# US 2022/0045489 A1 · Carrier mechanism for walking on line

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- Number: US 2022/0045489 A1
- Document ID: US20220045489A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/298,607
- Filed: 2019-11-12
- Published: 2022-02-10
- Earliest claimed: 2019-11-08
- Assignees: Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Applicants: Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Inventors: Guodong YANG; Xiaoyu LONG; Weiqing ZHAO; En LI; Zize LIANG; Fengshui JING; Han WANG; Hao WANG; Zishu GAO; Yunong TIAN; Yuansong SUN; Sixi LU; Guangyao XU
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220045489A1

## CPC

- H02G 1/02: for overhead lines or cables
- B25J 5/02: travelling along a guideway
- B61B 7/06: with self-propelled vehicles
- B61B 13/06: Saddle or like balanced type
- H02G 7/16: Devices for removing snow or ice from lines or cables
- H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
- B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50})
- B61B: RAILWAY SYSTEMS; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (lifts or hoists, elevators, escalators, moving walkways B66B)

## Abstract

A carrier mechanism for walking on a line includes a carrier platform constituted by a first mounting plate, a second mounting plate and a longitudinal movable plate, a walking apparatus, a clamping apparatus, a driving apparatus, and a self-balance control apparatus configured to adjust a posture of the carrier mechanism. The longitudinal movable plate is slidably arranged on the second mounting plate fixedly connected to the first mounting plate in parallel. The walking apparatus includes at least two sets of walking wheels arranged along a walking direction. The clamping apparatus is slidably arranged on the lower side of the longitudinal movable plate. The driving apparatus includes a first driving apparatus configured to drive the walking wheels to roll, and a second driving apparatus configured to drive the longitudinal movable plate to move. The clamping apparatus is driven by the longitudinal movable plate to clamp or release a to-be-inspected target.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A carrier mechanism for walking on a line, comprising a carrier platform, a walking apparatus, a clamping apparatus, a driving apparatus, and a self-balance control apparatus; wherein
the carrier platform comprises a first mounting plate, a second mounting plate and a longitudinal movable plate, wherein
the first mounting plate is fixedly connected to the second mounting plate in parallel,
the longitudinal movable plate is arranged between the first mounting plate and the second mounting plate in parallel, and
the longitudinal movable plate is slidably arranged on the second mounting plate;
the longitudinal movable plate is provided with four guide grooves, and the four guide grooves are symmetrically arranged on a left side and a right side of a longitudinal center line of the carrier platform;
the guide grooves vertically penetrate the longitudinal movable plate, and the clamping apparatus is slidably connected to the guide grooves;
the clamping apparatus is driven by the guide grooves to move reversely relative to the longitudinal movable plate;
the walking apparatus is arranged on a lower side of the second mounting plate, and the walking apparatus comprises at least two sets of walking wheels, wherein
the plurality of sets of walking wheels are successively arranged along a direction of the longitudinal center line of the carrier mechanism, and
a walking direction of the walking wheels is consistent with the direction of the longitudinal center line of the carrier mechanism;
the clamping apparatus is slidably arranged on a lower side of the longitudinal movable plate;
the driving apparatus comprises a first driving apparatus and a second driving apparatus, wherein both the first driving apparatus and the second driving apparatus are fixedly arranged on the first mounting plate;
the self-balance control apparatus is arranged on the carrier platform, and is configured to adjust a posture balance of the carrier mechanism; and
wherein, in a working process, the second driving apparatus drives the longitudinal movable plate to move forward along the longitudinal center line of the carrier mechanism, and drives the clamping apparatus to clamp a to-be-inspected target;
the first driving apparatus drives the walking wheels to roll on the to-be-inspected target;
the self-balance control apparatus detects posture information of walking of the carrier mechanism, and adjusts a posture of the carrier mechanism to ensure a walking balance of the carrier mechanism on the to-be-inspected target.

### Claim 2

(canceled)

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The carrier mechanism for walking on the line according to claim 1, wherein
the clamping apparatus comprises a clamping mechanism and a clamping bracket;
the clamping mechanism is fixedly arranged at a lower end of the clamping bracket;
an upper end of the clamping bracket is slidably connected to the guide groove;
four clamping apparatus are provided, and the four clamping apparatus are symmetrically arranged on the left side and the right side of the longitudinal center line of the carrier platform; and
each pair of clamping apparatus are driven by the second driving apparatus to clamp inward or release outward the to-be-inspected target.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The carrier mechanism for walking on the line according to claim 3, wherein
the second driving apparatus comprises a second driving motor and a second orthogonal helical gear set;
the second orthogonal helical gear set comprises a second driving gear and a second driven gear;
the second driving gear is fixedly connected to a power output end of the second driving motor, and the second driven gear is engaged with the second driving gear for transmission.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The carrier mechanism for walking on the line according to claim 4, wherein
the second driving apparatus further comprises a second transmission mechanism;
the second transmission mechanism comprises an upper gear and an upper toothed rack;
the upper gear is coaxially and fixedly connected to the second driven gear;
the upper toothed rack is fixedly arranged on the longitudinal movable plate, and the upper toothed rack is engaged with the upper gear for transmission.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The carrier mechanism for walking on the line according to claim 1, wherein
the first driving apparatus comprises a first driving motor and a first orthogonal helical gear set;
the first orthogonal helical gear set comprises a first driving gear and a first driven gear;
the first driving gear is fixedly connected to a power output end of the first driving motor, and the first driven gear is engaged with the first driving gear for transmission;
the first driving apparatus further comprises a first transmission mechanism;
the first transmission mechanism comprises a first gear, a second gear, and a first transmission shaft;
a power output end of the first driving apparatus is fixedly connected to the first gear, and the first gear is drivingly connected to the second gear through a gear belt; and
the second gear is fixedly arranged at one end of the first transmission shaft, and the first transmission shaft is coaxially and fixedly connected to the walking wheels.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The carrier mechanism for walking on the line according to claim 6, wherein
the walking apparatus further comprises a support frame and a synchronous pulley;
the synchronous pulley is coaxially and fixedly connected to the walking wheel, and the synchronous pulley is rotatably connected to the support frame through the first transmission shaft; and
the walking wheel is arranged between the second gear and the synchronous pulley.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The carrier mechanism for walking on the line according to claim 7, wherein
the walking apparatus comprises at least two sets of synchronous pulleys, wherein the plurality of sets of synchronous pulleys are successively arranged along a walking direction of the carrier mechanism, and are connected through a synchronous belt;
the plurality of sets of walking wheels comprise one driving wheel and one or more driven wheels;
the plurality of sets of synchronous pulleys comprise one driving synchronous pulley and one or more driven synchronous pulleys; and
the driving wheel is coaxially and fixedly connected to the driving synchronous pulley, the driven wheel is coaxially and fixedly connected to the driven synchronous pulley, and the driving wheel drives the driven synchronous pulley to rotate through the driving synchronous pulley and the synchronous belt.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The carrier mechanism for walking on the line according to claim 1, further comprising an upper sliding rail; wherein
two upper sliding rails are provided, and the two upper sliding rails are symmetrically arranged on both sides of a longitudinal center line of the longitudinal movable plate;
the upper sliding rail is slidably connected to a side surface of the longitudinal movable plate;
the upper sliding rail further comprises a support shaft, wherein an upper end of the support shaft is fixedly arranged on the upper sliding rail, and a lower end of the support shaft is fixedly arranged on the second mounting plate.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The carrier mechanism for walking on the line according to claim 1, wherein
the longitudinal movable plate further comprises a position limiting sensor, and the position limiting sensor is fixedly arranged on the longitudinal movable plate;
the first mounting plate further comprises a position limiting sensor stopper, and the position limiting sensor stopper is fixedly arranged on a lower side of the first mounting plate;
when the clamping apparatus clamps the to-be-inspected target, the position limiting sensor stopper arranged on the lower side of the first mounting plate is in contact with the position limiting sensor, and limits a movement of the longitudinal movable plate.

### Claim 11 (depends on 3)

The carrier mechanism for walking on the line according to claim 3, wherein
the longitudinal movable plate further comprises a position limiting sensor, and the position limiting sensor is fixedly arranged on the longitudinal movable plate;
the first mounting plate further comprises a position limiting sensor stopper, and the position limiting sensor stopper is fixedly arranged on a lower side of the first mounting plate;
when the clamping apparatus clamps the to-be-inspected target, the position limiting sensor stopper arranged on the lower side of the first mounting plate is in contact with the position limiting sensor, and limits a movement of the longitudinal movable plate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 4)

The carrier mechanism for walking on the line according to claim 4, wherein
the longitudinal movable plate further comprises a position limiting sensor, and the position limiting sensor is fixedly arranged on the longitudinal movable plate;
the first mounting plate further comprises a position limiting sensor stopper, and the position limiting sensor stopper is fixedly arranged on a lower side of the first mounting plate;
when the clamping apparatus clamps the to-be-inspected target, the position limiting sensor stopper arranged on the lower side of the first mounting plate is in contact with the position limiting sensor, and limits a movement of the longitudinal movable plate.

### Claim 13 (depends on 5)

The carrier mechanism for walking on the line according to claim 5, wherein
the longitudinal movable plate further comprises a position limiting sensor, and the position limiting sensor is fixedly arranged on the longitudinal movable plate;
the first mounting plate further comprises a position limiting sensor stopper, and the position limiting sensor stopper is fixedly arranged on a lower side of the first mounting plate;
when the clamping apparatus clamps the to-be-inspected target, the position limiting sensor stopper arranged on the lower side of the first mounting plate is in contact with the position limiting sensor, and limits a movement of the longitudinal movable plate.

### Claim 14 (depends on 6)

The carrier mechanism for walking on the line according to claim 6, wherein
the longitudinal movable plate further comprises a position limiting sensor, and the position limiting sensor is fixedly arranged on the longitudinal movable plate;
the first mounting plate further comprises a position limiting sensor stopper, and the position limiting sensor stopper is fixedly arranged on a lower side of the first mounting plate;
when the clamping apparatus clamps the to-be-inspected target, the position limiting sensor stopper arranged on the lower side of the first mounting plate is in contact with the position limiting sensor, and limits a movement of the longitudinal movable plate.

### Claim 15 (depends on 7)

The carrier mechanism for walking on the line according to claim 7, wherein
the longitudinal movable plate further comprises a position limiting sensor, and the position limiting sensor is fixedly arranged on the longitudinal movable plate;
the first mounting plate further comprises a position limiting sensor stopper, and the position limiting sensor stopper is fixedly arranged on a lower side of the first mounting plate;
when the clamping apparatus clamps the to-be-inspected target, the position limiting sensor stopper arranged on the lower side of the first mounting plate is in contact with the position limiting sensor, and limits a movement of the longitudinal movable plate.

### Claim 16 (depends on 8)

The carrier mechanism for walking on the line according to claim 8, wherein
the longitudinal movable plate further comprises a position limiting sensor, and the position limiting sensor is fixedly arranged on the longitudinal movable plate;
the first mounting plate further comprises a position limiting sensor stopper, and the position limiting sensor stopper is fixedly arranged on a lower side of the first mounting plate;
when the clamping apparatus clamps the to-be-inspected target, the position limiting sensor stopper arranged on the lower side of the first mounting plate is in contact with the position limiting sensor, and limits a movement of the longitudinal movable plate.

### Claim 17 (depends on 9)

The carrier mechanism for walking on the line according to claim 9, wherein
the longitudinal movable plate further comprises a position limiting sensor, and the position limiting sensor is fixedly arranged on the longitudinal movable plate;
the first mounting plate further comprises a position limiting sensor stopper, and the position limiting sensor stopper is fixedly arranged on a lower side of the first mounting plate;
when the clamping apparatus clamps the to-be-inspected target, the position limiting sensor stopper arranged on the lower side of the first mounting plate is in contact with the position limiting sensor, and limits a movement of the longitudinal movable plate.