 13. The holes 14A are formed to the right and left of the shaft 12, respectively.

[0038] A detection unit 15 is attached to the front end of the shaft 12. The detection unit 15 according to this embodiment is equipped with an electrode 15A for the purpose of inspecting the wind turbine. One end of a wire 30 is connected to the electrode 15A, and the other end of the wire 30 is connected to an inspection device 31 located on the ground. In addition, to prevent the electrode 15A from shifting position due to slippage or the like after it has come into contact with the receptor 23, a separate anti-slip structure may be added around it.

[0039] The arm 11 is provided with a guide 16 that supports the shaft 12 so that it can move back and forth in the direction of the central axis. The guide 16 is composed of a rolling guide device, such as a linear bush. The guide has a cylindrical cross-section, and multiple balls are provided along the central axis on the inner diameter of the cylinder, so that it can smoothly guide the shaft. The friction between the guide 16 and the shaft 12 is set so that the elastic force of the spring 13 (described later) can push the shaft 12 forward, and the shaft 12 moves backward when the tip of the shaft 12 comes into contact with the receptor 23 or the like.

[0040] The spring 13 is a tension spring, with one end connected to the spring connector 14 and the other end connected to the projection 11B. Of the two springs 13, one spring 13 is attached to the hole 11C of the projection 11B on the right side of the arm 11 and the hole 14A on the right side of the spring connector 14, while the other spring 13 is attached to the hole 11C of the projection 11B on the left side of the arm 11 and the hole 14A on the right side of the spring connector 14.

[0041] Here, the central axis of the spring 13 is positioned perpendicular to the central axis of the shaft 12 and horizontally (i.e., left-right) when no external force is applied to the shaft 12. At this time, the amount of rearward protrusion of the protrusion 11B is determined so that the spring 13 does not come into contact with the arm 11 and the guide 16. Also, at this time, the vertical position of the protrusion 11B is determined so that the spring 13 is positioned horizontally. Furthermore, even when no force is applied to the shaft 12, the shaft 12 is held in place so that it does not move due to factors such as vibration or its own weight. For this purpose, the positions of the protrusion 11B and the hole 11C may be shifted forward, or a spacer may be provided between the guide 16 and the spring connection 14, so that the central axis of the spring 13 and the central axis of the shaft 12 are physically constrained to a position just before they become perpendicular even when no external force is applied, and the elastic force of the spring 13 maintains a state in which the shaft 12 is pressed forward with a constant force.

[0042] Furthermore, the distance between the hole 11C in the protrusion 11B of the arm 11 and the central axis of the shaft 12 is determined, for example, to be a distance that can obtain the required reaction force. For example, if the distance between the hole 11C in the protrusion 11B of the arm 11 and the central axis of the shaft 12 is too short, the amount of change in the angle between the central axis of the shaft 12 and the central axis of the spring 13 when the shaft 12 moves will be large. Therefore, the reaction force will increase rapidly when it comes into contact with the receptor 23, making it difficult to control the attitude of the drone 1. On the other hand, if the distance between the hole 11C in the protrusion 11B of the arm 11 and the central axis of the shaft 12 is too long, the amount of change in the angle between the central axis of the shaft 12 and the central axis of the spring 13 when the shaft 12 moves will be small. Therefore, the change in reaction force when it comes into contact with the receptor 23 will be gradual, but there is a risk that the required reaction force cannot be obtained. Therefore, the distance between the hole 11C in the projection 11B of the arm 11 and the central axis of the shaft 12, and the spring constant are determined so that the shaft 12 is pushed with the required force. The distance between the hole 11C in the projection 11B of the arm 11 and the hole 14A in the spring connection part 14, or the length of the spring 13, can be determined in the same manner.

[0043] In the drone 1 configured in this way, when inspecting the continuity from the receptor 23 of the wind turbine 20 to the ground electrode, the drone 1 flies so as to bring the electrode 15A at the tip of the probe mechanism 10 into contact with the receptor 23. For example, until the receptor 23 can be imaged by the camera 152, the drone 1 is operated by the user visually. Once the receptor 23 can be imaged by the camera 152, the drone 1 performs autonomous flight based on the image captured by the camera 152 and the distance to the receptor 23 or blade 22 measured by the laser sensor 151. The control device 60 then controls the propulsion unit 111 so that the distance to the receptor 23 or blade 22, as measured by the laser sensor 151, becomes a predetermined distance while keeping the electrode 15A in contact with the receptor 23. In this way, by maintaining the contact between the electrode 15A and the receptor 23, the continuity inspection of the receptor 23 can be performed.

[0044] Next, the operation of the probe mechanism 10 when it comes into contact with the object 200 will be described based on Figures 4 to 7. Figure 4 is a view from above of the state immediately after the probe mechanism 10 of the embodiment comes into contact with the object 200. Figure 5 is a view from above of the state when the drone 1 is moving forward after the probe mechanism 10 of the embodiment comes into contact with the object 200. Figure 6 is a view from above of the state immediately after the drone 1 has moved backward from the state shown in Figure 5 of the embodiment. Figure 7 is a view from above of the state in which the drone 1 of the embodiment is moving backward.

[0045] As shown in Figure 4, when the probe mechanism 10 contacts the object 200, the central axis of the spring 13 is perpendicular to the central axis of the shaft 12, and the length of the spring 13 is at its shortest. In this state, the spring 13 does not generate a force in the direction of the central axis of the shaft 12. Note that in this state, the length of the spring 13 may be longer than its free length. Also, in the state shown in Figure 4, the front end of the spring connection part 14 is in contact with the rear end of the guide 16. Therefore, even before the probe mechanism 10 contacts the object 200, the shaft 12 will not move any further forward relative to the guide 16.

[0046] Furthermore, in the state shown in Figure 4, the shaft 12 can move relative to the guide 16 in a backward direction. However, until the shaft 12 makes contact with the object 200, the shaft 12 cannot move backward. Even if the shaft 12 attempts to move relative to the guide 16, it is pulled back by the elastic force of the spring 13. Here, when the shaft 12 moves backward relative to the guide 16, the angle between the central axis of the spring 13 and the central axis of the shaft 12 becomes less than 90 degrees. That is, the spring 13 is connected to the shaft 12 at an angle. At this time, since the spring 13 is longer than its free length, an elastic force is generated in the direction that compresses the spring 13. This elastic force includes a component in the direction of the central axis of the shaft 12, and since the shaft 12 is restricted from moving in directions other than the central axis by the guide 16, the shaft 12 moves in the direction of the central axis. Because the shaft 12 is pushed forward by this elastic force, in the state shown in Figure 4, the state in which the spring connection part 14 is in contact with the guide 16 is maintained. In this way, until the probe mechanism 10 makes contact with the object 200, the state in which the central axis of the spring 13 is perpendicular to the central axis of the shaft 12 is maintained.

[0047] Furthermore, even after the shaft 12 has come into contact with the object 200, if the angle between the central axis of the spring 13 and the central axis of the shaft 12 is close to 90 degrees, the force with which the spring 13 pushes the shaft 12 forward is small, and therefore the reaction force received from the object 200 is also small.

[0048] Furthermore, in the state shown in Figure 5, the shaft 12 receives a reaction force as it pushes against the object 200, causing the shaft 12 to move backward relative to the guide 16. At this time, the spring 13 stretches, generating an elastic force in the direction of compression of the spring 13. Since this elastic force includes a component in the direction of the central axis of the shaft 12, the shaft 12 is biased forward. Consequently, the electrode 15A at the tip of the shaft 12 is pressed against the object 200. This maintains contact between the electrode 15A and the object 200. Also, as the angle between the central axis of the spring 13 and the central axis of the shaft 12 becomes smaller than 90 degrees, the elastic force of the spring 13 increases, and the proportion of the elastic force acting in the expansion and contraction direction also increases, resulting in a larger reaction force from the object 200.

[0049] Next, in the state shown in Figure 6, the drone 1 is moving away from the object 200. Even at this time, the shaft 12 is biased toward the object 200 by the spring 13, so the electrode 15A is prevented from separating from the object 200. Therefore, even if the attitude of the drone 1 becomes unstable and it moves in the forward and backward directions, for example, the contact between the electrode 15A and the object 200 can be maintained.

[0050] Furthermore, in the state shown in Figure 7, the drone 1 is moving even further away from the object 200 than in the state shown in Figure 6. In this case, the force pressing the shaft 12 against the object 200 is reduced due to the shortening of the length of the spring 13, but the contact between the electrode 15A and the object 200 can be maintained. In addition, since the reaction force that the shaft 12 receives from the object 200 is reduced, the drone 1 is not pushed with a strong force, so the instability of the drone 1's posture when it moves away from the object 200 can be suppressed.

[0051] Figure 8 is a comparison of a conventional probe using a compression spring and the probe mechanism 10 according to the first embodiment. Reference numeral 91 indicates the conventional probe using a compression spring just before contact with the object, reference numeral 92 indicates the conventional probe using a compression spring in the state where the spring is most compressed after contact with the object, reference numeral 93 indicates the state of the probe mechanism 10 according to the present embodiment just before contact with the object, and reference numeral 94 indicates the state of the probe mechanism 10 according to the present embodiment where the shaft 12 has moved most rearward relative to the arm 11. Figure 8 shows the case where the stroke amount of the conventional probe using a compression spring is equal to the stroke amount of the probe mechanism 10 according to the present embodiment. This stroke amount is indicated by L10.

[0052] In conventional probes using compression springs (indicated by symbols 91 and 92), the central axis of the shaft and the central axis of the compression spring lie on the same line, and the compression spring is in its most compressed state (i.e., Even in the state indicated by reference numeral 92, space is required to accommodate the compressed spring (i.e., space of the length indicated by L11 in Figure 8). Therefore, as indicated by reference numeral 91, space of the length indicated by L12 is required before contact with the object.

[0053] On the other hand, in the probe mechanism 10 according to this embodiment, when the spring 13 is most compressed, the spring 13 is positioned perpendicular to the shaft 12, as indicated by reference numeral 93, so that the required length in the central axis direction of the shaft 12 is shortened. Therefore, it becomes possible to save space in the longitudinal direction of the shaft 12.

[0054] Incidentally, if a large reaction force is generated suddenly immediately after the shaft 12 makes contact with the receptor 23, it may become difficult to control the attitude of the drone 1. Therefore, it is preferable that the change in reaction force is gradual immediately after the shaft 12 makes contact with the receptor 23. On the other hand, if the drone 1 moves forward excessively after the shaft 12 makes contact with the receptor 23, there is a risk that other parts besides the shaft 12, such as the propeller 112, may come into contact with the blades 22 of the wind turbine 20, so it is preferable to push the drone 1 back with a large force.

[0055] Here, Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the amount of movement of the shaft 12 and the reaction force according to the embodiment. The horizontal axis shows the amount of movement of the shaft 12, and the vertical axis shows the reaction force that the shaft 12 receives from the object. Line L1 shows the case of the probe mechanism 10 according to this embodiment, line L2 shows the case of a conventional probe using a compression spring with a relatively small spring constant, line L3 shows the case of a conventional probe using a compression spring with a relatively large spring constant, and line L4 shows the case of a conventional probe using a compression spring with a medium spring constant. Note that the conventional probe using a compression spring is the same as the probes indicated by reference numerals 91 and 92 in Figure 8. In Figure 9, the "target amount of movement" is, for example, 100 mm, and is the target amount of movement of the shaft 12 when inspecting the wind turbine 20. When inspecting the wind turbine 20, the control device 60 controls the actuator 113, etc., so that the stroke of the shaft 12 becomes the target amount of movement.

[0056] As shown by line L1, in the probe mechanism 10 according to this embodiment, the reaction force with respect to the amount of movement of the shaft 12 has a nonlinear relationship. On the other hand, in a conventional probe using a compression spring, as shown by lines L2, L3, and L4, the reaction force with respect to the amount of movement has a linear relationship. As described above, immediately after the shaft 12 contacts the receptor 23, it is preferable that the increase in the reaction force with respect to the increase in the amount of movement of the shaft 12 (rate of increase in reaction force) be small, so it is preferable that the slope of the line in Figure 9 be small. On the other hand, if the force with which the shaft 12 pushes the receptor 23 becomes excessively large, it is preferable to generate a large reaction force quickly. Therefore, when the amount of movement is large, it is preferable that the rate of increase in the reaction force be large, so it is preferable that the slope of the line in Figure 9 be large. For example, in line L2, when the amount of movement is small, the rate of increase in the reaction force is small, so it satisfies the above requirement, but when the amount of movement is large, the rate of increase in the reaction force is too small, so it does not satisfies the above requirement. On the other hand, in line L3, when the displacement is large, the rate of increase of the reaction force is large, thus meeting the above requirements. However, when the displacement is small, the rate of increase of the reaction force is too large, and therefore it does not meet the above requirements. Furthermore, in line L4, when the displacement is small, there is a risk that the rate of increase of the reaction force will be excessively large, and when the displacement is large, there is a risk that the rate of increase of the reaction force will be excessively small, thus it does not meet the above requirements.

[0057] The above relationships are summarized in Figure 10. Figure 10 is a diagram that summarizes whether the reaction forces generated along lines L1, L2, L3, and L4 in each embodiment meet the requirements. In Figure 10, circles indicate that the requirements are met, and crosses indicate that the requirements are not met. Triangles indicate that the requirements are met under certain conditions, but not completely satisfied. "At contact" refers to the moment immediately after the shaft 12 makes contact with the receptor 23, for example, when the amount of movement of the shaft 12 is smaller than the target amount of movement. This indicates that the force applied by the shaft 12 to the receptor 23 becomes excessively large, for example, when the amount of movement of the shaft 12 is greater than the target amount of movement.

[0058] In Figure 10, only the probe mechanism 10 according to this embodiment satisfies the requirements in both "contact" and "excessive" conditions. Thus, the probe mechanism 10 according to this embodiment can generate appropriate reaction force in both "contact" and "excessive" conditions, which was not possible with conventional probes using compression springs.

[0059] As mentioned above, the rate of increase of the reaction force changes depending on the distance between the hole 11C of the protrusion 11B of the arm 11 and the central axis of the shaft 12 (this may be the distance between the hole 11C of the protrusion 11B of the arm 11 and the hole 14A of the spring connection part 14, or the length of the spring 13), and the spring constant of the spring 13. Therefore, the spring 13 may be positioned such that when the amount of movement of the shaft 12 after contact with the object is less than the target amount of movement, the rate of increase of the reaction force is less than a predetermined value, and when the amount of movement of the shaft 12 is greater than the target amount of movement, the rate of increase of the reaction force is greater than a predetermined value. The predetermined value here is the rate of increase of the reaction force when the amount of movement of the shaft is the target amount of movement.

[0060] As described above, the probe mechanism 10 according to the first embodiment allows for a shorter length of the shaft 12 in the axial direction. Furthermore, when the amount of movement of the shaft 12 after contact with the receptor 23 is small, the force with which the spring 13 presses against the receptor 23 is small, resulting in a small reaction force. This prevents a sudden increase in reaction force that would make it difficult to control the attitude of the drone 1. On the other hand, when the amount of movement of the shaft 12 is large, the force with which the spring 13 moves the shaft 12 forward becomes larger, allowing the drone 1 to be pushed back with greater force. This prevents other components of the drone 1 from contacting the wind turbine 20. Additionally, the spring 13 can press the electrode 15A against the receptor 23 with appropriate force, making it possible to perform continuity testing easily and with high accuracy.

[0061] <Second Embodiment> Figure 11 shows an example of the schematic configuration of the probe mechanism 1000 according to the second embodiment. The probe mechanism 1000 according to this embodiment includes two shafts 1001, two guides 1002, a movable frame 1003, a fixed frame 1004, a mount 1005, a sensor 1006, two springs 1007, and a conductor 1008. The probe mechanism 1000 is attached to the tip of the rod 140 described in the first embodiment.

[0062] When attaching the probe mechanism 1000 to the rod 140, the mount 1005 is fixed to the tip of the rod 140. Alternatively, the rod 140 and the fixed-side frame 1004 may be fixed together. This fixing is done via the shaft fixing member 142, as in the first embodiment. A sensor 1006 is fixed to the upper surface of the mount 1005. The sensor 1006 is the laser sensor 151 and the camera 152 described in the first embodiment. The fixed-side frame 1004 is also fixed to the mount 1005. The fixed-side frame 1004 is formed in a cylindrical shape and extends in the left-right direction perpendicular to the rod 140. However, the fixed-side frame 1004 may be plate-shaped or other shapes and is not limited to a cylindrical shape. Guides 1002 are provided at both ends of the fixed-side frame 1004. The guides 1002 support the shaft 1001 so that it can move back and forth in the front-rear direction, similar to the guide 16 described in the first embodiment. The two shafts 1001 are positioned such that their central axes are parallel to the central axis of the rod 140. Furthermore, the two shafts 1001 are positioned equidistant from the rod 140, to the right and left of it.

[0063] The rear ends of the two shafts 1001 are connected via a movable frame 1003. The movable frame 1003 is a cylindrical member positioned parallel to the fixed frame 1004. One end of each of the movable frame 1003 is connected to a different spring 1007. The springs 1007 are tension springs, and the other end of each spring 1007 is connected to a mount 1005. A conductor 1008 is stretched between the ends of the two shafts 1001. The conductor 1008 is pressed against the receptor 23 when inspecting the continuity of the receptor 23, similar to the electrode 15A in the first embodiment. One end of a wire 30 is connected to the conductor 1008, and the other end of this wire 30 is connected to an inspection device 31 located on the ground.

[0064] Figure 12 is a view of the probe mechanism 1000 according to the second embodiment from above, showing the state before the shaft 1001 and the conductor 1008 make contact with the object. In this state, the spring 1007 is positioned in the left-right direction perpendicular to the shaft 1001 and the rod 140. On the other hand, Figure 13 is a view of the probe mechanism 1000 according to the second embodiment from above, showing the state after the shaft 1001 or the conductor 1008 make contact with the object. When the shaft 1001 or the conductor 1008 makes contact with the object, the shaft 1001 and the moving frame 1003 retract relative to the mount 1005. As a result, the spring 1007 is stretched, and the angle of the spring 1007 with respect to the shaft 1001 changes. This change in the angle of the spring 1007 generates a force that pushes the shaft 1001 forward. Therefore, the shaft 1001 and the conductor 1008 can be pressed against the object.

[0065] As described above, the probe mechanism 1000 according to the second embodiment provides the same effects as the first embodiment, and since the wind turbine 20 can be inspected by the conductor 1008, contact between the conductor 1008 and the receptor 23 can be maintained even if the position of the drone 1 shifts in the left-right direction.

[0066] <Third Embodiment> Figure 14 is a diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of the probe mechanism 1100 according to the third embodiment. The probe mechanism 1100 according to this embodiment includes four shafts 1101, four guides 1102, a moving frame 1103, a fixed frame 1104, a mount 1105, a sensor 1106, four springs 1107, and a plurality of conductors 1108. Probe mechanism The 1100 is attached to the tip of the rod 140 described in the first embodiment.

[0067] The four shafts 1101 are positioned so as to be parallel to the rod 140, offset from each other in the vertical and horizontal directions. Two shafts 1101 are positioned above the mount 1105, with the left shaft 1101 being the first shaft 1101A and the right shaft 1101 being the second shaft 1101B. Two shafts 1101 are positioned below the mount 1105, with the right shaft 1101 being the third shaft 1101C and the left shaft 1101 being the fourth shaft 1101D. The plane containing the first shaft 1101A and the second shaft 1101B is a horizontal plane. Similarly, the plane containing the third shaft 1101C and the fourth shaft 1101D is a horizontal plane. Furthermore, the plane containing the first shaft 1101A and the third shaft 1101C is perpendicular to the horizontal plane. Similarly, the plane containing the second shaft 1101B and the fourth shaft 1101D is perpendicular to the horizontal plane. The length of each shaft 1101 in the front-to-back direction is the same.

[0068] All shafts 1101 are connected at their rear ends via the movable frame 1103. Furthermore, all shafts 1101 are supported by the fixed frame 1104 via guides 1102. The guides 1102 support the shafts 1101 so that they can move back and forth in the longitudinal direction. The movable frame 1103 and the fixed frame 1104 are each formed by connecting multiple cylindrical members. However, the shape of the members may be plate-like or other shapes, not cylindrical. Not limited.

[0069] A mount 1105 is fixed to the fixed frame 1104. A sensor 1106 is attached to the mount 1105. One end of four springs 1107 is connected to the mount 1105, and the other end of each spring 1107 is connected to the four corners (top, bottom, left, and right) of the movable frame 1103. The springs 1107 are arranged radially with the mount 1105 as the center. The springs 1107 are tension springs. The rear ends of each shaft 1101 are connected to the four corners of the movable frame 1103.

[0070] Conductors 1108 are stretched between the tips of the four shafts 1101. For example, the conductors 1108 are stretched between the first shaft 1101A and the second shaft 1101B, between the first shaft 1101A and the fourth shaft 1101D, between the second shaft 1101B and the third shaft 1101C, and between the third shaft 1101C and the fourth shaft 1101D. Similar to the electrode 15A in the first embodiment, the conductors 1108 are pressed against the receptor 23 when inspecting the continuity of the receptor 23. One end of a wire 30 is connected to the conductor 1108, and the other end of this wire 30 is connected to an inspection device 31 located on the ground. Alternatively, the conductors 1108 may be replaced with a material that covers a wide area and allows for confirmation of continuity, such as a coarse mesh or a transparent electrode, as long as it does not interfere with the operation of the sensor 1106.

[0071] In the probe mechanism 1100, before the shaft 1101 and the conductor 1108 come into contact with the object, the four springs 1107 are arranged on the same plane. This plane is perpendicular to the shaft 1101. On the other hand, when the shaft 1101 and the conductor 1108 come into contact with the object, the shaft 1101 and the moving frame 1103 move relative to the mount 1105 backward. This movement causes the springs 1107 to be stretched, and the angle of the springs 1107 relative to the shaft 1101 changes, so that a portion of the elastic force of the springs 1107 becomes a force that pushes the shaft 1101 forward. This force allows the shaft 1101 or the conductor 1108 to be pressed against the object.

[0072] As described above, the probe mechanism 1100 according to this embodiment provides the same effects as the first embodiment, and since the wind turbine 20 can be inspected by the conductor 1108, contact between the conductor 1108 and the receptor 23 can be maintained even if the position of the drone 1 shifts vertically or horizontally.

[0073] <Other Embodiments> In the above embodiment, a drone 1 for performing a continuity test on a wind turbine 20 was described, but other tests or tasks can be performed by attaching other end effectors other than the detection unit 15 to the tip of the shaft 12, for example. Also, in the above embodiment, a flying drone 1 was given as an example of a floating moving body, but it is not limited to this, and can also be applied to moving bodies that do not touch the ground, such as a moving body that moves while floating on the water surface or a moving body that moves while submerged in water. In the first embodiment, the arm 11 is arranged horizontally, but it is not limited to this, and may be arranged vertically or diagonally. The shaft 12 does not necessarily have to be arranged horizontally. Also, the spring 13 may be a plurality of springs connected in series. In this case, springs with different spring constants may be connected. Alternatively, a plurality of springs may be arranged in parallel. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0074] 1...Drone, 10...Probe mechanism, 11...Arm, 12...Shaft, 13...Spring, 14...Spring connector, 15...Detection unit, 16...Guide

Claims

1. A base material to which one end of the spring is connected, A shaft to which the other end of the spring is connected, the shaft moving relative to the base material in the direction of the central axis of the shaft when it comes into contact with the object, Equipped with, The spring is positioned such that its central axis is at an angle to the central axis of the shaft. A floating, moving object.

2. The aforementioned spring is a tension spring, After the shaft comes into contact with the object, the spring is positioned such that the angle between the central axis of the spring and the central axis of the shaft decreases as the base material approaches the object. A floating moving body according to claim 1.

3. The substrate is provided with a guide that supports the shaft so as to be movable in the central axis direction, The other end of the spring is connected to the side of the guide that moves relative to the base material when the shaft contacts the object. A floating moving body according to claim 1 or 2.

4. Before the shaft comes into contact with the object, the spring is positioned such that its central axis is perpendicular to the central axis of the shaft. A floating moving body according to claim 1 or 2.

5. After the shaft has come into contact with the object, the spring is positioned such that when the amount of movement of the shaft is less than the target amount of movement, the ratio of the increase in the reaction force to the increase in the amount of movement of the shaft is less than a predetermined value, and when the amount of movement of the shaft is greater than the target amount of movement, the ratio of the increase in the reaction force to the increase in the amount of movement of the shaft is greater than a predetermined value. A floating moving body according to claim 1 or 2.

6. A base material to which one end of a tension spring is connected, A shaft to which the other end of the tension spring is connected, the shaft moving relative to the base material in the direction of the central axis of the shaft when it comes into contact with the object, Equipped with, The substrate is provided with a guide that supports the shaft so as to be movable in the central axis direction, The other end of the tension spring is connected to the side of the guide that moves relative to the base material when the shaft contacts the object. The aforementioned tension spring, Before the shaft comes into contact with the object, the central axis of the tension spring is perpendicular to the central axis of the shaft. After the shaft comes into contact with the object, the angle between the central axis of the tension spring and the central axis of the shaft decreases as the base material approaches the object. to be placed Probe mechanism.

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