Suspended Load Power Control for Thruster-Based Motion Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for controlling suspended loads, such as those suspended by cables from helicopters or cranes, face challenges in managing unstable or hazardous movements due to wind and other external factors, and often lack sufficient power to effectively control the loads.
Innovation Solution
A suspended load control system (SLCS) that includes thrusters, fans, or propellers to exert force at the load's location, allowing for independent control of the load's motion, including yaw, pendular motion, and horizontal translation, and a power management system to efficiently distribute power from both on-board and remote sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a remote power cable is used to supply electrical power to suspended equipment, then power can be delivered to the equipment, but the voltage and current supply capacity is limited by safety concerns, cable length, voltage drop, and magnetic fields
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a wireless power transfer system as an intermediary between the power source and suspended equipment, eliminating the need for physical power cables. This uses electromagnetic fields for power transmission without the harmful magnetic fields generated by coiled cables, and enables higher power delivery without voltage drop or cable length limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical cable-based power delivery system with a wireless electromagnetic power transfer system. This substitution eliminates the physical constraints of cable length, flexibility requirements, and magnetic field generation from coiled cables, while enabling sufficient power delivery to the suspended equipment.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the suspension cable is shortened to reduce pendular motion, then load stability improves, but the load gets closer to the carrier and horizontal motion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an active control system with sensors and actuators as intermediaries between the load and carrier. This control system continuously monitors load position and applies corrective forces through cable tension adjustments, enabling the system to maintain stability without requiring long cable lengths, thus preventing the horizontal motion problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback control system that continuously monitors load position, pendular motion, and horizontal displacement. Based on this feedback, the system dynamically adjusts cable tension and thruster activation to counteract unwanted motions, allowing short cable lengths without increasing horizontal motion.
3Power
If an on-board power supply is added to the suspended load control system, then power availability improves, but system weight and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the on-board power supply with the existing battery system used for thrusters and control electronics. By combining these power requirements into a single integrated power system, the patent achieves high power availability without proportionally increasing weight, as the power supply serves multiple functions within the SLCS.
Data Source
AI summary
Load control apparatuses, systems and methods to control a location, orientation, or rotation of a suspended load by imparting thrust with thrusters. The load control apparatuses, systems and method comprise an on-board power supply, a remote power supply, and a power control module. The power control module may distribute a pulse power to the thrusters from the on-board power supply and or from a combination of the on-board power supply and the remote power supply, may manage power between the on-board power supply and the remote power supply, and may to recharge the on-board power supply with the remote power supply.