Fiber Optic Cable Wrapping Robot for Powerline Obstacle Bypass
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robotic systems installing fiber optic cables on powerline conductors often encounter obstacles, requiring human intervention to temporarily remove and reattach the device, which increases the need for manual intervention and slows down the installation process.
Innovation Solution
The robotic system employs a drive subsystem that translates along the powerline conductor, a rotation subsystem that wraps the fiber optic cable helically, and an extension subsystem that selectively extends away from the powerline conductor to avoid obstacles, allowing the system to continue installation without human intervention by selectively clamping and releasing the powerline conductor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If conventional robotic systems are used to install fiber optic cables on powerline conductors, then the installation process requires human intervention to remove and reattach the device when obstacles are encountered, but this increases manual intervention needs and slows down the installation process
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system employs a dynamically adjustable extension subsystem that can selectively extend away from the powerline conductor to avoid obstacles during translation. This dynamic capability allows the system to navigate around obstacles autonomously without requiring human intervention to remove and reattach the device, thereby maintaining high automation while reducing installation time
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system is divided into distinct functional subsystems: a drive subsystem for translation, a rotation subsystem for cable wrapping, and an extension subsystem for obstacle avoidance. This segmentation allows each subsystem to operate independently and efficiently, with the extension subsystem specifically handling obstacle avoidance to maintain continuous installation operations
2Productivity
If the robotic system continuously translates along the powerline conductor without obstacle avoidance capability, then installation speed is maintained, but the system cannot navigate around obstacles and requires human intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The extension subsystem provides dynamic adaptability by selectively extending away from the powerline conductor when obstacles are detected. This allows the robotic system to maintain its translation speed and productivity while adapting to various obstacle conditions, eliminating the need to slow down or stop for human intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The extension subsystem acts as an intermediary between the drive subsystem and obstacles. It provides the necessary clearance and navigation capability around obstacles while allowing the drive subsystem to maintain continuous translation along the conductor, thus preserving installation speed while gaining obstacle navigation capability
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed system may include (1) a drive subsystem that translates along a powerline conductor, (2) a rotation subsystem that rotates a segment of fiber optic cable about the powerline conductor while the drive subsystem translates along the powerline conductor such that the segment of fiber optic cable is wrapped helically about the powerline conductor, and (3) an extension subsystem that (a) mechanically couples the rotation subsystem to the drive subsystem, and (b) selectively extends the rotation subsystem away from the drive subsystem and the powerline conductor to avoid obstacles along the powerline conductor. Various other systems and methods are also disclosed.