Wire gripper and wire tensioning device

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a wire gripper and a wire tensioning device with good operability. [Solution] One aspect of the present invention provides a wire gripper which is used when grasping a wire-shaped body. The wire gripper (1) comprises a wire gripping part (2), a displacement mechanism (3), and a driving mechanism (4). The wire gripping part (2) has a first wire gripping body (21) and a second wire gripping body (22) that is disposed oppositely from the first wire gripping body. The displacement mechanism (3) is configured to relatively displace the first wire gripping body (21) and the second wire gripping body (22) to a first position for grasping the wire-shaped body (700) and a second position for releasing the grasp of the wire-shaped body. The driving mechanism (4) has a motor (41) that drives the displacement mechanism.

Description

Wire gripper and wire tensioning device

[0001] The present invention relates to a wire gripper and a wire tensioning device.

[0002] When performing wire tensioning work in electrical construction, railway maintenance, and fruit tree trellis construction, it is common to use a wire gripper that clamps linear objects such as wires and electric cables. Patent Document 1 discloses a wire gripper that clamps linear objects by rotating a bolt.

[0003] JP 2018-11495 A

[0004] However, wire tensioning work is often performed at high altitudes, and therefore a wire gripper that is easy to operate and allows for quick and safe work is required. In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a wire gripper and wire tensioning device that are easy to operate.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wire gripper used to clamp a linear object. The wire gripper includes a wire gripping unit, a displacement mechanism, and a drive mechanism. The wire gripping unit has a first gripping body and a second gripping body arranged opposite the first gripping body. The displacement mechanism is configured to relatively displace the first gripping body and the second gripping body between a first position that clamps the linear object and a second position that releases the clamping of the linear object. The drive mechanism has a motor that operates the displacement mechanism.

[0006] According to this aspect, the wire gripper can be easily operated, and wire tensioning work can be carried out quickly and safely.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a wire tensioning device of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the support tool on the left side in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the support tool on the right side in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a wire gripper of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a front view of the wire gripper shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the wire gripping section and the displacement mechanism. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the displacement mechanism. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the drive mechanism. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control board. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of a wire gripper of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a front view showing the wire gripper shown in FIG. 10 with the wire gripping section and the displacement mechanism removed. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the drive mechanism. FIG. 13 is a side view showing the configuration of the drive mechanism.

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Various features shown in the following embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0009] Incidentally, the program for realizing the software appearing in this embodiment may be provided as a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, or may be provided so as to be downloadable from an external server, or may be provided so that the program is started on an external computer and its functions are realized on a client terminal (so-called cloud computing).

[0010] In this embodiment, the term "unit" may include, for example, a combination of hardware resources implemented by a circuit in the broad sense and software information processing that can be specifically realized by these hardware resources. In addition, various types of information are handled in this embodiment, and this information may be represented by, for example, physical values ​​of signal values ​​representing voltages and currents, high and low signal values ​​as a binary bit set consisting of 0 or 1, or quantum superposition (so-called quantum bits), and communication and calculations may be performed on a circuit in the broad sense.

[0011] Furthermore, a circuit in the broad sense is a circuit realized by at least an appropriate combination of a circuit, circuitry, a processor, a memory, etc. That is, it includes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (e.g., a simple programmable logic device (SPLD), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), and a field programmable gate array (FPGA)), etc.

[0012] <Wire tensioning device> First, the wire tensioning device of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of the wire tensioning device of the present invention. FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views showing the configuration of the support tool in FIG. 1. In the following description, in FIGS. 1 to 3 (as well as in FIGS. 4 to 8), the upper side will be referred to as "upper" or "upper side," and the lower side will be referred to as "lower" or "lower side." In addition, in FIGS. 1 to 3 (as well as in FIGS. 4 to 8), the right side will be referred to as "right" or "rightward," and the left side will be referred to as "left" or "leftward." The wire tensioning device (also referred to as a "strain rod") 100 shown in FIG. 1 is used, for example, when cutting an insulated electric wire 700 while it is in an overhead state. In FIG. 1, the insulated electric wire 700 is indicated by a two-dot chain line.

[0013] This wire tensioning device 100 includes a pair of wire grippers 1 for clamping a coated electric wire (overhead wire) 700, and a long stretcher 200 whose both ends are connected to the wire grippers 1 via connectors 500. The longitudinal dimension of the stretcher 200 can be expanded or contracted by operating an operating unit 218 provided on the right side (the other side) of the stretcher 200 in the longitudinal direction.

[0014] 1, the extender 200 has a cylindrical main body portion 210 and a small-diameter cylindrical moving shaft portion 212 inserted into the main body portion 210 so as to be relatively movable in the longitudinal direction. The main body portion 210 is composed of a cylindrical portion 214 made of, for example, aluminum or FRP (fiber reinforced plastic), and a moving portion 216 fixed to the end of the cylindrical portion 214.

[0015] The operating part 216 has a casing made of, for example, an aluminum alloy, and a gear transmission mechanism (not shown) housed within the casing. The gear transmission mechanism is connected to an operating part 218 that protrudes from the underside of the casing and is rotated. The gear transmission mechanism is connected to a threaded shaft extending longitudinally within the cylindrical part 214, and a nut (not shown) provided on the end of the moving shaft part 212 on the main body cylindrical part 210 side is threadedly engaged with the threaded shaft. The moving shaft part 212 is made of, for example, FRP or the like.

[0016] When the telescopic device 200 is extended or retracted, a remote control device (an indirect tool) is engaged with the operating unit 218, and the operating unit 218 is rotated using the remote control device. This rotates the screw shaft inside the cylindrical portion 214, and the moving shaft portion 212, whose end is threadedly engaged with a nut, moves along the axial direction. As a result, the moving shaft portion 212 appears and disappears from the main cylindrical portion 210, and the telescopic device 200 is configured to extend or retract. Fixing members 520 capable of locking the connecting device 500 are provided on the end of the telescopic device 200 on the main cylindrical portion 210 side and the end of the moving shaft portion 212 side, respectively.

[0017] The wire tensioning device 100 also includes a pair of supports 400A and 400B attached to the stretcher 200. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the supports 400A and 400B each include a substantially C-shaped support body 413 having an opening 410 on one side, and a closing piece 414 that closes the opening 410 of the support body 413. With this configuration, after the insulated electric wire 700 is introduced into the support body 413 through the opening 410, the opening 410 of the support body 413 is closed with the closing piece 414, whereby the insulated electric wire 700 can be supported by the supports 400A and 400B.

[0018] Furthermore, an engaging piece 420 is rotatably provided on the end of the support body 413 facing the opening 410, which engages with the closing piece 414 while the opening 410 is closed by the closing piece 414. As shown in Fig. 2, the support 400A has a through-hole 416 formed in the lower part of the support body 413, through which the extender 200 (moving shaft portion 212) is inserted. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 3, the support 400B has a through-hole 418 formed in the lower part of the support body 413, through which the extender 200 (cylindrical portion 214) is inserted.

[0019] Furthermore, the support 400B is provided with a fixing part 430 at the bottom of the support body 413 for fixing the expander 200 at a desired longitudinal position or at a predetermined rotation angle around the axis. Furthermore, operation parts 432, 434 for operating the fixing part 430 by a remote control device are provided on both sides. With such support 400B, an operation for changing the direction of the end of the insulated electric wire 700 on the right side after cutting (sorting operation) can be performed so that the ends of the insulated electric wires 700 do not come into contact with each other after cutting.

[0020] The wire tensioning device 100 (the stretcher 20 having a pair of wire grippers 1 connected to both ends) is used, for example, as follows: First, the pair of supports 400A, 400B are hooked onto the insulated electric wire 700. Next, a predetermined portion of the insulated electric wire 700 is clamped with the right-side wire gripper 1, and a predetermined portion of the insulated electric wire 700 is clamped with the left-side wire gripper 1. After that, the operating unit 218 is operated to contract the longitudinal dimension of the stretcher 200, and the pair of wire grippers 1 clamping the insulated electric wire 700 are brought closer together. As a result, the insulated electric wire 700 is tensioned on the outer side of the wire grippers 1 and relaxed in the portion of the insulated electric wire 700 between the two wire grippers 1, and the relaxed portion of the insulated electric wire 700 is then cut with an indirect live wire cutting tool. On the other hand, the operating portion 218 can be operated to extend the longitudinal dimension of the extender 200 and separate the pair of wire grippers 1 that are clamping the insulated wire 70 .

[0021] <Wire gripper> Next, the wire gripper of the present invention will be described. <<First embodiment>> First, a first embodiment of the wire gripper of the present invention will be described. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the first embodiment of the wire gripper of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a front view of the wire gripper shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the wire gripping unit and the displacement mechanism. Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the displacement mechanism. Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the drive mechanism. The wire gripper 1 shown in Fig. 4 is a device used when clamping an insulated electric wire (linear object) 700, and includes a wire gripping unit 2, a displacement mechanism 3, a drive mechanism 4, a power supply unit 5, and a control board 9.

[0022] The gripping portion 2 has a first gripping body 21 and a second gripping body 22 disposed opposite the first gripping body 21. The first gripping body 21 and the second gripping body 22 are each formed of a block-shaped member. As shown in Fig. 6, the first gripping body 21 has two through holes 21a formed therethrough in its thickness direction, and the second gripping body 22 has two through holes 22a formed therethrough in its thickness direction. In addition, an arc-shaped groove 21b is formed in the lower surface of the first gripping body 21, and an arc-shaped groove 22b is formed in the upper surface of the second gripping body 22.

[0023] The first gripping body 21 and the second gripping body 22 can clamp the insulated electric wire 700 by being brought close to each other in a first position, and can release the clamping of the insulated electric wire 700 by being separated from each other in a second position. Furthermore, grooves 21b and 22b may be provided with anti-slip means for the insulated electric wire 700 when the insulated electric wire 700 is clamped. Examples of such anti-slip means include the formation of sharp minute convex portions, the formation of minute convex stripes extending in the lateral direction, and the attachment of a rubber member.

[0024] The displacement mechanism 3 is configured to relatively displace the first gripping body 21 and the second gripping body 22 between a first position and a second position. In this embodiment, the displacement mechanism 3 is configured to displace both the first gripping body 21 and the second gripping body 22. The displacement mechanism 3 may be configured to displace the second gripping body 22 relative to the fixed first gripping body 21, or may be configured to displace the first gripping body 21 relative to the fixed second gripping body 22. Specifically, the displacement mechanism 3 has a pair of first link pieces 31 and a pair of second link pieces 32. The first link pieces 31 and the second link pieces 32 are each formed of a narrow plate piece. As shown in FIG. 6 , the first link piece 31 has a through hole 31 a at its upper end and a through hole 31 b at its lower end. On the other hand, the second link piece 32 has a through hole 32a formed at its lower end and a through hole 32b formed at its upper end.

[0025] A threaded portion 331 of a bolt 33 is inserted into the through hole 31a of the first link piece 31, and the screw head 332 contacts the first link piece 31. The threaded portion 331 is inserted into the through hole 341a of the spacer 341 and the through hole 21a of the first gripping body 21, and a nut 34 is threadedly engaged with the portion protruding from the first gripping body 21. This allows the pair of first link pieces 31 to be rotatably attached to the first gripping body 21. Similarly, the threaded portion 331 of a bolt 33 is inserted into the through hole 32a of the second link piece 32, and the screw head 332 contacts the second link piece 32. The threaded portion 331 is inserted into the through hole 342a of the spacer 342 and the through hole 22a of the second gripping body 22, and a nut 34 is threadedly engaged with the portion protruding from the second gripping body 22. As a result, the pair of second link pieces 32 are rotatably attached to the second gripping body 22 .

[0026] Furthermore, teeth 311 are formed on the periphery of the through hole 31a of the pair of first link pieces 31 (ends on the first gripping body 21 side), and the teeth 311 mesh with each other. Similarly, teeth 321 are formed on the periphery of the through hole 32a of the pair of second link pieces 32 (ends on the second gripping body 22 side), and the teeth 321 mesh with each other. This allows the first link piece 31 and the second link piece 32 to rotate more reliably. As shown in FIG. 7 , the left (one) first link piece 31 and the corresponding left (one) second link piece 32 are rotatably connected by a first connecting structure 351. The right (other) first link piece 31 and the corresponding right (other) second link piece 32 are rotatably connected by a second connecting structure 352. That is, the displacement mechanism 3 has a first connecting structure 351 and a second connecting structure 352.

[0027] Specifically, the first connecting structure 351 has a through hole 31b in the first link piece 31, a through hole 32b in the second link piece 32, and a bolt 3511. On the other hand, the second connecting structure 352 has a through hole 31b in the first link piece 31, a through hole 32b in the second link piece 32, and a bolt 3521. The drive mechanism 4 can operate the displacement mechanism 3. Specifically, the drive mechanism 4 is configured to move the first connecting structure 351 and the second connecting structure 352 toward and away from each other. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 , the drive mechanism 4 has a motor 41 having a motor main body 411 and a rotating shaft 412, a threaded shaft 42 connected to the rotating shaft 412 of the motor 41, a slider 43 threadedly engaged with the threaded shaft 42, a connecting member 44 attached to the slider 43, and a fixing member 45 that prevents the connecting member 44 from detaching from the slider 43.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 8 , the connecting member 44 has an engagement hole 44a penetrating through it in the thickness direction, and the fixing member 45 is composed of an annular member having the engagement hole 45a. The slider 43 is inserted into and engaged with the engagement hole 44a of the connecting member 44, and the fixing member 45 is fitted onto the portion of the slider 43 that protrudes from the connecting member 44. In this way, the connecting member 44 is fixed to the slider 43. In addition, a threaded hole 44b is formed in the connecting member 44 on the side facing the displacement mechanism 3. The tip of the bolt 3521 of the second connecting structure 352 is threaded into this threaded hole 44b. In this way, the second connecting structure 352 is fixed to the slider 43 via the connecting member 44.

[0029] The second connection structure 352 further includes a connection member 47 provided between the displacement mechanism 3 and the connecting member 44. This connection member 47 is formed of a narrow plate. As shown in FIG. 7 , the connection member 47 has a through hole 47a at its left end and a through hole 47b at its right end. A bolt 3521 is inserted through the through hole 47a and threaded into the screw hole 44b of the connecting member 44, thereby connecting the connection member 47 to the displacement mechanism 3 (second connection structure 352). Meanwhile, a connector 500 of the wire tensioning device 100 is connected to the through hole 47b. By pulling the connection member 47, the second connection structure 352 can be displaced in a direction away from the first connection structure 351.

[0030] 7, the drive mechanism 4 further includes a case 46 that houses the motor 41. A threaded hole 46a is formed in the case 46 on the side facing the displacement mechanism 3. The tip of the bolt 3511 of the first connecting structure 351 is threaded into this threaded hole 46a. This fixes the first connecting structure 351 to the case 46 (motor 41). With the drive mechanism 4 configured as described above, when the motor 41 is operated to rotate the rotating shaft 412, the screw shaft 42 also rotates integrally with the rotating shaft 412. As a result, the slider 43 and the connecting member 44 are configured to reciprocate along the screw shaft 42.

[0031] In the displacement mechanism 3, the first connecting structure 351 is connected to the motor main body 411 via the case 46, and the second connecting structure 352 is connected to the slider 43 via the connecting member 44. Therefore, the drive mechanism 4 reciprocates the slider 43 and the connecting member 44 along the screw shaft 42 by rotating the motor 41, thereby moving the first connecting structure 351 and the second connecting structure 352 closer to and apart from each other. When the first connecting structure 351 and the second connecting structure 352 are moved apart, the first gripping body 21 and the second gripping body 22 move closer to each other, allowing the displacement to the first position (see the horizontal thick arrow in FIG. 5 ). On the other hand, when the first connecting structure 351 and the second connecting structure 352 are moved closer to each other, the first gripping body 21 and the second gripping body 22 move apart from each other, allowing the displacement to the second position (see the vertical thick arrow in FIG. 5 ).

[0032] The case 46 that houses the motor 41 (motor body 411) has a power supply unit 5 provided at its bottom. The power supply unit 5 has a battery 51 and a battery mounting section 52 to which the battery 51 is detachably attached. The battery mounting section 52 is fixed to the case 46. The power supply unit 5 is capable of supplying power to at least the motor 41. The battery 51 can be, for example, a dry cell, a primary battery such as a solar cell, or a secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery.

[0033] The case 46 also has a support base 461 on its upper part, and the control board 9 is mounted on this support base 461. A cover (not shown) for covering the control board 9 is preferably provided. Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control board. The control board 9 shown in Fig. 9 is, for example, a dedicated control device for controlling at least the motor 41, and has a communication unit 91, a storage unit 92, and a control unit 93, and these components are electrically connected via a communication bus 90. In addition to the motor 41, the power supply unit 5 is also electrically connected to the control board 9.

[0034] The communication unit 91 is configured to be able to transmit various electrical signals from the control board 9 to external components. The communication unit 91 is also configured to be able to receive various electrical signals from external components to the control board 9. More preferably, the communication unit 91 has a network communication function, thereby enabling communication of various information with external devices via a network such as the Internet. The communication unit 91 is preferably a wired communication means such as USB, IEEE 1394, Thunderbolt (registered trademark), or wired LAN network communication, but may also include wireless LAN network communication, mobile communication such as 3G / LTE / 5G, BLUETOOTH (registered trademark) communication, etc., as needed. That is, it is more preferable to implement the communication unit 91 as a combination of these multiple communication means.

[0035] The memory unit 92 stores various information defined above. This may be implemented, for example, as a storage device such as a solid state drive (SSD) that stores various programs related to the wire gripper 1 executed by the control unit 93, or as a memory such as a random access memory (RAM) that stores temporarily required information (arguments, arrays, etc.) related to program calculations. The memory unit 92 stores various programs and variables related to the wire gripper 1 executed by the control unit 93. It is particularly preferable that information related to construction plans to be carried out using the wire gripper 1 be stored in the memory unit 92.

[0036] The control unit 93 processes and controls the overall operation of the wire gripper 1. The control unit 93 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) (not shown). The control unit 93 realizes various functions related to the wire gripper 1 by reading out predetermined programs stored in the storage unit 92. In other words, information processing by the software stored in the storage unit 92 is specifically realized by the control unit 93, which is an example of hardware. Note that the control unit 93 is not limited to being single, and multiple control units 93 may be provided for each function. A combination of these may also be used.

[0037] Next, a method of using the wire gripping device 1 (wire tensioning device 100) will be described. [1] First, the supports 300A and 300B are hooked onto the insulated electric wire 700. Then, the pair of wire gripping devices 1 connected to both ends of the stretcher 200 are attached to the insulated electric wire 700 using a remote control device. Specifically, the first wire gripping body 21 and the second wire gripping body 22 are placed in the second position, the insulated electric wire 700 is inserted between them, and the first wire gripping body 21 is hooked onto the insulated electric wire 700.

[0038] [2] Next, an external terminal (not shown) is used to operate the motor 41, causing the rotating shaft 412 to rotate in a predetermined direction. This causes the threaded shaft 42 connected to the rotating shaft 412 to also rotate, and the slider 43 threaded onto the threaded shaft 42 moves in a direction away from the motor body 411 along the longitudinal direction of the threaded shaft 42. At this time, the first connecting structure 351 is connected to the motor body 411, and the second connecting structure 352 is connected to the slider 43. As a result, the second connecting structure 352 moves away from the first connecting structure 351.

[0039] As a result, the upper end of the left first link piece 31 rotates clockwise around the threaded portion 331 of the bolt 33, and the upper end of the right first link piece 31 rotates counterclockwise around the threaded portion 331 of the bolt 33. Then, the first gripping body 21 through which the two threaded portions 331 are inserted is displaced downward in Fig. 5. Meanwhile, the lower end of the left second link piece 32 rotates counterclockwise around the threaded portion 331 of the bolt 33, and the lower end of the right second link piece 32 rotates clockwise around the threaded portion 331 of the bolt 33. Then, the second gripping body 22 through which the two threaded portions 331 are inserted is displaced upward in Fig. 5.

[0040] In this manner, the first gripping body 21 and the second gripping body 22 are displaced to the first position so as to approach each other, thereby clamping the insulated electric wire 700. This allows the pair of wire grippers 1 to be fixed to the insulated electric wire 700. At this time, the external terminal is operated to stop the operation of the motor 41. This maintains the first position of the first gripping body 21 and the second gripping body 22, allowing the insulated electric wire 700 to continue to be clamped.

[0041] [3] When cutting the insulated electric wire 700, the operating unit 218 is operated by the remote control to contract the longitudinal dimension of the expander 200 and bring the wire grippers 1 closer to each other. This causes the insulated electric wire 700 to be taut in the areas of the insulated electric wire 700 outside the wire grippers 1 and relaxed in the areas of the insulated electric wire 700 between the two wire grippers 1. At this time, the connecting members 47 of the two wire grippers 1 are pulled in directions that bring them closer to each other, causing the first wire gripping body 21 and the second wire gripping body 22 to displace in directions that bring them closer to each other. As a result, the insulated electric wire 700 can be more firmly clamped by the first wire gripping body 21 and the second wire gripping body 22.

[0042] [4] After the work is completed, the operating unit 218 is operated using the remote control device to extend the longitudinal dimension of the stretcher 200 and move the wire grippers 1 away from each other. Then, the motor 41 is operated using an external terminal to rotate the rotation shaft 412 in the opposite direction to the above. This displaces the first wire gripping body 21 and the second wire gripping body 22 from the first position to the second position, releasing the clamping of the insulated electric wire 700. Finally, the wire tensioning device 100 is detached from the insulated electric wire 700 using the remote control device.

[0043] <<Second Embodiment>> Next, a second embodiment of the wire gripper of the present invention will be described. Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the second embodiment of the wire gripper of the present invention. Fig. 11 is a front view showing the wire gripper shown in Fig. 10 with the wire gripping portion and displacement mechanism removed. Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the drive mechanism. Fig. 13 is a side view showing the configuration of the drive mechanism. In the following description, in Figs. 10 to 13, the upper side will be referred to as "upper" or "upper side," and the lower side will be referred to as "lower" or "lower side." In addition, in Figs. 10 to 12, the right side will be referred to as "right" or "rightward," and the left side will be referred to as "left" or "leftward."

[0044] The following description of the wire gripper of the second embodiment will focus on the differences from the wire gripper of the first embodiment, and will omit a description of similar points. The wire gripper 1 of the second embodiment is similar to the wire gripper 1 of the first embodiment, except for the configuration of the drive mechanism 4. The drive mechanism 4 shown in Figures 10 and 11 has a screw shaft 42 attached to a rotating shaft 412 of a motor 41, a rotational force transmission mechanism that transmits the rotational force of the rotating shaft 412 of the motor 41 to the screw shaft 42, and a slider 43 that moves along the screw shaft 42 as the screw shaft 42 rotates.

[0045] 12 , the drive mechanism 4 further includes a guide shaft 48. The left portions of the motor body 411 of the motor 41, the screw shaft 42, and the guide shaft 48 are supported by a support plate 462, and the right portions of the screw shaft 42 and the guide shaft 48 are supported by a support plate 463. The tip of the bolt 3511 of the first connecting structure 351 is threaded into a screw hole 462a formed in the support plate 462, and the tip of the bolt 3521 of the second connecting structure 352 is threaded into a screw hole 43a formed in the slider 43. With this configuration, the first connecting structure is fixed to the motor 41, and the second connecting structure is fixed to the slider 43.

[0046] Additionally, an arm 481 is fixed to the left side and an arm 482 is fixed to the right side midway along the longitudinal direction (axial direction) of the guide shaft 48. Each arm 481, 482 is provided so as to protrude toward the screw shaft 42. A microswitch 491 is fixed to the upper side of the arm 481, and a microswitch 492 is fixed to the lower side of the arm 482. Each microswitch 491, 492 is arranged so that its push button 491 a, 492 a faces the slider 43. When the slider 43 moves along the screw shaft 42 and presses the push button 491 a, 492 a, each microswitch 491, 492 can be turned on.

[0047] 11 and 13, a pulley 419 is fixed to the rotating shaft 412 of the motor 41, and a pulley 429 is fixed to the screw shaft 42. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 13, a timing belt 409 is wound around the pulleys 419 and 429. With this configuration, the rotational force of the rotating shaft 412 of the motor 41 can be transmitted to the screw shaft 42 via the pulleys 419, 429, and timing belt 409. In other words, the pulleys 419, 429, and timing belt 409 constitute a rotational force transmission mechanism.

[0048] Furthermore, the support plate 462 is provided with a tension adjustment mechanism 464 that adjusts the tension of the timing belt 409. This tension adjustment mechanism 464 is composed of a pressure roller 464a that presses the timing belt 409, and a position adjustment screw 464b that adjusts the position of the pressure roller 464a with respect to the timing belt 409. By adjusting the degree of tightening of the position adjustment screw 464b, the position of the pressure roller 464a with respect to the timing belt 409 can be changed, and the tension of the timing belt 409 can be adjusted.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 11 , a case (fixing member) 46 having an L-shape in front view is fixed to the support plate 462 so as to cover the torque transmission mechanism. A battery mounting section 52 is provided on the upper side of the case 46. A control board 9 is mounted on the left side of the case 46 via a support base 461. The drive mechanism 4 of this embodiment further includes an encoder 493 that measures the number of rotations of the screw shaft 42. The encoder 493 includes an encoder disk 493a fixed to the left of the pulley 429 of the screw shaft 42, and a photointerrupter 493b fixed to the case 46 and equipped with a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element arranged via the encoder disk 493a.

[0050] 10 and 11 , the position where the slider 43 presses the push button 491a of the microswitch 491, i.e., the position (second position) where the first wire gripping body 21 and the second wire gripping body 22 are furthest apart, can be identified as the position where the encoder 493 starts measuring the number of rotations of the screw shaft 42. Using this position as a base point, the encoder 493 measures the number of rotations of the screw shaft 42, thereby measuring the thickness (outer diameter) of the insulated electric wire (linear body) 700 clamped in the wire gripping portion 2. The type of the insulated electric wire 700 can be detected by comparing this measurement result with a database.

[0051] That is, the wire type detection mechanism is made up of an encoder 493 that measures the number of rotations of the screw shaft 42 and a microswitch (position sensor) 491 that identifies the position at which the encoder 493 starts measuring the number of rotations of the screw shaft 42. On the other hand, when the slider 43 presses the push button 492a of the microswitch 492, the first wire gripping body 21 and the second wire gripping body 22 are closest to each other, so the motor 41 can be configured to stop power supply to the motor 41. This prevents the motor 41 from rotating unnecessarily, and makes it possible to effectively prevent deterioration and damage to the motor 41.

[0052] The position sensor that identifies the position at which the encoder 493 starts measuring the number of rotations of the screw shaft 42 is not limited to the microswitch 491, but may be an optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, or the like, as long as it can detect the position of the slider 43. The encoder 493 is not limited to an optical type, and may be, for example, a mechanical (contact type), a magnetic type, or an electromagnetic induction type. The wire gripper 1 of the second embodiment can also achieve the same effects and advantages as the wire gripper 1 of the first embodiment.

[0053] In addition, the wire type detection mechanism that detects the type of insulated wire (linear body) 700 clamped in the gripping portion 2 is not limited to the above configuration, and can also be configured, for example, with a pressure sensor provided in the arc-shaped groove 21b formed on the underside of the first gripping body 21 and the arc-shaped groove 22b formed on the upper surface of the second gripping body 22, a sensor that measures the distance between the first gripping body 21 and the second gripping body 22, etc.

[0054] As described above, according to the present invention, the clamping operation of the wire gripper 1 to grip the insulated electric wire 700 is performed by the drive mechanism 4 having the motor 41. Therefore, the wire gripper 1 itself assists in work that requires a large amount of force, improving operability. Furthermore, whereas the conventional work required two workers in the air on a bucket, this can now be done by a single worker, improving workability. Furthermore, the remaining worker can monitor the work status of the worker on the bucket from the ground and issue accurate instructions, improving safety.

[0055] Furthermore, by attaching various sensors to the wire gripper 1, data obtained during work can be transmitted to an external terminal (e.g., a tablet terminal) via the communication unit 91 of the control board 9 and stored therein. Based on the obtained data, work history can be confirmed and management of the need for repairs to the wire gripper 1 can be performed, which is preferable from the viewpoint of improving safety. The external terminal may be a foot switch, a voice recognition device, or the like. In this case, even when working alone, both hands can be freed when operating the wire gripper 1. Furthermore, even when multiple insulated electric wires (linear objects) 700 are simultaneously worked on using the wire tensioning device 100, a single external terminal can be used to perform wire tensioning work, etc. Furthermore, the present invention may be provided in the following forms.

[0056] (1) A wire gripper used to clamp a linear object, comprising a wire gripping section, a displacement mechanism, and a drive mechanism, wherein the wire gripping section has a first gripping body and a second gripping body arranged opposite the first gripping body, the displacement mechanism is configured to relatively displace the first gripping body and the second gripping body between a first position that clamps the linear object and a second position that releases the clamping of the linear object, and the drive mechanism has a motor that operates the displacement mechanism.

[0057] (2) In the wire gripper described in (1) above, the displacement mechanism has a pair of first link pieces rotatably attached to the first wire gripping body, a pair of second link pieces rotatably attached to the second wire gripping body, a first connection structure rotatably connecting one of the first link pieces to a corresponding one of the second link pieces, and a second connection structure rotatably connecting the other of the first link pieces to the corresponding other of the second link pieces, and the drive mechanism is configured to move the first connection structure and the second connection structure closer to and apart from each other by rotation of the motor, and to displace the first wire gripping body and the second wire gripping body between the first position and the second position.

[0058] (3) In the wire gripper described in (2) above, the drive mechanism has a screw shaft connected to the rotating shaft of the motor and a slider that moves along the screw shaft as the screw shaft rotates, and the first connection structure is fixed to the motor and the second connection structure is fixed to the slider.

[0059] (4) In the wire gripper described in (2) above, the drive mechanism has a screw shaft connected to the rotating shaft of the motor, a rotational force transmission mechanism that transmits the rotational force of the rotating shaft of the motor to the screw shaft, and a slider that moves along the screw shaft as the screw shaft rotates, and the first connection structure is fixed to the motor and the second connection structure is fixed to the slider.

[0060] (5) In the wire gripper described in any one of (2) to (4) above, the pair of first link pieces are provided at the end on the first wire gripping body side and have teeth that mesh with each other.

[0061] (6) In the wire gripper described in any one of (2) to (5) above, the pair of second link pieces are provided at the end on the second wire gripping body side and have teeth that mesh with each other.

[0062] (7) A wire gripper according to any one of (2) to (6) above, further comprising a control board for controlling at least the motor, and the drive mechanism further comprising a case for accommodating the motor and mounting the control board.

[0063] (8) In the wire gripper described in any one of (2) to (7) above, the second connection structure further has a connection member that pulls the second connection structure in a direction away from the first connection structure.

[0064] (9) A wire gripper according to any one of (2) to (8) above, further comprising a wire type detection mechanism for detecting the type of the linear body clamped in the wire gripping portion, the wire type detection mechanism having an encoder for measuring the number of rotations of the screw shaft and a position sensor for identifying the position at which the encoder starts measuring the number of rotations of the screw shaft.

[0065] (10) The wire gripper according to any one of (1) to (9) above, further comprising a power supply unit that supplies power to at least the motor.

[0066] (11) The wire gripper according to any one of (1) to (10) above, further comprising a wire type detection mechanism that detects the type of the linear object held by the wire gripping portion.

[0067] (12) A wire tensioning device comprising a pair of wire grippers and an extender, wherein the pair of wire grippers are each configured as the wire grippers described in any one of (1) to (11) above, and the extender is configured to connect the pair of wire grippers to both ends thereof and move the pair of wire grippers holding the linear body closer to and farther apart. Of course, this is not limited to this.

[0068] Finally, while various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, they are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The novel embodiments may be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The embodiments and their modifications are within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also within the scope of the invention and its equivalents as set forth in the claims. For example, any configuration of the first and second embodiments described above may be combined as appropriate.

[0069] 100: Wire tensioning device 200: Expander 210: Main body cylindrical portion 212: Moving shaft portion 214: Cylindrical portion 216: Operating portion 218: Operating portion 400A: Supporting tool 400B: Supporting tool 410: Opening 413: Supporting tool main body 414: Closing piece 416: Through hole 418: Through hole 420: Engaging piece 430: Fixing portion 432: Operating portion 434: Operating portion 500: Connecting tool 520: Fixing member 700: Insulated electric wire 1: Wire gripping tool 2: Wire gripping portion 21: First wire gripping body 21a: Through hole 21b: Groove 22: Second wire gripping body 22a: Through hole 22b: Groove 3 : Displacement mechanism 31 : First link piece 31a : Through hole 31b : Through hole 311 : Tooth portion 32 : Second link piece 32a : Through hole 32b : Through hole 321 : Tooth portion 33 : Bolt 331 : Threaded portion 332 : Screw head 34 : Nut 341 : Spacer 341a : Through hole 342 : Spacer 342a : Through hole 351 : First connecting structure 3511 : Bolt 352 : Second connecting structure 3521 : Bolt 4 : Drive mechanism 41 : Motor 411 : Motor body 412 : Rotating shaft 419 : Pulley 42 : Screw shaft 429 : Pulley 43 : Slider 43a : Screw hole 44 : Connecting member 44a : Engagement hole 44b : Screw hole 45 : Fixing member 45a : Engagement hole 46 : Case 46a : Screw hole 461 : Support base 462 : Support plate 462a : Screw hole 463 : Support plate 464 : Tension adjustment mechanism 464a : Pressing roller 464b : Position adjustment screw 47 : Connection member 47a : Through hole 47b : Through hole 48 : Guide shaft 481 : Arm portion 482 : Arm portion 491 : Microswitch 491a : Push button 492 : Microswitch 492a : Push button 493 : Encoder 493a : Encoder disk 493b : Photointerrupter 409 : Timing belt 5 : Power supply unit 51 : Battery 52 : Battery mounting portion 9 : Control board 90: Communication bus91: Communication unit 92: Storage unit 93: Control unit

Claims

1. A wire gripper used when gripping a linear object, It comprises a gripping section, a displacement mechanism, and a drive mechanism. The gripping portion comprises a first gripping body and a second gripping body arranged opposite to the first gripping body. The displacement mechanism is configured to relatively displace the first gripping body and the second gripping body between a first position for gripping the linear body and a second position for releasing the gripping of the linear body. The drive mechanism has a motor that operates the displacement mechanism.

2. In the wire gripper according to claim 1, The displacement mechanism comprises a pair of first link pieces rotatably attached to the first gripping body, a pair of second link pieces rotatably attached to the second gripping body, a first connection structure that rotatably connects one of the first link pieces to one of the second link pieces corresponding to that first link piece, and a second connection structure that rotatably connects the other of the first link pieces to the other of the second link pieces corresponding to that first link piece. The drive mechanism is configured such that the rotation of the motor brings the first connection structure and the second connection structure closer together and further apart, and displaces the first gripping body and the second gripping body between the first position and the second position.

3. In the wire gripper according to claim 2, The drive mechanism includes a screw shaft connected to the rotating shaft of the motor, and a slider that moves along the screw shaft as the screw shaft rotates. The first connection structure is fixed to the motor, and the second connection structure is fixed to the slider.

4. In the wire gripper according to claim 2, The drive mechanism includes a screw shaft mounted alongside the motor's rotating shaft, a rotational force transmission mechanism that transmits the rotational force of the motor's rotating shaft to the screw shaft, and a slider that moves along the screw shaft due to the rotation of the screw shaft. The first connection structure is fixed to the motor, and the second connection structure is fixed to the slider.

5. In the wire gripper according to claim 2, The pair of first link pieces are provided at the ends on the first gripping body side and have teeth that mesh with each other.

6. In the wire gripper according to claim 2, The pair of second link pieces are provided at the ends on the second gripping body side and have teeth that mesh with each other.

7. In the wire gripper according to claim 2, Furthermore, it includes at least a control board for controlling the motor, The drive mechanism further includes a case that houses the motor and mounts the control board.

8. In the wire gripper according to claim 2, The second connection structure further includes a connecting member that pulls the second connection structure in a direction that separates it from the first connection structure.

9. In the wire gripper according to claim 2, Furthermore, it is equipped with a wire type detection mechanism that detects the type of the wire being held in the wire gripping portion, The wire type detection mechanism comprises an encoder for measuring the rotational speed of the screw shaft and a position sensor for determining the position at which the encoder starts measuring the rotational speed of the screw shaft.

10. In the wire gripper according to claim 1, Furthermore, it includes a power supply unit that supplies power to at least the motor.

11. In the wire gripper according to claim 1, Furthermore, the device is equipped with a wire type detection mechanism for detecting the type of the linear body being held in the wire gripping portion.

12. A tensioning device, It comprises a pair of wire grippers and an expander, Each of the pair of wire grippers is composed of a wire gripper as described in any one of claims 1 to 11. The aforementioned expander has the pair of wire grippers connected to both ends thereof, and is configured to move the pair of wire grippers, which are gripping the linear body, closer together and further apart.