Sensor-Controlled Cable Winch for Constant Tension Stringing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cable winches are unable to actively control the tension on high voltage power cables during deployment, making operations dangerous and inefficient, particularly when using helicopters or drones for power line stringing.
Innovation Solution
A cable winch equipped with a sensor system and control system to detect and maintain a predetermined tension on the cable by modulating the speed and torque of the drive system, utilizing a programmable logic controller (PLC) and sensors to ensure accurate tension control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional winches are used to deploy cables, then the cable can be paid out, but the tension on the cable cannot be actively controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where sensors continuously measure cable tension and provide real-time data to a control system. The control system processes this feedback and automatically adjusts the drive system's speed and torque to maintain predetermined tension levels, thereby achieving active tension control that was previously unavailable in conventional winches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces purely mechanical cable deployment with an integrated electromechanical system. Sensors, control systems, and variable speed drive systems substitute for simple mechanical winching mechanisms, enabling precise electronic control of cable tension through modulation of motor speed and torque rather than relying on mechanical friction or brake systems alone.
2Weight of moving object
If helicopters are used for power line stringing, then heavy cables can be lifted, but the operation becomes dangerous and resource-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces helicopter-based cable deployment with a ground-based winch system that uses controlled cable tensioning to pull lines through aerial rights-of-way. This substitution eliminates the need for helicopters to physically lift heavy cables, thereby removing the inherent safety risks of operating helicopters near transmission towers while maintaining the capability to handle heavy power line cables through controlled mechanical tensioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a ground-based winch system as an intermediary between the cable spool and the aerial installation point. Instead of helicopters directly lifting and positioning cables, the winch system mediates the cable deployment process by controlling tension and payout speed, allowing cables to be pulled through the installation path without requiring aerial lifting capability.
3Productivity
If cable tension is not controlled during deployment, then the operation is simpler, but the operation becomes dangerous and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where sensors continuously measure cable tension and provide real-time data to a control system. The control system processes this feedback and automatically adjusts the drive system's speed and torque to maintain predetermined tension levels, thereby achieving active tension control that was previously unavailable in conventional winches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the winch system to automatically regulate its own operation through the control system that continuously monitors tension via sensors and self-adjusts drive parameters. This self-service capability allows the system to maintain optimal tension control without requiring constant manual intervention, thereby improving operational efficiency while managing complexity through automation.
Data Source
AI summary
A cable winch (100) for deploying and retracting a cable (50) during the installation of powerline cables on transmission towers. The cable winch (100) includes a base frame (102), a spool (110), a drive system (120), a sensor system (200), and a control system (300). The spool (110) is mounted for rotation on the base frame (102) and the cable (50) is releasably securable to the spool (110). The drive system (120) is able to drive rotation of the spool (110) to either pay out or wind in the cable (50) along a cable path. The cable path passes through the sensor system (200), which has a first sensor (244) able to detect and output tension data in relation to the tension in the cable (50) passing through the sensor system (200). The control system (300) is adapted to receive the tension data output by the sensor system (200) and modulate the speed and torque of the drive system (120) in order to maintain a predetermined tension in the cable (50).