JP2020150626A - Overhead wire travel mechanism, self-propelling overhead wire inspection device, and overhead wire inspection system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an overhead wire travel mechanism, a self-propelling overhead wire inspection device, and an overhead wire inspection system capable of preventing derailment from an overhead wire even when getting over an ancillary object.SOLUTION: An overhead wire travel mechanism 110 comprises: a pair of balance-shaped travel wheel bodies 110a and 110b arranged in a travel direction; and a wheel body support frame 110c for supporting the pair of balance-shaped travel wheel bodies 110a and 110b rotatably about rotation shafts 110d and 110e extending in a direction perpendicular to the travel direction. Each of the pair of balance-shaped travel wheel bodies 110a and 110b comprises: a pair of wheels arranged in the travel direction, and each formed in a circumferential direction, with respect to an outer circumferential surface, with a groove capable of accepting an overhead wire; and a wheel support frame supporting the pair of wheels rotatably about rotation shafts extending in the same direction as the rotation shafts of the balance-shaped travel wheel bodies 110a and 110b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to an overhead wire traveling mechanism, a self-propelled overhead wire inspection device, and an overhead wire inspection system.

In order to realize a stable supply of electric power, it is necessary to regularly inspect electric wires including transmission lines erected in mountainous areas. Therefore, in order to save labor in the inspection of electric wires, the development of a self-propelled electric wire inspection device capable of taking a picture of the electric wire while running the electric wire is being promoted. For example, Patent Document 1 describes an electric wire inspection device for inspecting a transmission line in which four electric wires are arranged in parallel, and a sliding portion that slides on the upper two electric wires while inspecting the electric wires. An electric wire inspection device including an inspection unit for inspecting the lower two electric wires is disclosed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-115063

The self-propelled overhead wire inspection device of Patent Document 1 swings up and down according to the height of the step when overcoming a step due to accessories such as dampers and snow accretion rings installed on the transmission line. Since the height of the step due to the attachment is about 5 cm in some cases, the self-propelled overhead wire inspection device of Patent Document 1 may swing greatly when overcoming the step and derail from the transmission line. Such a problem exists not only when traveling on a transmission line but also when traveling on an overhead line other than the transmission line.

The present invention has been made based on such a background, and an overhead wire traveling mechanism, a self-propelled overhead wire inspection device, and an overhead wire inspection capable of preventing derailment from the overhead wire even when overcoming an accessory. The purpose is to provide a system.

In order to achieve the above object, the overhead wire traveling mechanism according to the first aspect of the present invention is
A pair of balance-type traveling wheels arranged side by side in the direction of travel,
A wheel body support frame that rotatably supports the pair of balance-type traveling wheel bodies around a rotation axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction is provided.
The balance type traveling wheel body
A pair of wheels arranged side by side in the direction of travel and having grooves formed in the circumferential direction that can accept overhead wires with respect to the outer peripheral surface.
A wheel support frame that rotatably supports the pair of wheels around a rotation axis extending in the same direction as the rotation axis of the balance type traveling wheel body is provided.

The rotation axis of the balance type traveling wheel body may be arranged above the rotation axis of the wheel.

The groove may be formed in a V shape with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the wheel.

The balance type traveling mechanism is
A motor that rotates the pair of wheels and
A rotation transmission mechanism for transmitting the rotation of the motor to the pair of wheels may be provided.

The rotation transmission means
A first pulley rotatably supported by the wheel support frame and fixed to the wheel rotation shaft,
A second pulley rotatably supported by the wheel support frame and fixed to the rotating shaft of the motor,
A rubber belt which is arranged outside the wheel support frame and hung between the first pulley and the second pulley may be provided.

In order to achieve the above object, the self-propelled overhead wire inspection device according to the second aspect of the present invention is
With the overhead wire traveling mechanism
An imaging unit that is supported by the overhead wire traveling mechanism and photographs the overhead wire,
The controller includes a controller that is supported by the overhead wire traveling mechanism, is communicably connected to the overhead wire traveling mechanism and the photographing unit, and controls the operation of the overhead wire traveling mechanism and the photographing unit.

In order to achieve the above object, the overhead wire inspection system according to the third aspect of the present invention is
With the self-propelled overhead wire inspection device,
When it is communicably connected to the self-propelled overhead wire inspection device and accepts a user's operation, an operation signal for controlling the self-propelled overhead wire inspection device is transmitted to the self-propelled overhead wire inspection device. It is equipped with a remote control device.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an overhead wire traveling mechanism, a self-propelled overhead wire inspection device, and an overhead wire inspection system that can prevent derailment from an overhead wire even when overcoming an accessory.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the inspection system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. (A) is a side view showing the configuration of the inspection device according to the embodiment, and (b) is a front view showing the configuration of the inspection device according to the embodiment. It is a side view which shows the structure of the overhead wire traveling mechanism which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the structure of the balance type traveling wheel body which concerns on embodiment of this invention. (A) is a diagram showing a state in which the wheels according to the embodiment are traveling on the transmission line, and (b) is a state in which the wheels according to the embodiment are overcoming the damper installed on the transmission line. It is a figure which shows. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware structure of the inspection apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware configuration of the remote control device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the state that the actual machine of the inspection device is running on the transmission line erected in the laboratory. It is a graph which shows the numerical calculation result of the fluctuation amount in the height direction of the rotation axis of a balance type traveling wheel body.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the overhead wire traveling mechanism, the self-propelled overhead wire inspection device, and the overhead wire inspection system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent parts are designated by the same reference numerals. Hereinafter, a case where a single conductor transmission line erected on a steel tower is to be inspected will be described as an example.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an overhead wire inspection system according to an embodiment. The overhead wire inspection system 1 includes a self-propelled overhead wire inspection device (inspection device) 100 and a remote control device 200. The inspection device 100 and the remote control device 200 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via a communication network.

The inspection device 100 is a device that photographs the power transmission line while traveling on the power transmission line while being installed on the power transmission line. The inspection device 100 is lifted to the upper part of the tower by a worker and installed on a power transmission line.

The remote control device 200 is, for example, a tablet terminal. The remote control device 200 is operated by a worker near the transmission line to be inspected, provides an instruction regarding the operation of the inspection device 100, and acquires image data of the transmission line from the inspection device 100.

FIG. 2A is a side view showing the configuration of the inspection device 100 according to the embodiment, and FIG. 2B is a front view showing the configuration of the inspection device 100 according to the embodiment. FIG. 2B illustrates a state in which the inspection device 100 is installed on a transmission line to which a damper is attached.

The inspection device 100 includes an overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 that travels on the transmission line while being installed on the transmission line, a housing 120 that is supported by the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110, and a photographing that is supported by the housing 120 and photographs the transmission line. The unit 130 includes a controller 140 that controls the operation of the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 and the photographing unit 130, and a battery 150 that supplies power to the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110, the photographing unit 130, and the controller 140.

The housing 120 is fixed to the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 and supports the photographing unit 130 and the controller 140 at predetermined positions. The housing 120 includes a cover 121, a hanging portion 122, a support plate 123, and an accommodating portion 124.

The cover 121 is formed in a shape that covers the transmission line from above and surrounds the transmission line when the inspection device 100 is installed on the transmission line. The cover 121 is formed, for example, so that the cross section perpendicular to the traveling direction is octagonal. The cover 121 is formed with a slit extending in the traveling direction through which a power transmission line can pass from below.

The hanging portions 122 are fixed to the front end portion and the rear end portion of the cover 121, respectively. The hanging portion 122 includes a pair of arms formed in an L shape whose base end portion extends downward from the lower portion of the cover 121 and whose tip end portion extends in a direction perpendicular to the base end portion.

Both ends of the support plate 123 are fixed to the tip ends of the pair of arms, and the support plate 123 is supported so as to suspend the accommodating portion 124 on the lower surface portion thereof.

The accommodating portion 124 is an openable / closable box-shaped member that internally accommodates the controller 140 and the battery 150. The accommodating portion 124 is fixed to the lower surface portion of the support plate 123 and protects the controller 140 and the battery 150.

The photographing unit 130 photographs the entire circumference of the transmission line while the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 is traveling on the transmission line. The photographing unit 130 includes a plurality of cameras 131 and a plurality of mirrors 132 associated with each camera 131. The photographing unit 130 includes, for example, four cameras 131 and four mirrors 132.

The camera 131 captures an image of the transmission line reflected by the mirror 132. The camera 131 includes, for example, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device). The mirror 132 is arranged on the traveling direction side of the camera 131, reflects the image from the power transmission line, and causes the mirror 132 to enter the camera 131.

The camera 131 and the mirror 132 are supported by the inner surface of the cover 121, and are covered by the cover 121. The interior of the cover 121 is somewhat brightly illuminated by indirect light incident from a slit provided at the bottom. Therefore, the camera 131 does not reflect the surrounding scenery or the sunlight directly shines on the camera 131, and a clear image of the power transmission line can be stably acquired.

It is preferable that the cover 121 is provided with a window (for example, a slit or the like) for daylighting. The windows for daylighting can be provided on four side surfaces, for example, up, down, left and right. Further, the window may be provided with a translucent plate-shaped member, for example, a Japanese paper-like acrylic plate, for example, in order to avoid whiteout of the image due to direct sunlight.

The mirror 132 is supported in an adjustable position and angle with respect to the cover 121 so that the camera 131 can be focused on the image of the power transmission line reflected from the mirror 132. Further, each pair of the camera 131 and the mirror 132 is arranged so as to photograph an area in which the transmission line is divided into four in the circumferential direction. Therefore, each pair of the camera 131 and the mirror 132 can take a picture by focusing on the assigned portion of the power transmission line, and as a result, the entire circumference image of the power transmission line can be surely acquired.

The controller 140 is communicably connected to the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 and the photographing unit 130 via a wired or wireless communication circuit, and controls the operation of the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 and the photographing unit 130. The controller 140 is, for example, a small general-purpose computer (for example, a single board computer).

The battery 150 is electrically connected to the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 and the photographing unit 130 via a cable or the like to supply electric power to the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 and the photographing unit 130. The battery 150 is preferably fixed to the lower surface of the housing 120 in order to lower the center of gravity of the inspection device 100.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing the configuration of the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 according to the embodiment. The overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 includes a pair of balance-type traveling wheel bodies 110a and 110b, and a wheel body support frame 110c that rotatably supports the pair of balance-type traveling wheel bodies 110a and 110b.

The balance-type traveling wheels 110a and 110b are arranged side by side in the traveling direction and are configured to travel on the same power transmission line. The balance-type traveling wheels 110a and 110b are rotatably supported around the rotation shafts 110d and 110e extending in the direction perpendicular to the traveling direction in a state of being arranged side by side in the traveling direction.

The rotating shafts of the rotating shafts 110d and 110e are fixed to the main bodies of the balance type traveling wheel bodies 110a and 110b, and are provided so as to be above the rotating shafts of the wheels 111 and 112 included in the balance type traveling wheel bodies 110a and 110b. Has been done. Therefore, the balance type traveling wheel bodies 110a and 110b are rotatably supported so as to be suspended from the wheel body support frame 110c at the upper end portions thereof.

A part of the balance type traveling wheel bodies 110a and 110b abuts on the wheel body support frame 110c, so that the rotation angles around the rotation shafts 110d and 110e are limited. It is preferable that the rotation angles around the rotating shafts 110d and 110e are set so as to be able to overcome a step of up to about 60 mm in consideration of a step due to a damper or the like of the transmission line. The rotation angle around the rotating shafts 110d and 110e is determined, for example, with respect to a horizontal plane in consideration of the lengths of the balance type traveling wheel bodies 110a and 110b and the positions of the rotating shafts 110d and 110e with respect to the balance type traveling wheel bodies 110a and 110b. It is preferable to set it to about ± 16 °.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the balance type traveling wheel body 110a according to the embodiment. Since the balance type traveling wheel bodies 110a and 110b have the same configuration, the configuration of the balance type traveling wheel body 110a will be mainly described below.

The balance-type traveling wheel bodies 110a are arranged side by side in the traveling direction, and a pair of wheels 111 and 112 that rotate so as to roll on the same straight line and a wheel support frame that rotatably supports the pair of wheels 111 and 112. It includes 113, a motor 114 that rotates a pair of wheels 111 and 112, and a rotation transmission means 115 that transmits the rotation of the motor 114 to the wheels 111 and 112. The pair of wheels 111 and 112 are provided with rotating shafts 111a and 112a that are coaxial with the main body of the wheels 111 and 112 and extend in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction. The rotating shafts 111a and 112a extend in the same direction as the rotating shafts 110d and 110e that support the balance type traveling wheel body 110a.

FIG. 5A shows a state in which the wheel 111 according to the embodiment is traveling on the power transmission line, and FIG. 5B shows the wheel 111 according to the embodiment overcoming a damper installed on the power transmission line. It is a figure which shows the state of the wheel. Since the wheels 111 and 112 have the same configuration, the configuration of the wheel 111 will be described below.

A V-shaped groove 111b is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the wheel 111. Since the wheel 111 is formed in a V-shaped groove 111b, transmission lines having various diameters can be sandwiched without replacing the wheel 111. The groove 111b of the wheel may be provided with a non-slip material made of rubber, elastomer or the like in accordance with the V-shape.

A plurality of protrusions 111c extending in the radial direction are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the wheel 111. The plurality of protrusions 111c are arranged side by side in the circumferential direction on both sides of the groove 111b. The protrusion 111c prevents the wheel 111 from slipping on the damper or the like when the wheel 111 rides on a step such as a damper. Whether or not the protrusion 111c is provided on the wheel 111 may be appropriately selected depending on the presence or absence of snow, the type and material of the damper installed on the transmission line, the material of the wheel, and the like.

Returning to FIG. 4, the wheel support frame 113 includes an upper surface portion 113a and a pair of side surface portions 113b extending downward from both ends of the upper surface portion. The wheel support frame 113 is formed so that the cross section cut in the direction perpendicular to the traveling direction is U-shaped or ∩-shaped. A rotary shaft support portion 113c extending upward is provided at the upper end portion of the side surface portion 113b at an intermediate portion in the traveling direction. The rotating shafts 110d and 110e are rotatably supported by the rotating shaft supporting portion 113c.

The side surface portions 113b of the wheel support frame 113 rotatably support the rotation shafts 111a and 112a of the wheels 111 and 112 and the rotation shaft 114a of the motor 114 described later, respectively. The rotating shafts 111a, 112a, and 114a all extend from the inside to the outside of the side surface portion 113b so that the pulleys 115a, 115b, 115c, and 115d described later can be attached.

The motor 114 is, for example, a DC (Direct Current) motor. The motor 114 includes a motor body fixed to the wheel support frame 113 and a rotating shaft 114a extending from the motor body and rotatable with respect to the motor body. The motors 114 provided on the balance-type traveling wheels 110a and 110b are configured to rotate at the same rotation speed based on a control signal from the controller 140.

The rotation transmitting means 115 includes pulleys 115a and 115b (first pulleys) fixed to the tip sides of the rotation shafts 111a and 112a of the wheels 111 and 112, and pulleys 115c fixed to the tip side of the rotation shaft 114a of the motor 114. , 115d (second pulley), and rubber belts 115e and 115f that transmit the rotation of the pulleys 115c and 115d to the pulleys 115a and 115b, respectively.

The pulleys 115a, 115b, 115c, and 115d are all arranged outside the side surface portion 113b. Further, the pulleys 115c and 115d are provided between the pulleys 115a and 115b and are arranged side by side in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 114a. The rubber belts 115e and 115f are hung between the pulley 115a and the pulley 115c and between the pulley 115b and the pulley 115c. Therefore, when the rotation shaft 114a of the motor 114 rotates, the pulleys 115c and 115d rotate, and the rotation is transmitted to the pulleys 115a and 115b via the rubber belts 115e and 115f. Therefore, when the motor 114 is driven, the wheels 111 and 112 rotate in the same rotation direction and at the same speed. The above is the configuration of the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110.

Next, the operation of the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 will be described. Hereinafter, a case where the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 is installed on the power transmission line and travels on the power transmission line will be described.

Since dampers and snow accretion rings are installed at predetermined positions on the power transmission line, it is necessary to get over the dampers and snow accretion rings in order to continue running on the power transmission line. If a wheel (conventional wheel) with a groove formed in the circumferential direction simply rolls on the power transmission line, the groove of the wheel will come off the power transmission line and the steering of the wheel will be out of order when overcoming dampers. The direction of travel may deviate from the power transmission line.

On the other hand, in the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110, the balance type traveling wheel bodies 110a and 110b are rotatably supported by the wheel body support frame 110c, and the pair of wheels 111 and 112 of the balance type traveling wheel bodies 110a and 110b move in the traveling direction. They are arranged side by side. Therefore, for example, even if one wheel 112 rides on a damper, a snow accretion ring, or the like, the other wheel 111 can reliably sandwich the power transmission line in the groove 111b, and the balance type traveling wheels 110a and 110b can be reliably sandwiched. The direction of travel does not deviate from the transmission line. Therefore, the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 can prevent the wheel from coming off the power transmission line even when overcoming a damper, a snow accretion ring, or the like.

In addition, with conventional wheels and crawlers, when riding on a damper or snow accretion ring, the height of the step caused by the damper or snow accretion ring is the same as the height at which the wheel rises when overcoming the step. The field of view of the camera is easily deviated from the power transmission line.

On the other hand, in the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110, the rotating shafts 110d and 110e of the balance type traveling wheels 110a and 110b are arranged above the rotating shafts 111a and 112a of the pair of wheels 111 and 112, and the balance type traveling wheels 110a and 110b are arranged. Can rotate around the rotation shafts 110d, 110e. Therefore, the amount of displacement of the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 in the height direction when overcoming a step due to a damper, a snow accretion ring, or the like can be suppressed more than the height of the step. Therefore, the possibility that the field of view of the mirror 132 deviates from the transmission line can be significantly reduced.

Next, the hardware configuration of the controller 140 of the inspection device 100 will be described. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the controller 140 according to the embodiment. The controller 140 includes a communication unit 141, a storage unit 142, and a control unit 143. Each part of the controller 140 is connected to each other by an internal bus or the like.

The communication unit 141 is an interface capable of connecting to a communication network such as the Internet. The communication unit 141 transmits the image data acquired by the camera 131 to the remote control device 200.

The storage unit 142 includes a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a flash memory, and the like. The storage unit 142 stores a program or the like to be executed by the control unit 143. Further, the storage unit 142 functions as a work memory for the control unit 143 to execute the process. Further, the storage unit 142 stores the image data acquired by the camera 131 in association with the shooting date and time and the position information of the inspection device 100 by the GPS (Global Positioning System).

The control unit 143 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and the like, and controls each unit of the controller 140. The control unit 143 executes various processes for controlling the operation of the camera 131 and the motor 114 by executing the program stored in the storage unit 142.

The control unit 143 functionally includes a motor control unit 143a that controls the operation of the motor 114 and a camera control unit 143b that controls the operation of the camera 131.

The motor control unit 143a controls the motor 114 so that the inspection device 100 travels on the power transmission line at a predetermined speed based on the operation signal from the remote control device 200.

The camera control unit 143b controls the operation of the camera 131 based on the operation signal from the remote control device 200. For example, the camera control unit 143b causes the camera 131 to take a picture of the transmission line under the conditions such as the set frame rate based on the operation signal from the remote control device 200. Further, the camera control unit 143b causes the communication unit 141 to transmit the image data acquired by the camera 131 to the remote control device 200, and the storage unit 142 associates the shooting date and time with the position information of the inspection device 100 by GPS. Remember.

When the control unit 143 receives an instruction to stop the inspection device 100 from the remote control device 200, the motor control unit 143a stops the drive of the motor 114, and the camera control unit 143b takes a picture of the transmission line by the camera 131. To stop. The above is the hardware configuration of the controller 140 of the inspection device 100.

Next, the hardware configuration of the remote control device 200 will be described. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the remote control device 200 according to the embodiment. The remote control device 200 includes an operation unit 210, a display unit 220, a communication unit 230, a storage unit 240, and a control unit 250. Each part of the remote control device 200 is connected to each other by an internal bus or the like.

The operation unit 210 receives a user's instruction and supplies an operation signal corresponding to the received operation to the control unit 250. The operation unit 210 gives instructions regarding the start and stop of traveling of the inspection device 100, for example, confirmation of a preview image of the camera 131, frame rate, shutter speed, quality of acquired image, forward movement, backward movement, stop, and speed of the inspection device 100. For example, 9 speeds can be selected). The operation unit 210 may independently set the shutter speed for each camera 131.

The display unit 220 displays various images to the user based on the image data supplied from the control unit 250. The display unit 220 includes, for example, a liquid crystal panel or the like. The display unit 220 displays, for example, the images taken by the camera 131 side by side, and also displays the operating state (for example, traveling speed, etc.) of the inspection device 100.

The operation unit 210 and the display unit 220 may be realized by, for example, a touch panel. The touch panel displays an operation screen for accepting a predetermined operation by the user, and supplies an operation signal corresponding to a position where the user has performed a contact operation on the operation screen to the control unit 250.

The communication unit 230 is an interface capable of connecting to a communication network such as the Internet. The communication unit 230 communicates with an external terminal, a server, a memory, etc. including the communication unit 141 of the controller 140 via a communication network.

The storage unit 240 includes a RAM, a ROM, a flash memory, a hard disk drive, and the like. The storage unit 240 stores a program to be executed in the control unit 250 and various data. Further, the storage unit 240 functions as a work memory for the control unit 250 to execute processing. Further, the storage unit 240 stores the image data acquired by the camera 131 in association with the identification information for each camera 131 and the information regarding the acquisition date and time of the image data.

The control unit 250 includes a CPU and the like, and controls each unit of the remote control device 200. The control unit 250 executes various processes by executing the program stored in the storage unit 240. The above is the hardware configuration of the remote control device 200.

Next, the flow of the inspection work of the transmission line using the inspection device 100 will be described.

First, the operator lifts the inspection device 100 to the upper part of the steel tower and puts the pair of balance-type traveling wheels 110a and 110b of the inspection device 100 on the power transmission line to install the inspection device 100 on the power transmission line.

Next, the operator operates the remote control device 200 to instruct the inspection device 100 to start traveling the transmission line and taking a picture of the transmission line. Then, the inspection device 100 starts traveling on the transmission line and photographing the transmission line. The inspection device 100 acquires an all-around image of the transmission line while traveling on the transmission line, and transmits the acquired all-around image of the transmission line to the remote control device 200.

When the inspection device 100 is traveling on the power transmission line, it is necessary to get over the damper, the snow accretion ring, and the like on the way. When overcoming a damper, a snow accretion ring, etc., the balance type traveling wheel bodies 110a and 110b of the inspection device 100 are configured such that either of the wheels 111 or 112 sandwiches the power transmission line with the V-shaped groove 111b. Has been done. Therefore, the inspection device 100 does not derail from the transmission line when overcoming the damper or the snow accretion ring.

Further, when overcoming a damper or a snow accretion ring, the balance type traveling wheel bodies 110a and 110b of the inspection device 100 rotate around the rotation shafts 110d and 110e with respect to the wheel body support frame 110c, thereby causing the damper and It is possible to absorb the vertical movement that occurs when overcoming a difficult snow accretion ring or the like. Therefore, the possibility that the field of view of the camera 131 provided in the inspection device 100 deviates from the power transmission line can be reduced.

The remote control device 200 receives the image data transmitted from the inspection device 100 and stores it in the storage unit 240, and displays the screen of the transmission line on the display unit 220. The display unit 220 displays four images obtained by capturing each region of the transmission line divided into four in the circumferential direction. The operator visually inspects the transmission line by checking the entire circumference image of the transmission line displayed on the display unit 220.

When the inspection device 100 continues to travel on the transmission line over the span and arrives near the other tower, the operator operates the remote control device 200 to transmit an operation signal for stopping the inspection device 100. Upon receiving the operation signal, the inspection device 100 stops driving the motor 114 and taking pictures with the camera 131. Next, the worker climbs to the upper part of the other tower, removes the inspection device 100 from the transmission line, and lowers it to the ground. The above is a series of inspection work flow.

In the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 according to the embodiment, the pair of balance type traveling wheels 110a and 110b rotate around the rotation shafts 110d and 110e even when the step is overcome by a damper, a snow accretion ring or the like. Any one of the wheels 111 and 112 of the pair of balance type traveling wheel bodies 110a and 110b can be maintained in a state of being installed on the overhead wire. Therefore, even when overcoming a step due to a damper, a snow accretion ring, or the like, it is possible to reliably prevent derailment from the transmission line.

In the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 according to the embodiment, the pair of balance-type traveling wheels 110a and 110b rotate around the rotation shafts 110d and 110e even when overcoming a step due to a damper, a snow accretion ring, or the like. Therefore, the vertical displacement when overcoming a step can be suppressed to be less than the height of the step. Therefore, when the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 is applied to the inspection device 100, the possibility that the transmission line is removed from the field of view of the camera 131 can be reduced, and the entire circumference image of the transmission line can be reliably acquired over the span.

In the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 according to the embodiment, the balance type traveling wheel bodies 110a and 110b can overcome a step larger than the radius of the wheels of the wheels 111 and 112. Therefore, it is possible to suppress an increase in weight as compared with an overhead wire traveling mechanism in which the diameter of the wheel is increased to improve the performance of overcoming a step. Therefore, when the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 is applied to the inspection device 100, the weight of the inspection device 100 can be suppressed to a weight that can be manually lifted to the upper part of the steel tower.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples.

(Example)
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which the actual machine of the inspection device 100 is traveling on the transmission line erected in the laboratory. Using the actual machine of the inspection device 100 shown in FIG. 8, it was verified whether the inspection device 100 can overcome the damper installed on the transmission line.

Specifically, the step-overcoming stroke was measured when overcoming the SF type damper for electric wire size 240 mm ² , when overcoming the vibratorless damper for electric wire size 240 mm ² , and when overcoming the double torsional damper for electric wire size 160 mm ² . It should be noted that the step climbing stroke indicates a height change when moving from the state of being installed on the transmission line to the state of riding on the top of the dampers.

The step-overcoming strokes were, respectively, about 49 mm, about 35 mm, and about 38 mm, respectively. Since the vertical movable range of the inspection device 100 is within about 60 mm, it was confirmed that the inspection device 100 can get over the damper installed on the transmission line.

When the overhead wire traveling mechanism 110 was applied to the inspection device 100, the actual weight of the inspection device 100 was about 17 kg. Therefore, it was confirmed that the weight of the inspection device 100 was such that it could be manually lifted to the upper part of the tower.

Next, numerical calculations were performed on the amount of fluctuation in the height direction of the rotating shafts 110d and 110e of the balance type traveling wheels 110a and 110b. The distance between the axles of the tandem wheels was 210 mm, the height of the rotating shaft with respect to the axle was 136 mm, and the amount of fluctuation in the height direction of the rotating shafts 110d and 110e of the balance type traveling wheel body was numerically calculated for stepping up to 60 mm. ..

FIG. 9 is a graph showing the numerical calculation results of the amount of fluctuation in the height direction of the rotating shafts 110d and 110e of the balance type traveling wheels 110a and 110b. The vertical axis is the amount of fluctuation (mm) in the height direction of the rotation axes 110d and 110e, and the horizontal axis is the height (mm) of the step. In the conventional simple wheels, the step riding height and the amount of fluctuation in the wheel height direction are almost the same, whereas in the balance type traveling wheel bodies 110a and 110b, the step riding height is as shown in FIG. On the other hand, it was confirmed that the amount of fluctuation in the height direction of the balance type traveling wheels 110a and 110b was suppressed to less than half.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the modifications described below are also possible.

(Modification example)
In the above embodiment, the case where the inspection device 100 is applied to the transmission line has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the inspection device 100 may be applied to overhead ground wires, electric wires such as distribution lines, pipes such as water pipes, gas pipes, oil supply pipes, ropeway ropes, wire ropes of elevators, and the like.

In the above embodiment, the cover 121 has an octagonal tubular shape, but the present invention is not limited to this. The shape of the cover 121 may be any shape as long as the camera 131 and the mirror 132 can be fixed, and may be formed into, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped or a spindle shape.

In the above embodiment, the housing 120 includes a cover 121 that covers the camera 131 and the mirror 132, but the present invention is not limited to this. As long as the camera 131 and the mirror 132 can be supported, the cover 121 is not limited, and for example, a simple frame or the like may be used.

In the above embodiment, the photographing unit 130 is composed of the camera 131 and the mirror 132, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a lighting fixture such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode) may be fixed to the cover 121 to illuminate the power transmission line. Further, the photographing unit 130 may be composed of only the camera 131.

In the above embodiment, the camera 131 is used for inspecting the transmission line, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the inspection device 100 may be provided with a sensor or the like for detecting a corrosion state of a transmission line, surface roughness, or the like.

In the above embodiment, the wheels 111 and 112 are driven by the motor 114, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the inspection device 100 installed on the power transmission line may be driven by connecting a rope to a part of the inspection device 100 and winding the rope with a winch or the like installed on a steel tower or the like.

In the above embodiment, the rotation of the motor 114 is transmitted to the wheels 111 and 112 by using the rotation transmitting means 115 composed of the pulley and the belt, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the rotation of the motor 114 may be transmitted to the wheels 111 and 112 by using a gear, a roller chain, a sprocket, or the like.

In the above embodiment, the image data acquired by the camera 131 of the inspection device 100 is transmitted to the remote control device 200, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the image data acquired by the camera 131 of the inspection device 100 may be stored in the storage unit 142, and after the inspection device 100 is collected from the power transmission line, the image data may be read from the storage unit 142 to an external computer. Further, the image data acquired by the camera 131 of the inspection device 100 may be transmitted to an external computer, server, or the like at a remote location.

In the above embodiment, the operator operates the remote control device 200 to instruct the inspection device 100 to start running and shooting, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the inspection device 100 may be provided with a start button, and an operator who has installed the inspection device 100 on the power transmission line may press the start button to start traveling or photographing the inspection device 100. Further, the operation of the inspection device 100 may be controlled by an operator at a remote location operating an external computer or the like and supplying an operation signal via a communication line.

In the above embodiment, the start or stop of the running of the inspection device 100 is determined based on the operation signal from the remote control device 200, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the housing 120 of the inspection device 100 is provided with a contact sensor for detecting contact with an insulator or the like provided on a power transmission line, and when the contact sensor notifies that the insulator or the like has been contacted, the inspection device 100 It may be configured to stop the running of.

The above-described embodiment is an example, and the present invention is not limited thereto, and various embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention described in the claims. The components described in each embodiment and modification can be freely combined. The present invention also includes inventions equivalent to those described in the claims.

1 Overhead wire inspection system 100 Self-propelled overhead wire inspection device 110 Overhead wire traveling mechanism 110a, 110b Balance type traveling wheel body 110c Wheel body support frame 110d, 110e Rotating shaft 111, 112 Wheel 111a, 112a Rotating shaft 111b Groove 111c Protrusion 113 Wheel supporting frame 113a Top surface 113b Side surface 113c Rotation shaft support 114 Motor 114a Rotation shaft 115 Rotation transmission means 115a, 115b, 115c, 115d Pulley 115e, 115f Rubber belt 120 Housing 121 Cover 122 Suspension 123 Support plate 124 Accommodation 130 Imaging unit 131 Camera 132 Mirror 140 Controller 141 Communication unit 142 Storage unit 143 Control unit 143a Motor control unit 143b Camera control unit 150 Battery 200 Remote control device 210 Operation unit 220 Display unit 230 Communication unit 240 Storage unit 250 Control unit

Claims (7)

A pair of balance-type traveling wheels arranged side by side in the direction of travel,
A wheel body support frame that rotatably supports the pair of balance-type traveling wheel bodies around a rotation axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction is provided.
The balance type traveling wheel body
A pair of wheels arranged side by side in the direction of travel and having grooves formed in the circumferential direction that can accept overhead wires with respect to the outer peripheral surface.
A wheel support frame that rotatably supports the pair of wheels around a rotation axis extending in the same direction as the rotation axis of the balance-type traveling wheel body.
Overhead wire running mechanism. The rotation axis of the balance type traveling wheel body is arranged above the rotation axis of the wheel.
The overhead wire traveling mechanism according to claim 1. The groove is formed in a V shape with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the wheel.
The overhead wire traveling mechanism according to claim 1 or 2. The balance type traveling wheel body
A motor that rotates the pair of wheels and
A rotation transmission means for transmitting the rotation of the motor to the pair of wheels, respectively.
The overhead wire traveling mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The rotation transmission means
A first pulley rotatably supported by the wheel support frame and fixed to the wheel rotation shaft,
A second pulley rotatably supported by the wheel support frame and fixed to the rotating shaft of the motor,
A rubber belt which is arranged outside the wheel support frame and hung between the first pulley and the second pulley is provided.
The overhead wire traveling mechanism according to claim 4. The overhead wire traveling mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
An imaging unit that is supported by the overhead wire traveling mechanism and photographs the overhead wire,
The controller includes a controller that is supported by the overhead wire traveling mechanism, is communicably connected to the overhead wire traveling mechanism and the photographing unit, and controls the operation of the overhead wire traveling mechanism and the photographing unit.
Self-propelled overhead wire inspection device. The self-propelled overhead wire inspection device according to claim 6 and
When it is communicably connected to the self-propelled overhead wire inspection device and accepts a user's operation, an operation signal for controlling the self-propelled overhead wire inspection device is transmitted to the self-propelled overhead wire inspection device. Equipped with a remote control device
Overhead line inspection system.