Maintaining insulators in power transmission systems
AssigneeThe Invention Science Fund I, LLC
InventorsRoderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, David B. Tuckerman, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrical power transmission system includes electrical insulators arranged to electrically isolate live power lines. Surface reconditioning units are incorporated or integrated in the insulator structures. A sensor arrangement determines surface conditions of the electrical insulators in use to isolate live power lines. In response, the surface reconditioning units automatically recondition the surfaces of the in-service electrical insulators if appropriate for maintaining the electrical insulators in healthy state.
Claims58
An electrical insulator, comprising:
- an insulator body having a surface;
- and
- a conditioner arranged to automatically recondition at least a portion of the surface in response to a state of the surface;
- wherein the conditioner is arranged to clean at least a portion of the surface in response to the determined state of the surface.
An electrical insulator, comprising:
- an insulator body having a surface;
- a maintenance device coupled to the insulator body and arranged to automatically maintain at least a portion of the surface;
- and
- a receiver configured to receive commands to operate the maintenance device;
- wherein the maintenance device is arranged to apply heat to at least a part of the surface.
An electrical insulator, comprising:
- an insulator body having a surface;
- and
- a conditioner arranged to automatically recondition at least a portion of the surface in response to a state of the surface;
- wherein the conditioner is coupled to a source of a surface cleaner material;
- and
- wherein the surface comprises one or more pores, and wherein the conditioner is arranged to extrude the surface cleaner material through the one or more pores onto at least a portion of the surface in response to the determined state of the surface.
An electrical insulator, comprising:
- an insulator body having a surface;
- and
- a maintenance device coupled to the insulator body and arranged to automatically maintain at least a portion of the surface;
- wherein the maintenance device is arranged to extrude a surface cleaner material through one or more pores onto at least part of the surface to automatically clean at least a portion of the surface.
An electrical insulator, comprising:
- an insulator body having a surface;
- and
- a maintenance device coupled to the insulator body and arranged to automatically maintain at least a portion of the surface;
- wherein the maintenance device is arranged to remove at least a portion of an existing surface coating in response to the determined state of the surface.
An electrical insulator, comprising:
- an insulator body having a surface;
- a maintenance device coupled to the insulator body and arranged to automatically maintain at least a portion of the surface;
- and
- a receiver configured to receive commands to operate the maintenance device;
- wherein the maintenance device is arranged to apply an electrical current to at least a part of the surface.
An electrical insulator, comprising:
- an insulator body having a surface;
- a maintenance device coupled to the insulator body and arranged to automatically maintain at least a portion of the surface;
- and
- a receiver configured to receive commands to operate the maintenance device;
- wherein the maintenance device is arranged to apply ultrasound energy to at least a part of the surface.
An electrical insulator, comprising:
- an insulator body having a surface;
- a maintenance device coupled to the insulator body and arranged to automatically maintain at least a portion of the surface;
- and
- a receiver configured to receive commands to operate the maintenance device;
- wherein the maintenance device is arranged to apply electromagnetic energy to at least a part of the surface.
An electrical insulator, comprising:
- an insulator body having a surface;
- a maintenance device coupled to the insulator body and arranged to automatically maintain at least a portion of the surface;
- and
- a receiver configured to receive commands to operate the maintenance device;
- wherein the maintenance device is arranged to remove at least a portion of an existing surface coating in response to the determined state of the surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.