Drone-Mounted Lances with Ground-Fed Hoses for Surface Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drones used for cleaning and painting hard-to-reach surfaces face limitations due to the weight of the cleaning or painting product, which reduces their autonomy and range, and conventional batteries have limited capacity.
Innovation Solution
The product is stored at ground level in a large tank, and a hose supplies it to the drone, reducing the drone's weight and power requirements, allowing the use of smaller and cheaper drones with interchangeable lances for application, and the drone is powered by a ground-based electrical cable for extended operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the drone carries a tank of cleaning product or paint, then the product can be applied directly, but the weight of the product limits the volume of tank that can be carried, reducing autonomy
Solution Approach 1:
The heavy tank containing the cleaning product or paint is extracted from the drone and placed on the ground. Only the lightweight application nozzle and hose remain attached to the drone, eliminating the weight constraint while maintaining product delivery capability. This allows using much larger tank volumes without increasing drone weight.
Solution Approach 2:
A hose acts as an intermediary element connecting the ground-based tank to the drone-mounted application nozzle. This intermediary allows the product to be delivered from the ground tank to the drone application point without requiring the drone to carry the tank, resolving the weight-volume contradiction.
2Quantity of substance
If the drone carries a larger tank to increase product volume, then more product can be applied, but the drone's lifting capacity is exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The tank is extracted from the drone's load and placed on the ground, eliminating the direct relationship between product volume and drone lifting capacity. The drone only needs to lift its own weight plus the lightweight application equipment, not the heavy product tank.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a three-dimensional constraint (drone must lift tank in air) to a two-dimensional solution (tank remains on ground while drone hovers). The product delivery occurs through the hose connection between ground and air, separating the volume requirement from the lifting requirement.
3Duration of action of moving object
If conventional batteries are used to power the drone, then the drone can operate autonomously, but the battery range is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The battery is extracted from the drone and placed on the ground as part of the stationary support system. The drone receives power through the existing hose connection or wireless power transfer, eliminating the need for heavy onboard batteries while extending operational duration indefinitely.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~5
AI summary
The present invention consists of equipping a drone with two lances (3'-3") with connectors (13-13') for respective hoses (4-4') fed by abrasive product and water, soapy water or pressurised paint, lances which are arranged in parallel and which are subsequently linked to a support structure by way of a bridge (12) as well as to a swivelling bearing structure at their middle area. The drone includes a frame (22) by way of a recess in alignment with its control video camera in which a replaceable plastic screen (23) can be inserted. In turn, at least one of the lances (3-3') includes, in alignment with its rear end, hinge adjustment and passage means for the fluid to be applied to pass therethrough. The hoses are connected to a tank of the product to be applied, located at ground level, and assisted by a compressor unit (6).